by Janet Dickelman
The dates for the 60th American Council of the Blind conference and convention are Friday, July 16th through Friday, July 23rd. Opening general session will be Sunday evening, July 18th, with daily sessions Monday through Friday. The auction will be on Tuesday, July 20th, and the banquet on Thursday, July 22nd.
There will be 5 concurrent ACB Radio streams available for special-interest affiliates, committees and our business partners to stream their events. This will be in addition to our audio-described tours and exhibits channels.
Our 2021 Talking Book Narrator will be J.P. Linton of DuArt Media Services (formerly Benefit Media, Inc.). The below information was copied from his website.
“J.P. LINTON, Master of the Spoken Word
“Like playing the piano, the ability to read aloud really well is a comparatively rare skill, but Mr. Linton is a master of it … for over 20 years, he has brought a strength of delivery and a range of nuance which enriches whatever he narrates. He is obviously a skilled actor and thoroughly professional in every respect.
“Over 20 years of audiobook recording, live event announcing, voice-overs, and industrial narration. More than 400 audiobooks recorded for the Library of Congress and commercial publishers in 11 genres. Audiobook.”
In doing my research I learned that he reads everything from science fiction to history, science, and mysteries. Visit www.jplinton-voice.com for more information. Mr. Linton will address our morning general session on Wednesday, July 21st, and speak with attendees at the Library Users of America and Braille Revival League session that afternoon. He has graciously agreed to help our auction by donating his time for a phone call with the winning bidder.
Affiliate Sneak Previews
Join ACBDA as we present “Diabetes 101.” American Council of the Blind Diabetics in Action is planning a serious jam-packed event. We are planning to have diabetes educators, nutritionists, products, socials and much, much more. Come join ACBDA; together, we are making a difference.
ACB Next Generation will hold a meet and greet on Saturday evening, and programming Monday through Thursday at 5:30 p.m.
Alliance on Aging and Vision Loss (AAVL) plans to hold a program that will include segments on navigating the health care system featuring author Deborah Kendrick; home care and safety, including fall prevention; and working with local aging entities to ensure that more services are provided to seniors with vision loss. Look for their programming on Monday, July 19.
Staying in Touch
The conference and convention announce list will be filled with information. To subscribe to the list, send a blank e-mail to [email protected]. If you received updates for the 2020 convention, you do not need to subscribe to the list.
Convention Contacts
2021 exhibit information: Michael Smitherman, (601) 331-7740, [email protected]
2021 advertising and sponsorships: Anthony Stephens, (202) 559-2045, [email protected]
For any other convention-related questions, please contact Janet Dickelman, convention chair, (651) 428-5059 or via e-mail, [email protected].