With the departure of the American Council of the Blind (ACB) Executive Director Eric Bridges, the following plan of action was established by ACB's Board of Directors on Thursday, March 9th to ensure a smooth transition of leadership. ACB will welcome Dan Spoone, the organization’s current president, as Interim Executive Director starting on Wednesday, March 22. Deb Cook Lewis, current first vice president, will become president. Ray Campbell will become first vice president.

Show Me the Money: Marching Together for Accessible and Inclusive Currency takes place on March 10, Harriet Tubman Day, at 1:30pm ET! The rally will be live streamed on ACB’s YouTube & Facebook channels. 

Take part in the American Council of the Blind Leadership Conference!

ACB’s 2023 Leadership Conference will feature both a virtual and an in-person component. ACB’s Presidents’ Meeting and Legislative Seminar will take place virtually from March 4-7, and will include a Fireside Chat on Sunday, March 5. The in-person portion of the Leadership Conference will take place at the Hilton Alexandria Old Town from March 9-12 in Alexandria Virginia. This event will take place in-person only. 

The 29th Annual Screen Actors Guild (SAG) Awards will be streamed Sunday, February 26, at 8pm ET / 5pm PT, with live audio description provided by Descriptive Video Works. Access the show with audio description through this link.

1. On July 7, 1972, ACB adopted a resolution calling for accessible currency. Similar resolutions were adopted by ACB in 1977, 1978 and 1980.
2. In 1983, the Bureau of Engraving and Printing (“BEP”) conducted a study to evaluate possible changes in the design of currency which could be useful to the visually disabled.  

Find more details about Show Me the Money: Marching Together for Accessible and Inclusive Currency here! 

Dear friends,

Nearly 5 decades of broken promises to the blind and low vision community has left the United States an outlier in the developed world – the only country whose paper currency is inaccessible to those with disabilities. But together we can push the Biden Administration and US Treasury to put us on a course to accessible and inclusive currency for all.

ACB, along with legal counsel, has created a Dear Provider Letter for blind and low vision individuals to use in health care settings like doctor’s offices and hospitals. The letter was created in response to the challenges experienced by our members and the broader community that were brought to the fore-front during the COVID-19 pandemic.

If you like to be entertained and informed, the ACB Audio Description Project (ADP) discussion list is for you! It’s a great way to keep up with everything in the world of audio description (also known as AD), which includes movies, live theatre, museums, educational videos, national parks, and much more. You’ll get updates on the latest films, tv and streaming series, events, and attractions that are providing AD; announcements of AD news; and invitations to share your AD experiences with the ADP advocacy team.

If you’re a movie fan, you probably can’t wait to watch the Oscars on ABC next month. To help you get ready, the Audio Description Project has compiled a list of nominated films and where to find the ones with AD. The 95th Academy Awards will be held on Sunday, March 12, 2023, at the Dolby® Theatre at Ovation Hollywood and will be televised live on ABC and broadcast to more than 200 territories worldwide.

Until the big night, grab your popcorn and choose your own winners!