The ACB Braille Forum Volume LXIV May 2026 No. 9 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. 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Copyright 2026 American Council of the Blind Scott Thornhill, Executive Director Sharon Lovering, Editor 225 Reinekers Ln., Suite 660, Alexandria, VA 22314 ***** ** Table of Contents President's Message: Spring into Growth or Fall into Complacency -- Reflections on a Rainy Day!, by Deb Cook Lewis Reflecting on the Legislative Seminar and Hill Day 2026, by Grace Hart 2026 Convention Snippets: Registration Opens Soon!, by Janet Dickelman In Memoriam: LaDonna Seliger, November 29, 1943 - March 10, 2026 Readers' Memories of Donna Seliger Affiliate News Adventures of a Blind City Gardener, by Deborah Armstrong The Importance of Having People with Disabilities at the Decision-Making Table, by Dee Ann Hart Sunday Edition Tech Spotlight: Customizing VoiceOver Gestures on the iPhone, by Anthony Corona The Perfect Home for a Hot Commodity Device, by Melody Holloway New Ways to Bond with One's Guide, by Deborah Armstrong No Vision, No Clothes, No Problem, by Dave Wilkinson Here and There, edited by Cynthia G. Hawkins ACB Officers ACB Board of Directors ACB Board of Publications Accessing Your ACB Braille Forums ** How to Submit Articles to the Forum If you wish to submit an article to "The ACB Braille Forum," please send it via email to slovering@acb.org as part of the message, or attached as a Word or ASCII text file. Articles should be between 500 and 800 words. Language should be family friendly. Longer articles may be divided into two or more parts. ** Upcoming Forum Themes and Deadlines July-August 2026: Theme: All Things Convention; Deadline: May 22, 2026 September 2026: Theme: TBA; Deadline: July 22, 2026 If your committee or affiliate would like to claim an issue of the Forum, please contact Sharon Lovering, slovering@acb.org. ** 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 update the database. ***** ** President's Message: Spring into Growth or Fall into Complacency -- Reflections on a Rainy Day! by Deb Cook Lewis So let's start with a confession. I struggle with our "Braille Forum" themes sometimes, and this particular time I went to my husband, who loves words. Thus, although the thoughts below are mine, the title is entirely his!! Spring is a season synonymous with renewal, vibrant growth, and fresh beginnings. As the days lengthen and the world awakens from winter's slumber, we are reminded of the powerful energy that comes with change and the opportunity to foster new ideas. For the members and friends of the American Council of the Blind (ACB), spring is more than just a change in weather -- it's a call to action and a chance to embrace progress within ourselves and our community. Growth doesn't happen by accident; it's a result of intentional choices and the willingness to step outside our comfort zones. That's a lot of what I saw at the Leadership Conference this year, and it was so encouraging. So many new people participating, and so many being willing to step outside their comfort zone and share their concerns and aspirations on Capitol Hill. This spring, let us renew the challenge to ourselves to pursue personal development, advocate for greater accessibility, and nurture connections and relationships in this organization that lift us all. Whether it's learning a new skill at a Community call, initiating a conversation with a new member in your chapter, or engaging in advocacy efforts at any level, every step forward contributes to a thriving ACB Community. Yet, as the season changes, there is also a temptation to settle into familiar routines and let complacency take hold. Thoughts of the good old days (whatever and whenever those were) and how something used to be can fill our minds and overtake our initiative for growth. It's easy to fall back on what's comfortable, but doing so risks stagnation. To truly flourish, we must recognize complacency and actively resist it. Ask yourself: am I growing, or am I simply getting by? This question can spark meaningful reflection and inspire renewed purpose. The choice is ours -- yours and mine. Will we harness the energy of spring to fuel growth, or will we let the momentum slip away and drift into complacency? By staying engaged, supporting innovation, and seeking out opportunities to learn, we ensure that ACB remains vibrant and forward-thinking. Let us greet this season with open minds and hearts, determined to make a positive impact. As you read this edition of "The ACB Braille Forum," consider how you can make this spring a time of transformation, both for yourself and for those around you. Together, let's choose growth over complacency and set the stage for a brighter, more inclusive future. ***** ** Reflecting on the Legislative Seminar and Hill Day 2026 by Grace Hart As ACB's 2026 D.C. Leadership Conference came to a close, I was struck by what we can accomplish when we work together. Of course, the entire weekend is a testament to collaboration; ACB staff, board members, attendees, hotel staff, rideshare drivers, and many others all worked together or in tandem to make the conference successful. The presenters for each session collaborated to tell their stories and answer the questions posed to them by the audience. Our wonderful tech team collaborated to make the conference accessible to our attendees. During the Legislative Seminar, our speakers covered a variety of topics, including our imperatives, state and local advocacy, ADA Title II website regulations, autonomous vehicles, using the Speak4 platform, interacting with the administrative and legislative branches, federal agency work, and Hill Day etiquette. Finally, on our Hill Day, ACB members and staff met with their representatives to advocate for key issues important to the blindness and low vision community, including ACB's three legislative imperatives for 2026. As the person who gets to see many of the feedback forms from the Hill Day meetings, I find it so encouraging that many people found that the staffers they met were interested in the issues and concerns of the community. One common piece of feedback was that the staffer (and therefore the Congressmember) said that they didn't know that things like website accessibility or medical device accessibility were an issue for people who are blind or have low vision. This goes to show the importance of speaking up and making your representatives aware of the issues that impact you -- sometimes, the problem isn't a lack of political will, but a lack of knowledge! The most noticeable impact of Hill Day comes from our North Carolina contingent, including Becky Davidson, Adele Tabb, and Chris Flynt. One of the representatives they met with, Rep. Deborah Ross (NC-02), signed on as a co-sponsor to the Medical Device Nonvisual Accessibility Act on March 16, 2026. Congrats to North Carolina for their successful advocacy! Thank you to everyone who participated in D.C. Leadership, either in person or virtually. The advocacy that we engaged in on Hill Day will impact the entire community of those who are blind or have low vision. ***** ** 2026 Convention Snippets: Registration Opens Soon! by Janet Dickelman What an exciting time to be involved with the American Council of the Blind! Our 65th annual conference and convention is fast approaching! * Registration Reminders Conference and convention registration will open on May 28th for members and June 4th for non-members. In order to register, you must have a member account. To set up your account and to complete the registration form, visit https://members.acb.org/. For all registration information, visit the April edition of the ACB Braille Forum at https://www.acb.org/acb-braille-forum-april-2026. * Zoom Days In addition to the in-person conference days, there is so much more that will be available via the Zoom platform and ACB Media. Learn about candidates running for board positions at the Candidates' Forum on Wednesday, July 8. Don't miss the ACB virtual summer auction on Saturday, July 11 at 5 p.m. Central time, preceded by two days of appetizer auction items. The convention will officially open virtually on ACB Media and the Zoom platform on Monday, July 13, with the reading of the convention standing rules and the first credentials report, followed by the nominating committee. On Wednesday, July 15, don't miss the Zoom-only exhibitor open house, where you can hear from exhibitors who will host booths during the convention. Learn about any convention specials and, if time permits, get your questions answered. Beginning on July 16, we will offer three days of Zoom-only sessions for special-interest affiliates, ACB committees and our business partners. The Zoom-only sessions will also be broadcast on ACB Media. The evenings of July 14 through July 17 will be dedicated to resolutions and bylaws, with voting on bylaws and amendments on Tuesday, July 21. There will be much more information about this from the pertinent committees. * Once You Arrive in St. Louis You can look forward to numerous tours, in-person socials, mixers, ACB Film Night, Bingo and so much more. In addition, our general sessions and some of our other sessions will be hybrid; they will be available via Zoom and broadcast on ACB Media. Many in-person-only sessions will be recorded and available as podcasts. * Hotel Details Room rates at the Hyatt Regency Arch, 315 Chestnut St., are $104 single or double, $129 triple, or $154 quad, plus applicable state and local taxes (currently 17.92%). To make reservations online, go to https://www.hyatt.com/events/en-US/group-booking/STLRS/G-ACBL. If you prefer to make your reservations by telephone, please call central reservations at (888) 591-1234. Make sure to let them know you are reserving a room at the Hyatt St. Louis Arch at 315 Chestnut Street, and use group code G-ACBL. The cut-off date for reservations is July 5, 2026. So don't delay -- make your reservations today! * Room Amenities All sleeping rooms have safes, ironing boards, refrigerators and K-cup coffee makers. The hotel has a 24-hour fitness center; it does not have a pool. There are no guest washers and dryers. There is a dry-cleaning service. The hotel is cashless; any purchases must be made with a credit or debit card. * Meet the 2026 Talking Book Narrator, MacKenzie Beyer "MacKenzie is thrilled and honored to be the talking book narrator for the 2026 ACB conference. In 2014, she attended The Shakespeare Theatre Academy for her Master's in Fine Arts for Acting. Since 2017, she has worked for Talking Book Publishers in Denver, Colo., servicing the Library of Congress-National Library Service. Her favorite genres to read are sci-fi, romance, and fantasy. She is an actor and barista in Denver in addition to narrating, and loves hiking, traveling, art and writing in her free time." MacKenzie will address our general session on Tuesday, July 28, and also join Library Users of America on Tuesday afternoon. * Blood Drive in St. Louis ACB Blood Drives: July 20 – 26: Virtual drive via QR Code at a Red Cross location near you. (The QR code will be sent via email as the time gets closer.) July 27, 2026 from 10 a.m. – 3 p.m.: In person, in the Gateway West room on the 18th floor of the Hyatt Regency Arch. To sign up for an in-person appointment, go to https://www.redcrossblood.org/give.html/drive-results?zipSponsor=ABC. * Welcome to St. Louis Party The Missouri Host Committee will hold their Welcome to St. Louis party on Friday, July 24th from 8 to 11 p.m. This is a ticketed event; see the convention registration form for details. * Bring the Kids We have great activities for our Kids Club (ages 5 to 13). Our wonderful leaders will have craft projects and a daily field trip. Check the convention registration form for all the details! * Staying in Touch The convention announce list will be filled with information. To subscribe to the list, send a blank e-mail to acbconvention+subscribe@acblists.org. If you received updates for the 2025 convention, you do not need to subscribe to the list. For any convention-related questions, please contact Janet Dickelman, convention chair, at (651) 428-5059, or via email, janet.dickelman@gmail.com. ***** ** In Memoriam: LaDonna Seliger November 29, 1943 – March 10, 2026 LaDonna J. Seliger, 82, of Des Moines, passed away peacefully on March 10, 2026, at UnityPoint Taylor House Hospice, surrounded by comfort and care. Born November 29, 1943, in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, to James "Jim" and Gladys (Nicolaysen) Rife, Donna spent many years working in a local cafeteria, where her friendly smile and warm personality made her a familiar face to many. She truly enjoyed serving others. She was an active member of the American Council of the Blind, the Iowa Council of the United Blind, and the Randolph-Sheppard Vendors of America, forming meaningful friendships and staying engaged in causes important to her. She served as ACB's national secretary from 2001 to 2007. Donna loved to travel, and at home she enjoyed knitting, playing bingo, and reading. She is lovingly remembered by her son, John Patterson (fiancée, Rose Johnston); granddaughters, Riley and Willow Patterson; sister, Roxy (John) Nanke; and many extended family and friends. She was preceded in death by her parents, her brother, Ronald Rife, and her beloved husband, Robert Seliger. Memorial contributions may be directed to the Iowa Council of the United Blind in loving memory of Donna via https://www.icublind.org/donate. Donna will be remembered for her kindness, warm spirit, and the love she shared with those around her. * Memorial Poem Small in stature, mighty in heart, She chased her dreams and held them close. Never letting sight or limits bind, She followed the places she longed to find. Sunsets and beaches, Hawaii's embrace, Joyful journeys in every place. Friends she gathered along the way, Sharing her love each passing day. Her spirit lives on, strong and bright, In her two granddaughters, full of light, And in every sunset, wave and sea -- Forever free, forever she will be, Now resting with God in His endless sea. * Caption: Donna Seliger casts Iowa's vote at the 2013 convention in Columbus, Ohio. ***** ** Readers' Memories of Donna Seliger On Tuesday, March 10th at 8:50 p.m., Donna was finally able to go home to her Bob. I like to imagine they're already sitting together on a beach somewhere, looking out over the ocean and watching a beautiful sunset. Donna was one of the most spirited and determined people I knew. So much of that came from being told she couldn't do things because of her disability -- but Donna never let that define her or hold her back. In fact, it seemed to fuel her even more. I always loved that about her. She lived life on her own terms, filled it with adventure, and saw more of the world than many people ever get the chance to. Her visual impairment never stopped her from experiencing life to the fullest. Donna had friends from all over the world, and people were naturally drawn to her witty, fun personality. She truly valued every friendship and every moment spent talking, laughing, and catching up -- even if it was just a quick 20-minute conversation. More than anything, Donna loved her son and her granddaughters fiercely. They meant the world to her, and they carry the same strong, fighting spirit that she had. She will be deeply missed, but the love, laughter, and determination she shared with all of us will always stay with us. -- John Patterson, Rose Johnston, Riley and Willow While at meetings in D.C. we asked how Donna was doing, but had not expected something this soon! Donna was one of the first folks I met when I attended my first national convention. I have had the privilege of speaking at ICUB, though it was a long time ago. Donna gave a lot to her local area, the state and to ACB! Rest easy, my friend! You have found your way to a better place! -- Paul Edwards RIP Donna. You were one of the people that encouraged me to get involved with ACB and I learned a great deal from you and Bob. Thank you for sharing your life and knowledge and not holding judgement. You fly high and keep watching the sunsets with Bob. Bless you. -- Becky Dunkerson There are many things I remember about Donna from ACB, but one thing I do remember that maybe others will not is 2001, when we had an ACB convention in Des Moines. Despite the fact that we had to use five hotels and a convention center to hold the event, Donna was immensely proud to have ACB hold its convention in Des Moines. -- Ray Campbell She was a wonderful woman! Yes, she could be funny but she also loved deeply. She will be greatly missed. -- Sally Benjamin Oh my gosh, this is very sad to me. I haven't talked with her in years, but I always thought highly of her. I loved it when she was secretary of ACB. -- Debbie Hazelton Our loss is heaven's gain. Donna, we will all miss you very much, but live with the hope of getting to see you again someday. Praying for all of Donna's family and friends! -- Alison Smitherman Donna was a very special person. I met her first in Iowa when I lived there and was pleased to find out she frequented Hawaii after I moved here. Her spirit was kind, warm, and inquisitive. She was loved by many. I will and many will miss her. -- Brian Huffman What a beautiful life she had! May she be at peace and with Bob in heaven, enjoying the sun and surf. I loved her love of travel and seeing the world. Donna was a truly special person and touched the lives of so many. -- Weezie Seliger-Mullaly Donna and I shared a love of Alfred Dunner clothing. Anytime we'd run into each other at convention or elsewhere, we'd compare our outfits. Occasionally we wore the same outfit on the same day -- totally unplanned. Every time I select what I'll wear for the day, I think of her and remember our clothing discussions. We had so much fun talking about the new items we'd bought, whether they replaced something that wore out, etc. I talked more with Donna about clothes than I did with anyone else. We also enjoyed needlework -- her, knitting, and me, needlepoint, longstitch, or stamped cross stitch. Many's the time I'd see her sitting in general sessions at convention, a Mickey Mouse bag full of yarn connected to her knitting needles, stitching away. I miss our chats. -- Sharon Lovering ***** ** Affiliate News * Filling Our Auction Pool with Your Fabulous Donations by ACB Next Generation Fundraising Committee This year, we're ready to Splash into Summer with ACB Next Generation at our fourth annual auction on Sunday, June 14, 2026, and we need your help to make waves! To make the biggest splash possible, we're inviting you to provide items that our members and supporters can bid on. Our primary audience is ages 18 to 40, but our community spans all ages, and every donation helps us create a ripple of impact for the next generation of ACB. We welcome a wide variety of donations, including experiences, handmade goods, gift cards, and even your favorite tasty treats. Each sprinkle truly helps us make a lasting difference, and we'd love to include it! Donating is simple, and we ask that all submissions be received by Thursday, May 14, 2026 -- one month before the auction. There are three easy ways to donate: 1. Fill out our Google form: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSdfUYED7oYbr5qWjsR-rc_Ai1Y4rrOHc-SOhs1nyNjF63ct8w/viewform?usp=header 2. Email our Fundraising Committee: fundraising@acbnextgeneration.org 3. Call us: (202) 524-0909 Every drop of support helps us build a stronger, more vibrant future. Thank you for your support. Keep an eye out for our registration form next month. * Randolph-Sheppard Vendors of America and Independent Visually Impaired Entrepreneurs Conference and Convention at ACB RSVA and IVIE each have a couple specific activities for their conferences, but two are joint events, so I'm mentioning those in this article. On Saturday, July 18, during the Zoom-only event time, at 2:30, we'll hear about "What Does It Take To Be An Entrepreneur?" Our panelists will discuss what was required for them to start their different types of businesses and answer questions from the audience. On Saturday, July 25, at 12:15 p.m., IVIE and RSVA will hold their joint luncheon. At 1 p.m., our luncheon speaker will highlight his "Path to Success." Speaker Jack Pinnock of Dreamie Cookies, Inc. will share with us how he started his business making cookies and brownies in his home and now trains others to be bakers. He still sells his brownies and cookies to vendor companies and individual vendors. This is a hybrid session sponsored by IVIE and RSVA. At 3 p.m., we will learn "All about the Missouri Business Enterprise Program" from staff and vendors from Missouri. Speakers will identify what type of facilities are available in Missouri, including how a blind person can become a vendor, the training involved, and statistics from the Missouri BEP Program. On Sunday, July 26, at 1 p.m., the topic is "The Nuts and Bolts of Starting a Business." In this session, speakers will give the steps to starting a business, from writing a business plan to deciding on which type of business -- sole proprietorship, LLC, or Inc. -- to deciding on marketing techniques right for you. This in-person session is sponsored by IVIE and RSVA. Also on Sunday, July 26, at 7:30 p.m., RSVA will have its comedian share some laughs. Immediately following, at 9 p.m., "Share your talent at RSVA karaoke!" On Wednesday, July 29, from 12:15-2:30 p.m., IVIE will hold its annual in-person Business Expo. Blind and visually impaired business owners will showcase their products and services and answer your questions (in-person only). If you have questions, please contact Ardis Bazyn at rsva@randolph-sheppard.org or info@ivie-acb.org. ***** ** Adventures of a Blind City Gardener by Deborah Armstrong (Reprinted from "he Blind Californian," Winter 2025.) In sharing my gardening journey with readers, I also wish to pass on tips for those wondering how to garden while blind. I was lucky that I grew up with a mom who loved to grow flowers, and a dad who tried his hand at raising vegetables. Their successes and failures taught me that having a green thumb was more about the willingness to experiment than having a particular talent. When I moved into my first apartment, it wasn't an inspiring place. I had no yard, no patio, no balcony and not even a porch. But when tomato and some herb plants went on sale, I got creative. The local thrift store had a pile of half-broken chests of drawers they were selling for pennies. I brought home all the drawers, lined them up on either side of the walkway to my front door, and filled them with soil from a friend's garden. There was no need to drill drainage holes: the broken nature of these drawers already had plenty of drainage! Adding a few marigolds and daisies along with the tomatoes, basil, marjoram and thyme, I had an impressive mini garden. Later, after reading most of the gardening books on NLS, I got more ambitious. I filled my apartment with houseplants and went to local salvage places to gather up suitable materials for tending larger plants. Examples included old washtubs, chimney flues and rusted wheelbarrows. By that time, I'd moved to an apartment complex with a run-down side yard where my motley collection of makeshift growing containers held peas and beans, larger tomato plants and even some mini-fruit trees. Later, as a homeowner with a career, I was able to leave SSI behind and create a garden which no longer resembled a junkyard. I had raised beds made of landscape timbers: bottomless wooden boxes that were two to three feet tall and three to four feet wide of varying lengths. Much has been written about the advantages of raised beds, including their ability to support a larger number of plants in a smaller space and how they protect plants from extremes of heat and cold. They relieve the gardener from the chores of digging and turning soil and they reduce the need for water. But for the blind gardener, they have one additional advantage. If you are sighted and grow directly in the ground, you can walk around your plot and see what needs tending. You add a little water here, pull a weed there, prune off some dead flowers and add a stake or two to prop up a plant that needs more support. But if you are blind, you need to touch every plant to see how it's doing. Or if you have some vision, you might have to bend close to inspect each plant. And if your garden is on the ground, you will soon have a sore back from bending, aching knees from kneeling, and you'll become tired overall from crawling around to tend to everything. This is why we blind folks need to use raised beds. We can walk alongside our beds touching everything at a comfortable height, or sit on a stool for a longer session. Now that I'm a senior citizen, I garden from a sitting position even more. I have a couple of folding canvas stools and a sturdy garden cart. And, unlike when I started, raised bed kits are readily available from Amazon, Walmart, Lowe's and Home Depot. They snap, clamp and/or screw together. You no longer need to have woodworking tools or hire someone with carpentry skills to build them from scratch. There are also some wonderfully large fabric growing bags which you can place on bricks to raise them to a reasonable height for tending by touch. Many people do garden in containers, and I still add quite a few pots to my garden. But it is far more labor-saving to have one or several raised beds, as they need watering less often and can hold a larger amount of soil with its accompanying plant nutrition. To save on the expense of soil and add to its nutrient density, I put a layer of dead fallen leaves at the bottom of my beds before the soil is added. These will gradually rot, and meanwhile keep weeds from growing up through the ground on which the bed rests. Quality garden soil and compost can be purchased and delivered by Walmart, Lowe's or Home Depot, and many cities give compost away for free at certain times of the year. Or you can search locally for landscape supplies and purchase soil by the cubic yard. Many cities also offer composting classes and compost bins for free. Though I used to make my own compost, I no longer do so simply because I don't have a lawn with grass clippings or enough vegetable scraps to put into it. In my raised beds I use the square foot method which, though not designed for blind people, is a wonderfully helpful way to keep your garden organized. I divide all my beds into one-foot squares. With wooden beds, I screwed I-hooks into the sides of the beds and strung clothesline across the bed, so each growing space was a square foot. Currently my bed is galvanized steel, so I use magnetic I-hooks with heavy-duty twine to mark my squares. Since I know what's supposed to grow in each square, it's easy for me to locate anything that shouldn't be there, like a snail or a weed. Keeping records is also important. I note what I planted where and when. For example, on June 29, I planted one square of salad leaf basil, two squares of royal burgundy bush beans, and three squares of different varieties of Swiss chard. This way if a seed doesn't germinate, I will know when I sowed it, and it can be replaced. These days, I keep this record on a spreadsheet, but 30 years ago, I simply carried a micro-cassette recorder around my garden for recording my progress, and later transcribed my records into Braille. I also continue to note how plants are doing and what the weather is like. I keep my seed packets in Ziploc bags with a Braille card describing the name, variety, height and growing notes. They are in a file box in alphabetical order. One tip I've shared with those new to Braille is to simply assign each seed packet a number which you can label on the Ziploc with large felt-tipped marker or Braille. Then on your phone or computer, write out the information corresponding to the number. For example, your record might look like this: #22 Nasturtium, variety Little FireBird. Hanging habit, 60 days to maturity. Tolerates some shade. #23: Oak Leaf Lettuce, 8 inches high, not heat tolerant, 65 days to maturity. This numbering technique also makes creating plant labels easier, should you choose to do so. I don't bother with labels because my spreadsheet tracks exactly where everything is planted, but when I did use labels, before computers, I also just gave each plant a number and kept more detailed records corresponding to each number in my files. These days, my iPhone can read the seed packet to me, and since I order on the Internet, I have all that information in my email order receipt as well. This way I can make my own labels for my Ziploc bags of seeds. Before the Internet, I relied on readers or volunteers to acquire this information. Sowing seeds by touch involves some tactile discrimination, similar to reading braille. Carefully empty a few seeds into your palm, lift out two or three, and sprinkle them around your square. Radishes, of course, take up much less space than a tomato, so you need to divide your square into a grid mentally. For example, I plant nine bush beans in one square, but only four lettuce plants. The official square foot method -- Google for the square foot foundation -- has grids you can place over your squares to properly position seeds or plants. But since I've used this method for almost 40 years, I don't really need their grids to accurately space my plants. Very fine seeds can be sprinkled too, if you mix them with sand or coffee grounds in a pepper shaker. But I use this method only if I want a haphazard bunching of wildflowers, because the more exact your spacing, the easier it will be for you to locate weeds before they take over. Overhead sprinklers waste a great deal of water, though admittedly, they do save labor, but there will always be spots that don't get enough water, while other places get too much. Many folks simply use a hose with a spray nozzle to water plants. This can be hard to aim accurately without vision, and you need to be careful not to wash soil away or drown little seedlings. It works fine for larger shrubs, but for small plants, I prefer a bucket with a dipper, such as an old sour cream container. I simply dip out water to empty into each square, after testing with my finger to see if the soil is dry. When I had a larger garden, and was also responsible for tending plants belonging to my sighted house-mate, I used soaker hoses -- these have tiny holes drilled into them and can be strung around and in between plants to evenly water everything. Both these techniques save water and ensure all the water you use goes to your plants' roots. You can also buy drip irrigation kits with little plastic nozzles that you aim at each plant. Because I grow a lot of annual flowers and vegetables, I find these a pain to move around and fiddle with, so I no longer use them. But they are quite easy to assemble by touch. For me, besides the pleasure of eating food directly from my own harvest, I also love fragrant plants. You don't need to visit a fragrance garden designed for the blind, and in fact you can grow a more varying collection in your own yard. The non-profits with public fragrance gardens must stick with mostly herbs, because flowering shrubs can be fussy, but oh, the fragrance they bring is heavenly. I love scented Pelargoniums which have fragrances ranging from lemon and chocolate to rose and lime. Some fragrant shrubs, of course, will need a large pot or raised bed of their own such as datura, Brugmansia, pittosporum, jasmine, daphne and mock orange. But you can also grow annual fragrant flowers, like night-scented stock or heliotrope. Or you can grow fragrant bulbs like freesia or tuberose. And if you grow real roses, get yourself a pair of elbow-length lambskin gloves and you will be impervious to thorns. I have found my own scented gardens provide a much richer aromatic experience than I've ever had in a so-called garden for the blind. Should you ever despair of having a green thumb yourself, get a volunteer to help you scope out the trash dumpster in the back of a typical plant nursery. It's a great way to discover which plants will not grow in your area, and helps you realize that your microclimate and soil, not to mention your humidity and weather, will determine your success. Your thumb has nothing to do with it! ***** ** The Importance of Having People with Disabilities at the Decision-Making Table by Dee Ann Hart Reprinted from Indiana Disability Justice, March 2024. What is the importance of having people with disabilities at the decision-making table? Disability inclusion allows for people with disabilities to take advantage of the benefits of the same activities experienced by people who do not have a disability. Inclusion should lead to increased participation in socially expected life roles and activities -- such as being a student, worker, friend, community member, patient, spouse, partner, or parent. The importance of disability representation in leadership fosters a more inclusive and belonging culture. Disability inclusion means understanding the relationship between the way people function and how they participate in society, and making sure everybody has the same opportunities to participate in every aspect of life to the best of their abilities and desires. Decision-making is an essentially social process adopted by individuals or groups to identify and choose the best choice among several alternatives. Decision-making choices are influenced by the preferences, values, and beliefs of the individuals or groups involved in the decision-making process. Social inclusion is the state of having the resources and opportunities to participate in social, economic, and cultural life, and to enjoy the standard life considered normal in the society in which we live. Making decisions is vital to a person's sovereignty and their spirit of personhood. It is a key component for enabling individuals to exercise their authority, have control over their lives, and interact with others in society. The rights-based model focuses on the equal participation of people with disabilities in all aspects of their lives, becoming productive members of society. The service delivery approach was changed to a rights-based approach in the late 1990s to enable people with disabilities to exercise their civil, political, social, economic, and cultural rights on an equal basis with others. The rights-based approach aims to promote, protect, and ensure the full and equal enjoyment of all human rights and fundamental freedoms by people with disabilities within the national legal framework. This framework tries to overcome exclusion and inequity at institutional, attitudinal, physical, legal, and communication levels. Participation in decision-making is an essential factor in measuring the social inclusion of individuals and groups, especially concerning people with disabilities. Each person with a disability can make decisions for themselves or participate in family- and community-level decisions. Participating in decision-making at these three levels creates a sense of ownership among people with disabilities concerning familial, communal and societal activities. The personal decisions enable people with disabilities to improve fundamental aspects of their lives such as with respect to food, clothes and other basic needs. At the second level, the decisions help people with disabilities make choices regarding their health and education. Therefore, it is mandatory to involve people with disabilities in all decision-making processes that impact them. Participation in decision-making is a fundamental human right for all, including people with disabilities. Active participation in decision-making at the personal, familial, and communal levels gives hope to people with disabilities that they can be productive members of society, and can consider themselves as a valued part of society, compelling their social inclusion in mainstream society. In addition, it is important to ensure participation of people with disabilities in decision-making processes in family, community, school and other relevant institutions in order to ensure that the needs of people with disabilities are properly integrated at all these levels, and that their needs are satisfactorily provided for at each institutional level. "Nothing about us without us" is a slogan used to communicate the idea that no policy should be decided by any representative without the full and direct participation of members of the group affected by that policy. The motto "nothing about us without us" relies on this principle of participation, and it has been used by organizations of people with disabilities throughout the years as part of the global movement to achieve the full participation and equalization of opportunities for, by and with persons with disabilities. The concept of "nothing about us without us" signifies the belief that disability rights should not be created without including the voices of persons with disabilities and their representative organizations. The observance of the International Day of Disabled Persons will focus on the active involvement of persons with disabilities in the planning of strategies and policies that affect their lives. This is the importance of having people with disabilities at the decision-making table! ***** *** Sunday Edition Tech Spotlight: Customizing VoiceOver Gestures on the iPhone A simple workaround for lost clear back button -- and other common gesture workarounds by Anthony Corona One of the frustrations many blind and low-vision iPhone users encounter is when an app does not clearly present a Back button. Facebook is one of the most common examples. You may open a post, a profile, or a notification, and suddenly there is no obvious way to return to the previous screen. After a little bit of frustration, I remembered the scrub gesture, which is performing a small Z shape, preferably in the center of the screen. This gesture is built into VoiceOver and often performs the same function as a Back or Escape button. But then I realized something even more useful. VoiceOver allows you to change which gesture performs certain actions. That means you can assign a gesture you like to perform the Undo function, which in many apps behaves exactly like a Back button. Before we talk about customizing gestures, here is a quick tutorial on the scrub gesture. ** The Scrub Gesture, also known as the Z Gesture The scrub gesture performs the Escape or Back function in many apps. Using two fingers, preferably in the center of the screen, make a small Z shape. When performed correctly, VoiceOver will move you back to the previous screen. In many apps this works exactly the same as pressing a Back button. * A simple way to practice the Z gesture Using your forefinger and middle finger together, place them gently in the center of the screen. Now quickly swipe slightly to the right, then diagonally down toward the left, and then quickly back toward the right again. This creates a small Z motion. The gesture does not have to be big or dramatic. In fact, most users find it works better if the motion is small and done in the center of the screen. Once you get used to it, the scrub gesture becomes one of the fastest ways to escape a screen or go back in an app. However, if the scrub gesture feels awkward or inconsistent, you can assign your own gesture to perform the same function. ** Step-by-Step Instructions to Customize VoiceOver Gestures 1. Open Settings on your iPhone. 2. Swipe right until you hear Accessibility, then double tap. 3. Swipe right until you hear VoiceOver, then double tap. 4. Swipe right until you hear Commands, then double tap. 5. Swipe right until you hear Touch Gestures, then double tap. You will now find a list of gestures organized by the number of fingers used. VoiceOver will announce gestures such as: - Two-finger swipe left - Three-finger swipe up - Four-finger swipe down - And many more. Each of these gestures can be assigned to a specific VoiceOver command. 6. Swipe through the list until you find a gesture that you either do not use or one that is currently unassigned. For example, many people choose four-finger swipe down because it is rarely used in daily navigation. 7. Double tap on the gesture you want to customize. 8. A list of VoiceOver commands will appear. 9. Swipe through the list until you hear Undo. 10. Double tap Undo to assign it to that gesture. Once this is set, performing that gesture will trigger the Undo command. In many apps, Undo functions exactly like the Back button. ** How This Helps With the Facebook Back Button Problem If you open a post, profile, or comment thread in Facebook and cannot find a Back button, simply perform the gesture you assigned to Undo. For example, if you assigned four-finger swipe down, swipe down with four fingers. In many cases, Facebook will return you to the previous screen exactly the same as if you had pressed Back. * Use Case Scenarios Returning from a Facebook post: You open a post from your feed. You read the comments. There is no obvious Back button. Perform your custom Undo gesture and VoiceOver will return you to the feed. Navigating deep into profiles or groups: You open a profile. Then a photo. Then the comments. Instead of searching for the Back button each time, simply use your gesture to step back through the screens. Recovering from navigation confusion: Sometimes an app jumps to a new screen or pop-up, and you are not sure how you got there. Your custom Undo gesture can quickly return you to the previous view. ** Additional VoiceOver Gesture Tips Here are a few other gestures and customization ideas that can make everyday navigation easier. * Copy the last spoken text VoiceOver includes a little-known gesture that can be helpful when copying content. Tap the screen with three fingers four times quickly. This copies the last phrase spoken by VoiceOver to the clipboard. This can be useful when trying to grab a line of text from social media or a webpage. Many VoiceOver users rely on this trick when sharing quotes or copying pieces of text. ** Choosing the Best Gesture to Customize Choose a gesture you rarely use so it does not interfere with everyday navigation. Common choices include: - Four-finger swipe down - Four-finger swipe left - Four-finger swipe right Avoid gestures already heavily used by VoiceOver, such as: - Two-finger double tap - Three-finger swipe up - Three-finger swipe down If a gesture conflicts with something you use regularly, simply return to the Touch Gestures menu and assign a different one. ** Why This Matters VoiceOver gestures are one of the most powerful accessibility tools on the iPhone. Many users never explore the customization options, but they allow you to tailor the device to your own workflow. Assigning gestures to commands like Undo can make navigating poorly designed apps significantly easier and can save a lot of time and frustration. For more Sunday Edition Tech Spotlights and accessibility tips, please visit www.anthonycorona.com. You can also hear more accessibility and technology conversations on the Sunday Edition podcast feed. ***** ** The Perfect Home for a Hot Commodity Device by Melody Holloway I am constantly thinking of methods of introducing braille to the general public as well as passing forth literacy to those who may not otherwise have access to braille materials/instruction. If I am waiting at a store, medical appointment, bank, post office, library, board of elections, bureau of motor vehicles, or other public location to complete an intended task or for a return pickup ride, I utilize my eReader, Hable 1, or flip through hard-copy braille, visibly inviting passersby to inquire, ask questions, and even touch the braille. I purchased a Braille Doodle from AT Guys just before Christmas, working with extreme low income category and supplemental benefits after the informative Braille Buzz call. I absolutely had to get one in my hands, no ifs, ands, or buts. I originally intended to donate it to a deserving student attending the Ohio State School for the Blind or to a member of the Columbus, Ohio chapter of the American Council of the Blind. I attended the phenomenal Visabilities community event featuring Patty Slaby, current president of the Braille Revival League, recapping her educational, advocacy-driven trip to Lima, Peru to visit several orphanages with her church group. She spoke of the children's enthusiasm, inquisitiveness, helpfulness, impeccable manners, willingness to learn, zest for a second chance at a full life, and desire for braille exposure. An electrical charge of realization coursed through me. "The perfect home for the Braille Doodle!" I thought. I exchanged contact info with Patty, packed a box with the Braille Doodle on the bottom, adding a spare braille Rubik's Cube that was previously gifted to me, braille paper, National Braille Press alphabet cards, sugar-free Liquid IV hydration packets for the children's nutrition, chocolate chips, and chocolate-coated English toffee bits for some yummy, homemade cookies. At a time when braille education, advocacy, awareness, incorporation, and literacy are questionable, what a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to pass on the one-of-a-kind gift of braille, coated in unconditional love. ***** ** New Ways to Bond with One's Guide by Deborah Armstrong The campground has many pluses. First there are few foxtails or burs. It's frequently used by Cub Scouts and Brownies, so the park service sweeps it free of forest debris. It is surrounded by towering redwoods, keeping it shady and cool. We are several miles mostly straight up overlooking the rowdy Pacific Ocean, so we have all the fog or mist that comes with being on the central California coast. That means warm afternoons and chilly nights, and a tent covered with moisture upon awakening. We have a large fire ring where we are allowed to roast our wieners and marshmallows. The barrier is over a yard high, so the forest is protected from flying embers, a big concern in this fire-ravaged state. And we have friendships. About 20 of us, mostly women in their 50s and 60s, comprise the local Dog Scout troop. Dog Scouts is just what you think: people who loved Scouts and since the kids grew up and moved out, we do the same thing with preparedness and patches, minus kids but with dogs. You can get a community service badge, a therapy badge, a backpacking badge, and of course a camping badge. All these pooches love adventure and are comfortable doing things with humans. We go on ranger-lead nature hikes, visit outdoor concerts and cafes, and just hang out on restaurant patios with our canines. I am the only member with a service dog. The campground is also a preserved Native American relic. It has numerous small pits where the Indians ground acorns. These were hollowed out and lined with sharp rocks centuries ago by native tribes. A naturalist painted vivid pictures for us of Indian women squatting before these holes, chatting, singing and grinding. This, the naturalist tells us, is the first factory for stone-ground grain. Maxwell, my golden guide, knows immediately to avoid the pits. He loves hiking and is careful to ensure I never sprain an ankle. I feel safe running around camp holding his harness. We also have to navigate around numerous concrete picnic tables as well as coolers, stoves, the fire ring and lots of portable chairs, tents and tables brought by my friends. But Max happily powers through all the obstacles, his bushy flag-tail sweeping back and forth, his nose alive to the scents of the woods. Now when I was a kid, a campground had an outhouse. The smell actually assisted me in finding it. But here, we have a row of huge, green, wheelchair-accessible plastic porta-potties. Totally sanitary, they have almost no scent. And because we are Scouts, we just naturally keep them clean. The potties are about a quarter of a mile away from the campground, and due to a leaking faucet, which the forest service plans to fix, the route directly to the potty is a muddy quagmire. So my friends advise me to take a circuitous route, circumventing yet more tables, coolers and chairs. Max doesn't like mud either, which is good, because he's happy to tramp farther to get to the human toilet. But teaching him to find it on his own is another thing. "Good potty," I croon, sliding a treat in to his eager mouth. "Find the potty," I request later, hopefully as he snuffles through the forest until a helpful friend rescues us. Max continues to find more stoves and tables to guide around and the potty just isn't a destination for him. At bedtime my friends suggest I wake them if I have to go. I assure them we won't have any trouble finding the potty in the middle of the night, and besides, I lie, I almost never get up in the night to go anyway. All the food has been locked in cars due to the occasional threat of bears and the regular visits of raccoons, so there will be nothing yummy to distract Max, I tell my friends. I carefully avoid drinking water before bed, spitting out the toothpaste when I brush. At 1 a.m. I awake parched, and take the tiniest little sip from my water bottle. At 3 a.m. I wake with a bladder the size of Texas. I can barely move, it feels so full. The more I try to stop thinking about it, the more I have to go. Finally I pile on the warm layers, harness Max, and we slip out of the tent. It is pitch dark, and though I don't really see enough for light to help, I notice the moon is absent, so I wonder how well Max can see. "Find the potty," I whisper and rattle the food pouch, promising him a treat to come. He charges off happily, nose in full gear. I hear my friends snoring and we encounter no obstacles, so I know Max can tell where he's going. I smell the fire ring as we pass, hear the wind rattling a pot lid on one of our camp stoves. But is he going where I want to go? And speaking of going, do I ever have to. We are climbing a slope. Oops, I know there is no slope to the potty. And suddenly we are on an asphalt road. It's deathly quiet. Following his training, Max takes me to the road shoulder, with bushes on the left and the road stretching ahead of us on the right. I think about retracing my steps, but can't remember where the road we drove on was. And I can't remember if there are two roads out of this campground or if it's on a dead end. I halt Max and pick up some small rocks and throw them experimentally to my left. I hear them cascade down what seems to be a fairly steep slope. Then I hear a large splash as they land in a pond below the road. We continue because frankly I'm not sure what to do. After another quarter mile, I toss some pebbles again. This time the slope seems less steep, and I realize there are no tents below us. I hear my pebbles finally come to rest in shallow water, maybe 50 feet below. Good, I think, it is indeed safe here. I squat on the edge of the road and make it quick. I have done this many times backpacking, but never when car camping. I hope I am really far away enough from people. Max bounces up and down. He's gotten to relieve himself with other dogs, but now his pack leader is urinating in the woods where he likes to go. The joy of over marking my spot makes him snort and spin with uncontained fervor. As soon as I pull up my pants, Max indicates he needs to go, too. Off with the harness and he's circling and wagging and urinating a gallon. Why, I wonder, did he save that up instead of going at bedtime like he usually does? Did he hope for a chance like this, bonding like dogs do but with his very own human in the woods? Max is practically dancing up the road as we retrace our steps, walking on the other side, hoping we won't miss the campground. About half a mile later, Max begins pulling me frantically across the road and through a lot of very squishy mud. And guess what he's found -- the potty! ***** ** No Vision, No Clothes, No Problem by Dave Wilkinson My introduction to social nudity was a direct result of the death of my friend and longtime running guide, Jacob Wells, who died during his 153rd marathon in November 2014. Jacob and I were often mistaken for brothers. We had the same build and the same personality. If there was a record for platonic bondage, we would have it for the innumerable miles we ran tethered to each other. We were a fixture in the local running scene for years. His death was incomprehensible. It shattered my world. I had a job that kept me on the road a vast majority of the time. As a coping mechanism for my grief, I impulsively booked an overnight stay at a clothing-optional resort in Tampa. Social nudity had lived quietly on my bucket list, but I was always too embarrassed to actually follow through. My nerves were already fried from writing Jacob's eulogy, so why not add public nudity to the emotional chaos? After checking into the resort, I went to my room, undressed, took a shower, lathered up with sunscreen, took a deep breath and stepped outside. Nothing happened! The Earth continued to spin on its axis. No one cared or probably even noticed that I was naked. In a few minutes it felt normal. Then it just felt luxurious. I stretched out on a lounge chair by the pool and wrote the eulogy for my friend. Let's step back and define social nudity. It is the practice of being naked with others in social, non-sexual settings. Social nudists enjoy the human body in its natural state without textile barriers. So in essence, we don't do anything differently than you do. It just so happens that we're naked. After my introduction to social nudity, my experiences quickly expanded to nude or clothing-optional beaches and other resorts. Then I discovered BodyFest, an annual festival outside of Toronto that celebrates the human body in its natural state. This has become an annual event on my calendar. The BodyFest camping area is a decent walk on a circuitous path from other festival events. I use a Victor Trek to drop electronic breadcrumbs along the way, but I still end up lost more than I'd like to admit. At my first BodyFest I was flustered with how often I needed directions. As the weekend progressed, in spite of my frustration, I began to notice that when I asked for assistance, people did not encroach on my personal space. They asked before touching me. This is no small thing. Often well-meaning people just grab an arm and "steer" me instead of providing actual directions. In my experience, social nudists make fewer assumptions and ask more questions. Their inquisitiveness narrows the disconnect between us. In a group of naked strangers, I feel like people see a more complete version of me. It has nothing to do with the visibility of my genitalia, or theirs, but instead it is the general environment that exists when people are open to ideas and concepts that reach beyond traditional societal norms. Random things happen at social nudist gatherings. One time a guy showed up with a unicycle and offered me the chance to ride it. Spoiler alert: it takes a bit of practice to ride these things. I'm not sure why he brought a unicycle to a naturist weekend, but that's kind of the point. A random unicycle among a bunch of naked people just didn't feel out of the ordinary. Social nudity is not a panacea for the world's problems. Naked or covered, we still have war, smog, inflation and a myriad other ills. And social nudity doesn't eliminate the power imbalance that exists between people with and without vision. Fun fact: I have no idea what a foreskin looks like. I lost access to mine via circumcision a few days after my birth. As a straight guy, my penis is the only one I've handled. I can't just look on the Internet or surreptitiously peek in a locker room to fill in this knowledge gap. I have undoubtedly had interactions with plenty of uncut guys at various nude events. If I had vision, I might have taken note of a foreskin or two just like I'd notice other details such as the shape of a nose. It's always struck me as weird that I know a whole lot more about nuances in female anatomy than I know about the original configuration of my penis. So no, social nudity doesn't provide any solution for the problems of the world or even give answers to basic questions I have about me and my surroundings. But it's an environment where I feel seen and valued as just another person, and that's enough to keep me coming back. ***** ** Here and There edited by Cynthia G. Hawkins Editor's Note: We are sad to learn that Cynthia Hawkins will no longer be able to compile and edit the "Here and There" column for "The ACB Braille Forum." We have enjoyed working with you, Cynthia, and wish you much success. If you're interested in attempting to follow in the footsteps of Cynthia Hawkins and those who preceded her in the role of "Here and There" editor, please send a letter of application, along with a resume, references, and two to three writing samples. You may send this application package to Sharon Lovering, American Council of the Blind, 225 Reinekers Lane, Suite 660, Alexandria, VA 22314, or by email to slovering@acb.org. Resumes and other attachments may be in Word or text format. Applications will be accepted through June 15; we hope to announce a new editor for the column no later than August 1st. (Please note: This position is unpaid.) 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. * East Bay Centre Offers Two Short Braille Courses The East Bay Centre for the Blind is pleased to launch two short braille courses, each for UEB readers and EBAE readers. Our Braille 104A course was designed to help UEB readers learn EBAE (English Braille American Edition) code. Since January 4, 2016, the date when the United States adopted Unified English Braille (UEB), most new braille learners have learned UEB, but there are tens of thousands of braille books available in EBAE with National Library Service for the Print Disabled (NLS) and other libraries. Responding to several enthusiastic readers who did not know EBAE, we decided to design Braille 104A enabling UEB readers to read EBAE books. The Braille 104B course introduces EBAE readers to UEB. From my weekly webinars -- I Love Braille on Thursdays and I Learn Braille on Fridays -- I learned from many participants that they struggle to read UEB. Some of them are even afraid to learn this new code. Basically, there is barely 5% difference between UEB and EBAE. Braille 104B, titled "UEB in a Nutshell," introduces learners to this new code in easy-to-learn way. All our courses are available at no cost. In addition to Braille 104A and 104B, we also offer Braille 101 that teaches uncontracted braille; 102 teaches contracted braille; and 103 teaches how to write in braille using a slate and stylus and a braille writer. Anyone can sign up by filling out our enrollment application at https://www.eastbaycenterfortheblind.org/braille-class-signup/. For more questions/clarification, contact Prof. Vileen Shah via email at shah@eastbaycenterfortheblind.org, or via phone, (510) 843-6935. ****** ** ACB Officers * President Deb Cook Lewis (2nd term, 2027) 1131 Liberty Dr. Clarkston, WA 99403 * First Vice President David Trott (2nd term, 2027) 1018 East St. S. Talladega, AL 35160 * Second Vice President Kenneth Semien Sr. (1st term, 2027) 8445 Allison Way Beaumont, TX 77707-1506 * Secretary Katie Frederick (1st term, 2027) 160 W. Wilson Bridge Rd., Apt. 40 Worthington, OH 43085-2679 * Treasurer Michael Garrett (2nd term, 2027) 7806 Chaseway Dr. Missouri City, TX 77489-2333 * Immediate Past President Kim Charlson 57 Grandview Ave. Watertown, MA 02472 ** ACB Board of Directors Christopher Bell, Bloomington, MN (2nd term, 2028) Donna Brown, Romney, WV (2nd term, 2028) Cheryl Cumings, Seattle, WA (partial term, 2028) Peter Heide, Baraboo, WI (1st term, 2028) Gabriel Lopez Kafati, Miami Lakes, FL (1st term, 2026) Cecily Laney Nipper, Covington, GA (1st term, 2028) Terry Pacheco, Silver Spring, MD (1st term, 2026) Rachel Schroeder, Springfield, IL (1st term, 2026) Koni Sims, Sioux Falls, SD (1st term, 2026) Jeff Thom, Sacramento, CA (2nd term, 2026) ** ACB Board of Publications Zelda Gebhard, Chair, Edgeley, ND (3rd term, 2026) Deborah Armstrong, Milpitas, CA (partial term, 2026) Jeff Bishop, Tucson, AZ (1st term, 2026) Belinda Collins, Saint Pauls, NC (1st term, 2026) RaLynn McGuire, San Antonio, TX (1st term, 2027) ***** ** Accessing Your ACB Braille Forums The ACB Braille Forum is available by mail in braille, large print, NLS-style digital cartridge, and via email. To subscribe to the email version, contact Sharon Lovering, slovering@acb.org. It is also available on ACB's web page, and on ACB Media, channel 10. Subscribe to the podcast versions from your 2nd generation Victor Reader Stream or from https://pinecast.com/feed/acb-braille-forum-and-e-forum. ###