The ACB Braille Forum Volume LIX September 2020 No. 3 Published by the American Council of the Blind ***** ** Be A Part of ACB The American Council of the Blind (TM) is a membership organization made up of more than 70 state and special-interest affiliates. To join, contact the national office at 1-800-424-8666. ** Contribute to Our Work Those much-needed contributions, which are tax-deductible, can be sent to Attn: Treasurer, ACB, 6200 Shingle Creek Pkwy., Suite 155, Brooklyn Center, MN 55430. If you wish to remember a relative or friend, the national office has printed cards available for this purpose. Consider including a gift to ACB in your Last Will and Testament. If your wishes are complex, call the national office. To make a contribution to ACB by the Combined Federal Campaign, use this number: 11155. ** Check in with ACB For the latest in legislative and governmental news, call the “Washington Connection” 24/7 at 1-800-424-8666, or read it online. Listen to ACB Reports by downloading the MP3 file from www.acb.org, or call (518) 906-1820 and choose option 8. Tune in to ACB Radio at www.acbradio.org or by calling (518) 906-1820. Learn more about us at www.acb.org. Follow us on Twitter at @acbnational, or like us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/AmericanCounciloftheBlindOfficial. © 2020 American Council of the Blind Eric Bridges, Executive Director Sharon Lovering, Editor 1703 N. Beauregard St., Suite 420, Alexandria, VA 22311 ***** Table of Contents Editor’s Note: If you sent in an article about the ADA at 30, sports/health/fitness, or rehabilitation, look for it in the October E-Forum, space permitting. President’s Message: Summer Breezes, Independence and Finally Baseball!, by Dan Spoone ACB 2020 Convention Thank-Yous, by Janet Dickelman ACB 2020 Virtual Conference and Convention: That’s a Wrap!, by Deb Cook Lewis, Paul Edwards and Zelda Gebhard And the 2020 Awards Winners Are …, by Debbie Rozear and Deb Trevino To Mobility and Beyond, by Ron Brooks We Walked the Virtual Path to the Future, by Donna Brown In Memoriam: Berl Lynn Colley, Sept. 1, 1942-June 28, 2020, by Crystal Colley Dull Start Looking Ahead to the Holiday Auction!, by Leslie Spoone Letter to the Editor Ski for Light, Inc. Sets Tracks for Virtual Event in 2021 Here and There, edited by Cynthia G. Hawkins ACB Officers ACB Board of Directors ACB Board of Publications Accessing Your ACB Braille and E-Forums ** Are You Moving? Do You Want to Change Your Subscription? Contact Sharon Lovering in the ACB national office, 1-800-424-8666, or via e-mail, slovering@acb.org. Give her the information, and she’ll make the changes for you. * Keep up with the most important ACB news and announcements without any other chatter. Subscribe to the ACB Announce listserv. Send a blank email to announce-subscribe@acblists.org, or visit www.acblists.org/mailman/listinfo/announce and type your email address and name where indicated. * ACB Radio brings old-time radio drama to you 24/7 at www.acbradio.org/trove. * ACB Radio’s Main Menu is the talk of the town when it comes to technology; check it out at www.acbradio.org. ***** President’s Message: Summer Breezes, Independence and Finally Baseball! by Dan Spoone Wow, what a crazy summer! The summer breezes are definitely blowing in our direction. The ACB conference and convention is in the rearview mirror and I could never see much through those mirrors even when I had some decent low vision. The baseball season is finally under way, and my Tampa Bay Rays are still in contention in September. Of course, it helps that we didn’t start playing games until the end of July. My sighted friends are very troubled that there are no fans in the stands, but it hasn’t bothered me. There is good crowd noise on the radio and television broadcast, and I don’t have to listen to those obnoxious Yankees fans. Leslie and I really enjoyed spending a couple of weeks in Key West. There is a very nice gym only two short blocks from our bed and breakfast. We can independently walk down each morning and get our workout done with accessible equipment. It was a little bit weird the first few days to get used to working out with a mask, but we really got used to it very quickly. It’s funny. I always make excuses for not having time at home to work out, but it’s kind of relaxing to exercise away from home. Leslie says I need to keep it up the other 50 weeks of the year. It’s just hard to satisfy some folks. Seriously, she’s right. I’ll try to do better this fall. It’s just so much easier to watch others sweat and cheer them on from the sidelines. Go Tom Brady and the Tampa Bay Bucs!!! It does take some amount of physical exertion to cheer on your favorite team. Doesn’t that count? The end of the summer also brings the realization that COVID-19 is going to be around for some time to come. We have a full slate of virtual state affiliate conventions to enjoy this fall. Thanks to our ACB Radio team for all of their wonderful support. ACB’s Community Chats are still going strong, and the ACB board of directors has passed several important resolutions that will need our attention over the next few months. We are only 63 days away from a presidential election, and ACB has led the fight to secure accessible mail-in ballots for members across the country. Please stay safe, but we must all exercise our most important right to vote this November. It has been a summer like no other in our lifetimes. We must stay strong and we must continue to support all the members and friends of our growing ACB family. Yes, the summer breezes are blowing in the direction of justice. Let’s make sure that our sails are at full mast and our compass is pointed toward improving the lives of our blind and visually impaired community. ***** ACB 2020 Convention Thank-Yous by Janet Dickelman Now that the 2020 ACB conference and convention is over, I want to take the time to offer my heartfelt appreciation, but where to begin! ACB Radio: for all the recordings, streaming and huge amounts of your time and efforts! I worked most closely with Debbie Hazelton, Jeff Bishop, Jason Castonguay, Tony Stephens and Rick Morin, the king of the spreadsheet (otherwise known as Boston 1 through 4). We never could have done this convention without you and the many other ACB Radio folks who I didn’t work with directly but know you were heavily involved. Then there was Jo Lynn Bailey-Page, who worked behind the scenes to make sure everyone was ready to go during general sessions and evening programming. Zoom: Deb Lewis for the herculean task of organizing all the Zoom sessions, and creating so many Zoom invitations. For all the Zoom facilitators who were always there keeping our sessions on track, you were amazing! Community Calls: To Cindy and all the individuals who worked so hard to promote the convention on so many community calls. I am certain that brought attendees to our 2020 conference. Staff: The Alexandria and Minneapolis office staff who worked so many extra hours and devoted their work and outside work lives to this convention for the last several months. I couldn’t do this without your support and encouragement. Sponsors: To our corporate sponsors and our individual sponsors, thank you for giving to ACB during these difficult financial times. Your support at any amount is very much appreciated. Exhibitors: Thank you for being in our virtual exhibit hall. I realize it was a very different setting this year; I hope you found it a rewarding experience. I enjoyed listening to many of your presentations and can’t wait to catch them all now that I have a little extra time. Special-interest affiliates and committees: Thank you for being able to quickly adjust from your in-person convention plans to an unknown virtual environment. You all held outstanding sessions and were very cooperative in getting me the information I needed for your programming. Again, I look forward to “attending” all the sessions as soon as the podcasts are available. Convention registration: Those of you who had assistance registering over the telephone had the privilege of speaking to Kim Carmichael, Tracy George, Karen Spry or Paula Wiese. Those ladies spent so much of their time ensuring that everyone who needed registration help received it. Information desk: Vicky Prahin and Karen Spry took on the daunting task of answering information desk calls throughout the convention. I know what a lot of work that was! Tech Support: Viola Bentson and Jeff Bishop ably managed the convention tech desk. I apologize to anyone who ended up talking to me for tech support. Long-time conventioneers: I missed seeing you in the elevator lines, restaurants and stopping by to chat. Thanks for your willingness to embrace our virtual environment this year. New attendees: It was wonderful to have so many first-time attendees join us this year. We now know what a need there is to continue a virtual presence in future conventions. Thank you for sharing your stories and feedback. Dan Spoone and the ACB board: Thank you for your ongoing support and entrusting me with this awesome role as convention coordinator. I love doing this for ACB. Convention Committee: You know who you are, what you do, and how much you mean to me. Notes: I will try and reply to all the notes I received regarding this convention; I always welcome your feedback and suggestions. Thank you for taking the time to write. To all of you: If I missed thanking anyone, it was not intentional but inadvertent. There were so many moving parts to this convention; please know all your efforts were appreciated. Now our focus moves toward Phoenix. Convention dates are Friday, July 23 through Friday, July 30 at the Hyatt Regency Phoenix. Room rates are $95 per night plus tax. Reservation information will be posted later this year. Staying in Touch The conference and convention announce list will be filled with information. To subscribe to the list, send a blank email to acbconvention-subscribe@acblists.org. If you received updates for the 2020 convention, you do not need to re-subscribe. For any convention-related questions, please contact Janet Dickelman, convention chair, at (651) 428-5059 or via email, janet.dickelman@gmail.com. ***** ACB 2020 Virtual Conference and Convention: That’s a Wrap! by Deb Cook Lewis, Paul Edwards and Zelda Gebhard ** Sunday, July 5 The opening session of the 59th annual ACB conference and convention began with Dan Spoone, ACB president, welcoming everyone to the first-ever virtual convention of the American Council of the Blind and calling the meeting to order. Via video from the 2019 convention, the Buffalo Soldiers from Rochester, N.Y. presented the colors with audio description by Jo Lynn Bailey-Page. Kim Charlson and Jo Lynn Bailey-Page led conventioners in the Pledge of Allegiance. Jason Castonguay sang the national anthem. Michael Garrett, chair of the ACB Enterprises and Services board, gave the invocation. In her welcoming remarks, Janet Dickelman, convention chair, spoke of transition from the in-person to the virtual convention, “ACB – A Path to the Future.” Dan Spoone and ACB executive director Eric Bridges presented the ACB annual address, “State of ACB.” Dan indicated that work of ACB is not done only by the membership, volunteers, and committee chairs, but also by its staff, led by Bridges. The mission statement remains the same as when the organization was founded 59 years ago. Dan highlighted the steering committees focused on the following nine areas: annual convention; advocacy; member services; information, referral and peer support program; scholarship and awards; Audio Description Project; public awareness; management; administration, and fundraising development. “2020 has provided us with a unique opportunity, one we will probably not have again.” The board unanimously decided to take the health and safety of the membership first and cancel the physical convention. With the six core values of integrity, honesty, respect, collaboration, flexibility, and initiative, ACB started planning that resulted in a virtual convention with over 1,500 registrants, 250 hours of live content, and 108 breakout sessions on 5 ACB Radio channels; audio-described tour channel; 8 hours of exciting exhibits with 35 vendors participating; general sessions every morning and prime time shows each evening live on video, streamed to YouTube on Facebook. Eric said collaboration and flexibility have been put to the test and COVID-19 offered an opportunity to utilize the technology we have acquired over the last few years to its fullest. In an effort to continue engagement with the members, community calls were started, providing a high level of engagement with members and non-members as well through a great variety of subjects, which has grown from 2 the first week to 50 or more per week. The public awareness steering committee supports all the other committees and will be starting a blog after convention. Eric declared, “Advocacy, that’s the spine of the organization. It’s what we are known for. It’s really what we have made our mark doing.” COVID-19 presented an opportunity to deal with the issue of voting by mail with ACB working so we, as blind people, can vote independently. It also provided an opportunity to deepen a relationship with Be My Eyes. Staff has provided assistance since late April by taking calls Monday through Friday from noon to 3 p.m. Eastern. A new relationship also developed with Procter and Gamble, who recognized difficulties the blind and visually impaired community has purchasing products during the pandemic. ACB worked with six NIB agencies around the country to pack and deliver items to individuals. Dan said the scholarship committee has partnered with the American Foundation for the Blind to combine resources, which has increased the fund to over $80,000 and enables 21 scholarships to be given each year. Dan thanked the Audio Description Project for everything they have accomplished; the ADP website has 4,300 audio-described titles listed. ACB finances were described as stable thanks to the efforts of many. The two thrift stores were closed in March and reopened in May. We enrolled in the Payroll Protection Program, which enabled us to keep all ACB staff employed during this pandemic. Jenny Lay-Flurrie, Chief Accessibility Officer for Microsoft, stressed that accessibility is important to Microsoft and drives continuing growth and improvements. Next were the inductions of the 2020 life members: Sarah Harris, Tennessee; Roger Dennis, New York; Rachel Schroeder, Illinois; Paula Wiese, Kentucky; Art Cabanilla, Hawaii; and Jim Jirak, Nebraska. Durward K. McDaniel (1915-1994), Oklahoma and Cathie Skivers (1925-2019), California were presented as ACB Angels. Kenneth Semien Sr., chairman of the DKM Fund Committee, introduced the 2020 First-Timers: Merisa Musemic of Sterling Heights, Mich., and Sara Freeman Smith of Houston, Tex. Eric Bridges presented the 2020 ACB/JPMorgan Chase Leadership Fellows: Regina M. Brink of Sacramento, Calif.; Sajja Koirala of Honolulu, Hawaii; Meryl Ann Shecter of Windsor Mill, Md.; Koni Sims of Sioux Falls, S.D.; and Wanda Denise Williford, Trenton, N.J. Opening session ended with the affiliate presidents answering roll call. Instead of concerns about credentials, affiliates shared a little about their work and accomplishments. ** Monday, July 6 John Huffman, chair of the constitution and bylaws committee, explained that our virtual convention could not conduct elections or amend the constitution. He reminded us that there is a new resolutions process in place this year. Resolutions can be submitted until the end of convention. The committee will recommend whether the resolutions should pass and will send them on to staff for prioritization and feedback. Final resolutions will be presented to the board on Aug. 27 for consideration and approval. Today’s Angel presentation celebrated the life of Johnny Granger, who was active in NIB agencies, and was also a tremendous friend and advocate. He worked in Alabama and Mississippi. Cindy Hollis, ACB’s membership services coordinator, said she began a year ago by sending out a survey which got a 25 percent return, and she spoke to 100 leaders from our 65 affiliates at the leadership meeting. Cindy talked about the 3 “E”s: embrace, engage and empower, to which she added a fourth “E,” effort. After the pandemic started, she began holding a few calls. There were 13 in March, 88 in April, 160 in May, and 223 in June. Altogether 19,000 folks have attended those calls. The connections born with community events were strengthened when the “ACB Community” Facebook page was created three weeks ago. More than 700 people have signed up for this group. Denise Colley introduced the scholarship committee and explained that through a partnership with the American Foundation for the Blind, ACB is now managing and awarding the scholarships formerly awarded by AFB. This has increased the overall size and scope of awards to $92,300 for 21 students. Each winner was interviewed in advance by a member of the scholarship committee; several interviews were played each day. We encourage you to download and listen to these presentations in the general sessions podcasts to learn about our scholarship recipients. Penny Reeder presented the Vernon Henley Media Award to “Pick of the Litter,” the movie and the series. Dana Nachman and Mary Celenza, executive producers, accepted the award. Karen Keninger, director of the National Library Service for the Blind and Print Disabled, said patrons can now subscribe to any new series on all BARD platforms. When the next installment comes out, you receive an email notification and will find the book in your wish list. Recent legislation allows full implementation of the Marrakesh treaty, changes the NLS name to National Library Service for the Blind and Print Disabled, and clarifies the category that includes people with reading disabilities as people with perceptual disabilities. Regulations implementing Marrakesh should be published in July. Thirty-seven libraries are participating in the books on demand project that distributes customized cartridges with up to 10 books. This allows all users to access digital books not produced originally on cartridge. The e-reader project expects to begin distribution of braille displays as part of a pilot project that will allow patrons to download and read braille books. NLS is also considering deployment of BARD through smart speakers such as Alexa and Google Home. Deb Trevino then presented Karen Keninger with the Robert S. Bray Award. Martine Abel Williamson, treasurer of the World Blind Union, joined us live at 4:25 a.m. Tuesday morning (her time) from Auckland, New Zealand. Born in Namibia, brought up in South Africa, Martine attended a school for the blind in South Africa and graduated from the University of Pretoria with a degree in psychology and education. She moved to New Zealand in the mid-1990s, and taught braille and computer access. In 2012, Martine became involved in work on accessibility of the built environment and transportation resources. In 2016, she was elected treasurer of the WBU and now coordinates WBU’s response to human rights initiatives for people with disabilities and for women and girls. Among the union’s priorities are quiet cars, shared spaces specifically related to obstacles on sidewalks, autonomous vehicles, and barriers related to international travel for guide dog handlers. She noted that accessible interfaces must be created if the 258 million blind people in the world are not to be left out. ** Tuesday, July 7 Today’s featured ACB Angels were Joel Bauer (1943–2018), Missouri, and Dee Wilmot Youngblut Clayton (1937–2020), North Carolina. Both individuals worked tirelessly for ACB and for their affiliates. Claire Stanley, ACB’s advocacy and outreach specialist, told us all about the Information, Referral and Peer Support (IRPS) program. The information and referral component is just that — helping people connect with information and resources they need. ACB receives thousands of calls each month, and is gradually building a database to respond more quickly and efficiently. One challenge is keeping the information current and relevant. The peer support component connects callers with other people who can be resources and role models. As with the I&R, there is a need to identify the most commonly requested types of peer support. Claire invited people to contact her via email, cstanley@acb.org, with resources for IRPS or to suggest resource categories that should be included. Dan Spoone and Ray Campbell took a moment to talk about the resolutions task force formed at the board meeting on July 3. Ray hopes to review the process for submitting resolutions, how to ensure they are relevant and understandable, and how to deliver the resolutions throughout the convention rather than all at once near the end. Send your suggestions to advocacy@acb.org. Kirk Adams, president and CEO, American Foundation for the Blind, said AFB’s values are learning, impact, excellence and collaboration. Maintaining the Helen Keller Archives in collaboration with APH and working with ACB to expand the reach of AFB’s scholarship program are examples. AFB worked with ACB and 20 other organizations to research the impact of COVID-19 on the lives of blind people. They have also issued a study on the effects of distance learning on the K-12 education of blind children. AFB held a virtual leadership conference this year, which was pre-recorded and is available online. AFB has also started a leadership development program with 16 candidates and blind mentors. AFB plans to hold a centennial celebration next year. Kim Charlson, ACB’s immediate past president, provided background information prior to the video presentation by Sen. Edward J. Markey. Sen. Markey introduced and co-authored the 21st Century Communications and Video Accessibility Act (CVAA), which was signed into law by President Obama in 2010. Markey commented on the progress made to date and expectations for the future as we celebrate the 10th anniversary of the CVAA. Kim then introduced Jeff Thom, chair of the ADP achievement awards subcommittee, who announced the winners. (For a list of the audio description award winners, go to https://acb.org/2020-AD-awards.) Finally, Joel Snyder, ADP’s director, summarized the project’s accomplishments over the past year. Benjamin Shaberman, Senior Director of Scientific Outreach, Foundation Fighting Blindness, explained that the Foundation is the leading private funder of research for inherited retinal degenerative diseases such as RP, Usher syndrome, and age-related macular degeneration. Recently, many therapies have moved into clinical trials, and the Foundation’s portfolio has about 80 projects running worldwide. The first gene therapy related to degenerative retinal disease has been approved, which paves the way for further developments. Genetic testing is very important for people with inherited retinal disease and can often change the diagnosis. Physicians can go to www.blueprintgenetics.com to order a comprehensive screening panel at no cost. Genetic counseling at no cost is also available for those who have received their genetic results. The FFB maintains a patient registry at www.MyRetinaTracker.org, where individuals can upload data which is used for research and information. A benefit of the registry is being notified of clinical trials that are relevant to your situation. ** Wednesday, July 8 Today’s Angel presentation featured Dick Seifert from Arkansas, who served on the ACB board and was active in Arkansas. Janet Dickelman thanked the members of the convention committee and others, including ACB staff, who were indispensable in putting this extravaganza together. In 2021 we will be in Phoenix at the Hyatt July 23-30; in 2022 it’s Omaha, July 1-8; in 2023 we will go to Schaumburg at the Renaissance from June 30 to July 7. Erin Jones, talking book narrator, American Printing House for the Blind, talked about words and pronunciation. She said how much use she made of various resources available to her at the printing house and praised the editors, who were of immense help in sorting out pronunciations. Erin indicated she really liked the variety of books she has been able to read. There were a lot of examples of pronunciation foibles that narrators must learn to control. Erin asked how you manage to laugh naturally while giving precisely the right number of “ha’s.” No singing is the rule, but have you ever tried just saying the words of “Happy Birthday?” “Being an NLS narrator has definitely shaped me and my language, and I would not change the experience for anything in the world.” Erin indicated that she started at NLS in 2001 and that Mitzi Friedlander was her mentor. She noted that among her favorite books were a biography of Catherine the Great by Robert K. Massie and “A Sense of Wonder” by Anne Padget. Julie Tye, president, Hadley Institute for the Blind and Visually Impaired, stated that Hadley had just launched its new distance learning platform. “The old system was too pedagogical. We don’t teach kids; we help adults.” In particular, they found that older people were not coming to Hadley as they lost vision later in life. Now there are discussion groups and podcasts on daily living, technology, working and braille. Hadley offers a new approach to braille teaching with a series for visual learners of braille and a course for reading and writing. The old course took six to nine months and was seldom completed. Now people learn basic braille in a weekend. There are also more than 100 technology podcasts. Visit www.hadley.edu for more information. Paul Edwards and Christopher Bell reflected on the impact of the ADA after 30 years. They contrasted the medical model with one based on social context; society has made choices, but people with disabilities can insist that others be made. The preamble of the ADA clearly identifies the many ways that society has intentionally discriminated against people with disabilities, and the law spells out how people with disabilities can gain inclusion. Training is important in narrowing the distance between people with and without disabilities. The ADA built upon earlier legislation that created mainstreaming. Because of these efforts, people with disabilities could no longer be separate and unequal. Most court decisions and amendments have extended the reach of the law and clarified its meaning. It is important for all of us to demand our rights by filing complaints. Gabriel Lopez Kafati, president, noted that Blind Pride International is celebrating their 20th anniversary as an affiliate of ACB. Blind Pride is proud of its collaboration with ACB and looks forward to many years of effort together. Look for them online at www.blindlgbtpride.org. ** Thursday, July 9 Marilyn Lutter (1938–2018) and James W. Peaco Jr. (1943–2016), both from the District of Columbia, were featured in today’s Angel presentations. Both were dynamic, dedicated members of ACB and their local affiliate in D.C. Tony Stephens, ACB’s director of development, spoke about how giving to ACB is an investment in the future. The work that ACB does has a ripple effect around the world. Despite the year’s challenges, ACB has over $250,000 in corporate sponsorships and $150,000 raised by members and friends. The walk has raised over $80,000, the Forum raffle raised $21,000, the auction raised $33,000. ACB continues to build community, conduct advocacy activities, and expand its diversity. ACB’s corporate sponsors are invested in their relationship with us as well as their financial investment. ACB needs to find a touch point with the 4 million Americans who have significant vision loss, and is establishing a long-range communications plan to help with this. ACBVoices.org will be a new blog where we can share our experience with the world. The strategy is to expand corporate relationships and grants and to expand our footprint and relationships. Elizabeth Leifel Ash, Senior Legal Counsel, CVS, announced the availability of Spoken Rx in the CVS app. This app reads an RFID sticker located on the bottom of the bottle, and will be fully implemented by end of 2021. The CVS application can also be accessed using Siri or Google Voice and is free of charge to CVS customers. Visit www.cvs.com/SpokenRX to learn which stores have it available. David Trott gave the treasurer’s report. ACB’s 2019 audit indicated that ACB met all applicable requirements of generally accepted accounting practices. David gave a full report regarding ACB’s income and expenditures. Reports from Michael Garrett, chair of the ACBES board, and Dan Dillon, chair of the resource development committee, completed the day’s agenda. ** Friday, July 10 Dan Spoone, Kim Charlson and Eric Bridges discussed the entrepreneurial operating system commonly called Traction. ACB is using this process to identify a common set of nomenclature and measurement to evaluate meetings and approaches to goals. Eric Bridges listed the eight members of the leadership team and indicated that ACB is currently working on six major projects. The team measures progress on each of those and consciously creates milestones toward which each project must move. Kim indicated that this system allows our limited staff resources to prioritize their efforts. This model can be used with ACB steering committees and other leaders as the team becomes more comfortable with it. The two Angels for Friday were Carol McCarl from Oregon, former chair of the board of publications and editor of “Dialogue” magazine, and Patricia LaFrance Wolf from California, who was active in the state affiliate and Diabetics in Action. Kelly Gasque, Katie Frederick and Deb Cook Lewis gave an update on ACB public awareness activities. Kelly described actions taken to communicate ACB’s response to the pandemic, the partnership with Be My Eyes, the new ACB Community Facebook page, Facebook Live to host specific events, and an update to ACB Link. A blog called ACB Voices will be launched where stories from ACB members will be posted. Anthony Corona has been a big part of this effort. Katie highlighted the number of podcasts now emerging that allow others to see what ACB is doing and that provide information for our members. Deb indicated that we are sensitive to the diverse skill levels and communication preferences of our members and try to meet the challenge of communicating using many modalities. Lee Nasehi, president and CEO, VisionServe Alliance, explained that this alliance consists of non-profit organizations nationwide that deliver services to people who are blind and has recently expanded to include for-profit organizations with interest in the needs of our constituency. When it became clear that more effort was needed at the public policy level, Paul Schroeder was hired as a consultant to help the Alliance determine how best to navigate this arena. The group has also taken the lead in creating a monthly call of many national organizations and, since the pandemic started, a weekly call to focus on ideas for effective service delivery in this new environment. Lee urged people to check for information on their website, http://visionservealliance.org, and to send email to info@visionservealliance.org. Eric Bridges and Dan Spoone updated the convention on ACB’s advisory board. Its members bring a range of specific expertise to ACB. There is the head of a management consulting firm, a fund-raising expert, a technology person, an expert on non-profits, an attorney, and a business development vice president for a large blindness-related company. The group is expected to meet again in October, but individuals from the advisory board work with ACB throughout the year. Attendees then got to take a brief video tour of Rick Morin’s setup in Boston, where he has managed the general sessions and prime-time shows of the virtual convention. Craig Meador, CEO, American Printing House for the Blind, reported that the Helen Keller Archive was transferred from AFB to APH last July. Construction is under way to create a permanent place for the exhibit. In partnership with Microsoft, APH worked on Code Jumper, a system to allow blind children to do coding for computer programs. The Connect Center will house all the web elements transferred from AFB in a single area. A new strategic plan was launched this year which changes the balance between services and products, with much higher emphasis on services. At the heart of the shift is the creation of “the Hive,” a new learning and teaching platform which launched earlier than expected because of the pandemic. In cooperation with other agencies in the field, daily virtual lessons were launched and a myriad of content was put online. A podcast called “Changemakers” was also launched. It became clear that people in other countries were using what APH created. When the school year ended, APH began a virtual summer camp, which is going on now. APH’s annual conference will be held virtually later this year. Theresia Hout, owner operator of TL Vending from Caldwell, Idaho, described how difficult it was for her as a child to convince her parents and professionals that she was going blind. As a teenager she barrel-raced until people told her it wasn’t safe. She married at 17, graduated from high school, and had her first child at the age of 20. At 28 she found herself with no hearing but, luckily, she qualified for a cochlear implant. She is a Randolph-Sheppard vendor who has run a variety of facilities in the Caldwell area. Theresia entered college at age 48 and, in three years, earned her bachelor’s degree. About two months before graduation she was offered a scholarship toward a master’s degree in entrepreneurship, which she completed with a 4.0 average in 2015. Theresia is working on a memoir about living life with dual disabilities. She ended with a message from her grandmother: “There’s no mountain too high to climb, no cliff too hard to reach. Reach for the stars and follow your dreams and be the best that you can be!” What a fitting wrap-up to a fabulous and unusually situated ACB convention! ***** And the 2020 Awards Winners Are … by Debbie Rozear and Deb Trevino As co-chairs, Debbie Rozear and Deb Trevino would like to thank their awards committee for assisting in the process of choosing from all the wonderful nominations that were received this year. And a big “thank you” to everyone who submitted nominations for consideration. This year’s ACB awards winners are: Robert S. Bray Award – Karen Keninger, Director of the National Library Service for the Blind and Print Disabled, Washington, D.C. Karen is compassionate and dedicated to her work for and with blind and visually impaired people. She spoke during Monday’s general session and was truly surprised when she was given the award immediately following her presentation. Margarine G. Beaman Volunteer Award – Michael Smitherman, exhibit coordinator, Jackson, Miss. Michael received his award during the ACB virtual banquet. After many, many years of his dedication to our organization, he is well deserving of this award. Here’s to a job well done and to all the years yet to come. Thanks for all your hard work. George Card Award – Camille Caffarelli, Horizons for the Blind, Crystal Lake, Ill. (presented in memoriam to Jessica Dunn). Jessica gave a very heartfelt speech after our presentation at the virtual banquet. You could hear the love for Camille through the words that were spoken. Camille will be missed by all. Each year, there are usually two affiliate awards presented. The Kansas Association of the Blind and Visually Impaired received an Affiliate Growth Award for having the largest percentage (28.8%) of new members. The Affiliate Growth Award for the largest number of new members (37) went to the North Dakota Association of the Blind. The awards committee will be seeking nominations for these and other awards early next year. It’s not too soon to start thinking about an individual or an organization that may have touched your life. Look for the article in the January 2021 issue. ***** To Mobility and Beyond by Ron Brooks Every year, the ACB Environmental Access and Transportation Committees collaborate on a workshop where we focus on issues impacting the mobility of people who are blind and visually impaired, and as the new decade dawned across America, we had very high hopes. Chicago, which is just down the road from where we thought we would be in July of 2020, is home to one of the largest transit agencies in the country as well as an entire host of organizations and companies who are recognized leaders in the field of transportation and infrastructure development. With this in mind, we planned a four-day forum we called “To Mobility and Beyond.” Our goal was to field speakers who could provide a basic education on how transportation and infrastructure projects and services are planned, funded and regulated, to delve into the challenges that blind and visually impaired people face when using transportation and infrastructure services, and to develop a platform of transportation- and infrastructure-related goals to guide our national advocacy efforts. So when ACB’s board of directors voted to hold the 2020 conference and convention virtually, I knew it was the right decision, but I still cringed. How would we pull off a virtual four-day transportation forum? Where would we find speakers? How many people would actually show up? As it turns out, I need not have worried because our virtual ACB convention shattered all past attendance records, and this was as true for our transportation sessions as for the rest of ACB’s workshops and sessions. The virtual workshop also gave us the ability to recruit speakers from literally anywhere and everywhere, so the quality of our speakers was unparalleled. Beginning on Sunday, July 5, the Environmental Access Committee, chaired by Becky Barnes-Davidson of Charlotte, N.C., and the Transportation Committee, chaired by Sheila Styron of Kansas City, Mo., hosted approximately three hours of content each day for a total of four days. All of these sessions were broadcast live via Zoom, and several were also simulcast on ACB Radio. All of the sessions were also recorded, and those recordings are archived online at http://acbradio.org/content/eac-transportation-transportation-and-beyond. Additionally, handouts for all sessions are available at https://acb.org/2020-acb-virtual-convention-sessions. These materials are available to anyone who wants them, ACB member or not, and at no charge, so ACB members, friends and other website guests should feel free to share these resources widely. ** Mobility Forum Highlights “To Mobility and Beyond” began with an educational workshop where speakers shared details about how transportation and infrastructure projects are planned and funded, how laws like the ADA impact transportation and infrastructure projects, and an exploration of how emerging mobility technologies (everything from transportation network companies to microtransit, e-bikes and e-scooters, to self-driving cars) are impacting the potential future of transportation and mobility. Next, we engaged in four informal topical conversations where we invited participants to share their observations, questions and concerns on everything from how emerging mobility technologies are impacting pedestrian access, to transportation services and their availability in major urban areas and smaller communities, to a survey of ideas for how we might innovate paratransit from the ground up. On the final day, we summarized key take-aways from each of the topical conversations and heard from Dr. Judy Shanley, Director of the National Center for Mobility Management, on strategies for building strong local coalitions. ** Key Transportation Advocacy Findings One of the most important goals we had for the mobility forum was to gather a series of recommendations that might serve as the starting point for a national transportation and environmental access advocacy platform. To be certain, these are local issues, but having a general set of strong advocacy recommendations available for state affiliates and local chapters can help to accelerate and simplify the critically important work of grassroots advocacy. So what follows is a brief list of general conclusions which are being refined by the Transportation and Environmental Access Committees, the Resolutions Committee, and the national staff. It is our hope that a series of policy recommendations (perhaps in the form of ACB resolutions) will result from these general recommendations and that we will be able to use these policy recommendations to support national, state and local advocacy efforts. Recommendation #1 – We need strong and consistent requirements for where and how Accessible Pedestrian Signals (APS) and Leading Pedestrian Intervals (LPIs) are installed along with assurances that once installed, these devices are not removed. We also need to develop strong advocacy positions on anything and everything that impacts pedestrian rights of way. Recommendation #2 – We need to explore strategies for delinking the ADA requirement for paratransit and the existence of local bus and light rail transit. Since 95% of Americans travel primarily by car, the meaningful access challenge that paratransit should solve is a lack of access to car transportation rather than access to public transit. Recommendation #3 – We need to advocate for paratransit models that introduce more technology (including mobile trip booking and payment technology), more flexibility and more reliability. Recommendation #4 – We need to actively pursue strategies for addressing transportation in smaller and rural communities where almost 20% of Americans, including those who are blind or visually impaired, live, work and play. There was one final recommendation, and the strength of this recommendation was borne out by the fact that we had literally hundreds of people attending every session of the mobility forum, either by Zoom or by ACB Radio, as well as by the fact that we have been receiving repeated requests ever since. Our members and friends are clamoring for a more routine and ongoing transportation conversation. They want a place to learn, to get their questions answered, and to share their own ideas for improving the transportation services and environmental access we all encounter every day. And to that end, we are launching a new monthly community call. Beginning in August, To Mobility and Beyond will feature guest speakers addressing hot topics within the transportation and environmental access spaces, and the calls will provide members and other attendees with the opportunity to receive timely information, to share advice and opinions, to get questions answered, and to ensure that their voices are heard as we all seek the path “To Mobility and Beyond.” As of this writing, the ongoing schedule for these calls is being determined, but we anticipate a 90-minute call once per month — probably on a Thursday beginning at 7:30 p.m. Eastern. Calls will be hosted on the Zoom platform and will be broadcast on ACB Radio, so stay tuned for the details as they become available. ***** We Walked the Virtual Path to the Future Wow, we did it, team! The 2020 ACB Brenda Dillon Memorial Virtual Walk was different but successful. On behalf of the walk committee, I want to thank everyone who participated, however that might have been. As of this writing, close to 150 people have registered for the walk, and there are 24 teams. More than $85,500 has already been raised for ACB and its affiliates. While we couldn’t walk together in person, our ACB family and friends have proven that the ACB Walk spirit remains high even in a virtual world. Thank you again for your participation in this year’s walk. We’ll see you in Phoenix in 2021. — Donna Brown ***** In Memoriam: Berl Lynn Colley Sept. 1, 1942-June 28, 2020 by Crystal Colley Dull Berl Lynn Colley, 77, of Lacey, Wash. passed away at St. Peter’s Hospital on the morning of June 28, 2020. He was born in Walla Walla, Wash. Sept. 1, 1942 to Edward Lynn Colley and Virgene Hess Colley (Talbott). He is survived by his wife, Denise Marie Colley, and his three daughters, Starla Jean Colley of Tumwater, Wash. and his twin daughters, Crystal Lee Colley Dull and Tena Lynn Colley, both of Soap Lake, Wash., as well as his sister Vicky Colley Yates, his seven grandkids and six great- grandkids. He was preceded in death by both his parents, Ed and Virgene, his brother Wesley Eugene Colley, and his stepbrother William Alvie Dietz. He grew up in Lowden, Wash. and graduated from the Washington State School for the Blind. He attended college at Washington State University from 1960-1965. After obtaining his degree in sociology and data processing, he became a software developer. He worked for the state for a few years and then moved on to a private company, working for WLN, the Washington Library Network, until he retired in 2003. During the late 1970s, he was director of the Client Assistance Project, serving the Washington and Oregon Commissions for the Blind. Over the years, he was involved with the Intercity Transit Community Advisory Committee. He was president of the Washington Council of the Blind, as well as president and treasurer of the Capital City Council of the Blind, where he was honored with a lifetime membership. He was involved with the Thurston County Toastmasters Chapter, where he went every Tuesday for decades. In January of 2016, Gov. Jay Inslee officially appointed him as a member of the Washington State School for the Blind Board of Trustees. The last several years, he was involved with the Thurston County Auditor’s Office on the Voting Accessibility Advisory Committee, working to make independent voting accessible to all. He also worked diligently with city and county officials to make all of Olympia/Lacey’s talking crosswalks go statewide. Nationally, he was a member of the American Council of the Blind after attending his first national conference in 1988, in Little Rock, Ark. He became an official member in 1990. In 2012 the American Council of the Blind awarded him a lifetime membership. Through the years, he was on the ACB board of directors for eight years, he chaired the DAISY conversion committee, the Idaho Task Force, and the Leadership Institute Committee. He was on the ACB budget committee for three years. He co-chaired the resource development committee for several years, as well as co-chaired the health issues task force. He was involved in the technology resource management committee and the walkathon committee, and was chair of the history committee. He was most proud of his five years as the American Council of the Blind national convention tour coordinator. He also served for many years on the Amtrak Customer Advisory Committee. Berl Colley was an amazing man. He was kind, generous, loving, noble, quick-witted, and humble. He had a gentle soul full of light. He was a wonderful father, teaching me to ride a bike, swim, shoot hoops, play softball, racquetball, bowl, and so much more. He loved to swim and go on walks. He loved to listen to music and sports games. I don’t think he ever went a day of his life without listening to some kind of game. He loved adventure and exploring, especially historically. He loved to travel, and had been on 16 cruises, taking him all over the world. He told me recently that he especially loved being on the water during a storm or rough waters. My dad was my moral compass. He was never inclined to let his blindness hinder him from every enjoyment life had to offer. He will be extremely missed by friends and family. Due to COVID-19 restrictions, a small viewing and service was held. He will be cremated and sent to rest at his daughters’ property in Soap Lake, Wash., where a Berl Colley tree is to be planted in his honor and memorialized, as a present of love from a good friend of his. In lieu of flowers, the family requests that contributions be made to the Washington Council of the Blind at P.O Box 675, Yakima, WA 98907 or to the Washington State School for the Blind at 2214 E. 13th St., Vancouver, WA 98661. ***** Start Looking Ahead to the Holiday Auction! Ho! Ho! Ho! The 9th annual ACB Holiday Auction will be held on Sunday, Nov. 29 starting at 6 p.m. Eastern. All proceeds from the Holiday Auction help fund ACB Radio. There will be lots of wonderful holiday gifts, from jewelry, food, technology, handmade holiday crafts and much more. Starting on Friday, Nov. 27, we will showcase several items with our new early auction appetizers. The auction committee would like to give a big hip, hip, hooray to Carla Ruschival for hosting the first eight Holiday Auctions. We will be reaching out to the ACB affiliates and the ACB community over the next several weeks to solicit wonderful donations. The committee would like to have all item descriptions by Monday, Oct. 19. Items can be shipped directly from the donor or mailed to Leslie Spoone at 3924 Lake Mirage Blvd., Orlando, FL 32817 by Monday, Nov. 2. If you have any questions, please contact Leslie at (407) 678-4163 or email lesliespoone@cfl.rr.com. The auction will be broadcast on ACB Radio and will be held on Zoom. We’ll see you at the auction. — Leslie Spoone ***** Letter to the Editor The contents of this column reflect the letters we had received by the time we went to press, August 5, 2020. Letters are limited to 300 words or fewer. All submissions must include the author’s name and location. Opinions expressed are those of the authors. ** Thank You for the ACB Lifetime Membership Award! In my book, the 2020 ACB convention will go down as a memorable one! For many years, I’ve worked in registration and loved the experience of every convention. This year, it was rewarding to pre-register so many folks who, under normal circumstances, wouldn’t be able to attend a convention in person. I also took advantage of the opportunity to participate in the sessions. Best of all, I was awarded a lifetime ACB membership from Adam and Carla Ruschival! I wish I could express how much it means to me to be listed in this honorable list of ACB members! It has been my pleasure to work for this incredible organization and with the most amazing people. I am sighted, my husband was blind. I left the field of sign language interpreting to work for Bluegrass Council of the Blind. At that time, a friend said, “Paula, you know, once you go blind, you won’t go back!” She was right! — Paula Wiese, Lexington, Ky. ***** Ski for Light, Inc. Sets Tracks for Virtual Event in 2021 The 46th annual Ski for Light International Event, set for the last week in January 2021, will be a virtual one, organizers have announced, due to the continuing threat of COVID-19. Plans for a week-long gathering, where blind and mobility-impaired adults are taught the basics of cross-country skiing, are moving to January 2022, when it should be safe again for skiers, guides, and volunteers from throughout the United States and beyond to travel to an SFL venue. In the meantime, programming will shift online, with a wide range of accessible content to help the community stay active and engaged, and perhaps expand its reach. “This was a difficult decision based on a lot of research, and we know some folks are going to be disappointed,” said SFL president Tim McCorcle. “A virtual event is definitely going to be different, but it’s a move in keeping with our tradition of adapting to new challenges with creative solutions, while keeping everybody safe.” During a typical Ski for Light week, each skier with a disability is paired with an experienced, sighted cross-country skier who acts as ski instructor and on-snow guide. Pairs explore the groomed terrain together, enjoy afternoon special-interest sessions and evening social activities, an early-morning stretch class and more, all leading up to the Olav Pedersen Race/Rally. The 2021 event committee, led by visually impaired skier Bonnie O’Day, is already brainstorming ways to bring the best of SFL to the virtual realm, for everyone who wishes to take part. “I think there are some really fun possibilities, including our usual special-interest sessions and virtual activities to get us all up and moving,” O’Day said, pointing to recent successful online events by the American Council of the Blind and other organizations. “We’re learning from all of them, and I know our event will be unique, accessible, and memorable.” Please visit our website at www.sfl.org, or follow our Facebook or Twitter, for regular updates, programming details, and how to register. Additional links of interest: • Tim McCorcle talks about the joys of Nordic skiing on the Eyes on Success podcast. • New England Regional guide Clarence Feng writes about his experiences with diversity at Ski for Light for FasterSkier.com. • Our “SFL Well at Home” video series helps members stay healthy while hunkering down. ***** Here and There edited by Cynthia G. Hawkins The announcement of products and services in this column does not represent an endorsement by the American Council of the Blind, its officers, or staff. Listings are free of charge for the benefit of our readers. “The ACB Braille Forum” cannot be held responsible for the reliability of the products and services mentioned. To submit items for this column, send a message to slovering@acb.org, or phone the national office at 1-800-424-8666, and leave a message in Sharon Lovering’s mailbox. Information must be received at least two months ahead of publication date. ** Friendship Line If you’re feeling a bit lonely, sad, or overwhelmed, call the Friendship Line. This is a 24-hour free resource from the Institute on Aging that provides a caring ear and friendly conversation for older people and those with disabilities. Call toll-free, 1-800-971-0016, or go to www.ioaging.org/services/all-inclusive-health-care/friendship-line. ** New COVID-19 Resource Info The American Public Health Association has compiled the latest evidence-based information on COVID-19 into one easy-to-navigate spot. COVIDGuia.org is a Spanish-language resource that shares up-to-date, science-based information and tools from credible sources. Topics include guidance on reopening, personal and community prevention tips, workplace safety guidance, and recommendations for safe voting and returning to school. It is the sister site to COVIDGuidance.org, an English-language site that was launched last month. The compilation of resources developed in collaboration with the Latinx COVID-19 Task Force, is designed to help communities, individuals and policymakers to make informed decisions about COVID-19. The resource organizes rapidly updated guidance and recommendations from trusted sources, including the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, World Health Organization and Johns Hopkins University. Check it out at COVIDGuia.org. ** CVS Pharmacy Introduces New App Feature Spoken Rx is a free new feature of the CVS Pharmacy app that reads a specific type of label. When the RFID labels are scanned by Spoken Rx in the CVS Pharmacy app, prescription label information will be spoken out loud in either English or Spanish. In late July and August, CVS rolled out its Spoken Rx app service in nearly 600 more pharmacies in the following states: Alabama, Arizona, California, Connecticut, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Louisiana, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Nebraska, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Virginia, Washington, D.C., West Virginia, and Wisconsin. For more information, and a list of active stores, visit CVS.com/spokenrx. ** Meijer to Support Low Vision Customers with Free Aira App Meijer recently announced it is offering free support to blind and low vision customers by partnering with Aira to increase accessibility and ease in their shopping trip. The Midwest retailer is the among the first in the Midwest to provide customers free access to the app while shopping at any of its supercenters or neighborhood markets. While Aira has previously been accessible for a per-minute fee in Meijer stores, the new partnership provides customers the option to shop without paying a premium for accessibility. To download the Aira app, visit aira.io. ** October is National Disability Employment Awareness Month The 2020 theme for National Disability Employment Awareness Month is “Increasing Access and Opportunity” – to celebrate America’s workers with disabilities and remind employers of the importance of inclusive hiring practices. This year along with NDEAM, the U.S. Department of Labor is commemorating the 30th anniversary of the ADA. For more information, visit www.dol.gov/ndeam. ** Equal Rights Center Announces Three New Emeritus Directors The Equal Rights Center recently named to its board three new emeritus directors who have played critical roles in the ERC’s disability rights work and the advancement of civil rights. They are: Charlie Crawford, former executive director of ACB and long-time public servant; Dan Silver, who filed ADA cases against retail businesses; and Rabbi Bruce Kahn, former executive director of ERC. ** Nattiq Technologies Releases MoTweet App Nattiq Technologies recently released MoTweet, an application developed for HIMS’ Polaris users, that offers access to most Twitter features. It is a native application, which means that the user can use shortcuts, regular navigation and all default commands such as using the Alt key to pull down a menu. For more information, or to download a free trial version of MoTweet, visit http://nattiq.com/en/node/1738. ** Hadley Reimagined In 1920, William Hadley, a Chicago area high school teacher who lost his sight at the age of 55, revolutionized the way adults facing vision loss would learn to read again when he created his “Braille by Mail” system. One hundred years later, the nonprofit that bears his name is once again revolutionizing the way it provides support to people throughout the world facing vision loss. Taking a dramatically different approach to reaching an audience that is often difficult to reach — primarily older adults facing vision loss related to diseases such as macular degeneration and glaucoma — Hadley has entirely overhauled its digital footprint, Hadley.edu. The new approach is based on the needs, wants and desires of visually impaired adults. Visitors are invited to create their own personal account and then, after adjusting the contrast and font color and text sizes to their liking, are offered six different learning avenues: daily living, adjusting to vision loss, recreation, technology, braille, and working. Upon revisiting, the site automatically logs the user back on and intuitively remembers where they left off. ** Now Available from National Braille Press There have been a number of new releases from National Braille Press in the last few weeks! One such release is “Susie on Style: Look and Feel Your Best,” by Susie Stageberg. It is available in braille (2 volumes) as well as BRF, DAISY, and Word formats. This collection of women’s fashion articles from “Our Special” magazine will inform you and help you gain the confidence you need to create a wardrobe just right for you. Over in the technology section, newly released is “Capturing and Sharing the World: Taking Photos and Videos with an iPhone,” by Judy Dixon. It is available in braille (2 volumes), as well as BRF, DAISY, and Word formats. In this update, the author revisits all the ways your iPhone’s camera can be used to capture and share the world around you. In the children’s section, there are two new books available. One is “Kitten’s First Full Moon,” by Kevin Henkes. It is a print/braille board book for ages preschool and up. Kitten sees a full moon for the first time, and thinks it is a bowl of milk in the sky. And she wants it! Read the book to learn what happens next. This scenario will be familiar to many parents: Mama says it’s cleaning day, but Llama just wants to play. Newly available is “Llama Llama Mess, Mess, Mess,” by Anna Dewdney and Reed Duncan. It’s available in contracted braille (UEB), for ages 2 to 5. Mama turns the tables on little Llama and asks her what would happen if she never cleaned. Wait ‘til you read how this one ends! Looking for a special gift for someone? Also available is jewelry from Neat Artist Studio. There are seven braille necklaces that feature the words “Mom,” “strong,” “proud,” “believe,” “grace,” “luck,” and “thankful,” each written in uncontracted braille. For more information on any of these items, call toll-free 1-800-548-7323, or visit http://www.nbp.org/ic/nbp/publications/index.html. ***** ACB Officers ** President Dan Spoone (1st term, 2021) 3924 Lake Mirage Blvd. Orlando, FL 32817-1554 ** First Vice President Mark Richert (1st term, 2021) 1515 Jefferson Davis Hwy. Apt. 622 Arlington, VA 22202-3309 ** Second Vice President Ray Campbell (1st term, 2021) 460 Raintree Ct. #3K Glen Ellyn, IL 60137 ** Secretary Denise Colley (1st term, 2021) 1401 Northwest Ln. SE Lacey, WA 98503 Treasurer David Trott (2nd term, 2021) 1018 East St. S. Talladega, AL 35160 ** Immediate Past President Kim Charlson 57 Grandview Ave. Watertown, MA 02472 ** ACB Board of Directors Jeff Bishop, Kirkland, WA (1st term, 2021) Donna Brown, Romney, WV (partial term, 2021) Sara Conrad, Madison, WI (2nd term, 2021) Dan Dillon, Hermitage, TN (1st term, 2021) Katie Frederick, Worthington, OH (2nd term, 2022) James Kracht, Miami, FL (1st term, 2022) Doug Powell, Falls Church, VA (1st term, 2021) Patrick Sheehan, Silver Spring, MD (2nd term, 2022) Michael Talley, Hueytown, AL (1st term, 2022) Jeff Thom, Sacramento, CA (1st term, 2022) ** ACB Board of Publications Debbie Lewis, Chair, Clarkston, WA (2nd term, 2021) Paul Edwards, Miami, FL (2nd term, 2021) Zelda Gebhard, Edgeley, ND (partial term, 2021) Susan Glass, Saratoga, CA (2nd term, 2021) Penny Reeder, Montgomery Village, MD (1st term, 2021) ***** Accessing Your ACB Braille and E-Forums The ACB E-Forum may be accessed by email, on the ACB web site, via download from the web page (in Word, plain text, or braille-ready file), or by phone at (518) 906-1820. To subscribe to the email version, visit the ACB email lists page at www.acb.org. The ACB Braille Forum is available by mail in braille, large print, NLS-style digital cartridge, and via email. It is also available to read or download from ACB’s web page, and by phone, (518) 906-1820. Subscribe to the podcast versions from your 2nd generation Victor Reader Stream or from http://www.acb.org/bf/.