Finding Opportunity and Equal Access for Americans Who Are Blind with Diabetes

Join ACB on November 9th at 12pm EDT on YouTube Live as we recognize National Diabetes Awareness Month. This live event will be the first part of a ten-part series, Diabetes: Where We Are and Where We’re Going. Diabetes has rapidly become one of the leading causes of blindness in the United States.

Join ACB on November 9th at 12pm EDT as we recognize National Diabetes Awareness Month. This live event will be the first part of a ten-part series, Diabetes: Where We Are and Where We’re Going. Diabetes has rapidly become one of the leading causes of blindness in the United States. Learn about the challenges to health management and opportunities on the horizon as several members of ACB’s Diabetics in Action affiliate share their stories and discuss what barriers stand in the way of independence.

ACB and our state affiliates, are eager to collect as much information as possible concerning your voting experience surrounding the 2020 General Election. This information includes more than just what happened on November 3, if you decided to vote in person that day. Rather, we want to know your entire experience from when you registered to vote to when you received an absentee ballot in the mail to when you went to the polling site. In other words, please share any voting-related facts with us.

Voting Story Submissions

For Americans who are blind or have low vision, the right to vote independently has been hard fought and evolved over the last five plus decades. The fight for accessible voting is far from over, even though in many places in the country, huge advances have been achieved. ACB is actively working to secure the voting rights of people who are blind and visually impaired. This November, the ACB Voices blog is spotlighting the voting experiences of our members.

HBO Max Accessibility Enhancements 

In a landmark agreement the American Council of the Blind and the Bay State Council of the Blind have obtained WarnerMedia’s pledge to increase the accessibility of HBO Max—the much-anticipated online streaming platform that was launched earlier this year.

Court Decision will Dramatically Remake NYC’s Streetscape by Making Pedestrian Safety Accessible to People with Disabilities

October 19, 2020 - In a landmark agreement, advocates for people who are blind have obtained WarnerMedia’s pledge to increase the accessibility of HBO Max—the much-anticipated online streaming platform that was launched earlier this year. Among other commitments, the agreement provides that WarnerMedia will provide audio description on at least 1,500 hours of new and existing programming on HBO Max by the end of March 2021, increasing to 3,000 hours by the end of March 2022, and doubling again to at least 6,000 hours in total by the end of March 2023. 

2021 ACB Convention

The ACB Board of Directors met on Tuesday, October 13 to discuss several important items. One such agenda item concerned the 2021 conference and convention. Following discussion from all board members, a unanimous decision was made to hold the 2021 conference and convention as a virtual event. Holding an in-person gathering, given all the uncertainties surrounding the coronavirus pandemic, is not in the best interest of the members and friends of the American Council of the Blind.

WASHINGTON (October 15, 2020) — On the 56th commemoration of White Cane Safety Day, the American Council of the Blind (ACB) applauds all those who have advocated for independence through their work to promote the public visibility and equality of people who are blind and visually impaired by lifting up awareness to the meaning and purpose of the white cane.

Yesterday, October 8^th, 2020, we celebrated the 10th anniversary of the 21st Century Communications and Video Accessibility Act (CVAA). The CVAA, which was signed into law by President Barack Obama on October 8, 2010, remains one of the greatest legislative achievements for Americans who are blind and visually impaired in the digital age.