­For Immediate Release

Alexandria, VA — On Monday, February 3, West Virginia Governor Jim Justice signed into law Senate Bill 94, a bill to ensure that all voters in West Virginia are guaranteed access to the ballot box, at polling locations and when voting absentee. On behalf of our nationwide membership, and in conjunction with the Mountain State Council of the Blind, the American Council of the Blind commends West Virginia for working with us to ensure equal access to absentee voting for people with disabilities.

by Kenneth Semien Sr.

Let the festivities begin as we roll out the red carpet for the prominent DKM First-Timers of 2020 during the exclusive DKM First-Timers Reception on Wednesday, July 8th in Schaumburg, IL. This year’s DKM experience will be second to none. Continue reading to get the scoop on how to apply to be considered.

by Kenneth Semien Sr.

Have you noticed how ACB has been progressing? Have you considered contributing by sharing your skills and abilities to make ACB all that it can be? Are you interested in playing a role in creating positive change for Americans who are blind, visually impaired or low vision? If you answered yes to any of the above questions, you are encouraged to read below to confirm your eligibility and necessary commitment to become a member of the 2020 Class of ACB/JPMorgan Chase Leadership Fellows!

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

WASHINGTON, D.C. (January 31, 2020)—The American Foundation for the Blind (AFB) and American Council of the Blind (ACB) today announced they are jointly offering scholarships ranging from $2,000 to $7,500 for students who are blind or visually impaired attending a technical college or as an entering freshman, undergraduate or a graduate student.

Students will be awarded scholarships to help with post-secondary education financial needs such as tuition, fees, room and board and other additional costs associated with using adaptive technology.

“Dots and Dashes” is a short newsletter featuring a variety of topics and ACB stories. This issue features information about ACB’s scholarship deadline, tips for scheduling your meetings on Capitol Hill during the 2020 Leadership Meetings, the newest Advocacy Updates, ACB Next Generation forming an affiliate, and RSVA’s Sagebrush Conference.

Scholarship Deadline Approaches

To learn how to apply, visit www.acb.org/scholarships.

As part of the 2020 D.C. Leadership Meetings, we will conduct a Legislative Seminar on Monday, February 24, and meet with our elected officials on Tuesday, Feb. 25. We recommend all attendees to coordinate with their affiliate leadership to schedule meetings on Capitol Hill beginning in early February. To schedule meetings with your Representatives and Senators, we recommend calling your members Washington D.C. office, or sending them an email. Some offices request constituents send meeting requests via a form on their website. Below are links to contact information for the U.S.

Happy new year! “Dots and Dashes” is a short newsletter featuring a variety of topics and ACB stories. This issue features information about a job opening at the ACB national office, the Advocacy Update podcasts, a career fair for legally blind job seekers, and AAPD’s partnership with Coca-Cola to create summer internships for students and recent graduates with disabilities.

The Audio Description Project (ADP), an initiative of the American Council of the Blind (ACB), aims to bring more meaning and enjoyment to entertainment, cultural, and educational experiences for blind and visually impaired people. ADP maintains a list of described DVDs, broadcast television, movies, performing arts, museums, and national parks on the ADP website, www.acb.org/adp.

by Eric Bridges

Happy new year! I trust you all had a safe, happy and healthy holiday season. Let’s take a look back at all the amazing things that happened in 2019.