Submitted by Susan Glass: Silicon Valley Chapter President
{Editor's Note: Most of this report appeared in the May, 2017 SVCB In Touch newsletter.}
For the second time in recent years, CCB held its annual convention at the Hilton Hotel in Woodland Hills, CA. This is a delightfully accessible hotel with a warm ambiance and welcoming staff who clearly take to heart the hospitality that they extend to blind guests, and to all their guests. Many windows in the downstairs corridors make for a light and airy atmosphere. The surrounding neighborhood is reasonably walkable, and the weekend's warm weather made walking a real treat. In my opinion, this year's convention planners get high marks for having plenty of volunteers on hand, especially those from local puppy raising clubs, who not only helped out in the dog relieving areas, but also served as indoor escorts to events and the exhibit hall.
So much for setting the scene. Let's get on with the conference/convention report.
CCB Health and Growth
This is a sea change year for CCB: Our new President, Judy Wilkinson, took office last June. Our long time Administrative Assistant Ed Branch retired, and CCB hired its first ever CEO, Mr. Paul Shane. Not surprisingly, every general session as well as the board meeting addressed issues pertaining to CCB's growth and health. In her opening remarks at the first General Session, President Judy Wilkinson, said that CCB is transforming itself from an organization of grass roots strategists, to a modern nonprofit organization that combines those grass roots strategies with newer techniques. This is necessary in order to re-establish our financial stability. We currently have only enough funds to sustain our organization for the next 18 months. As a first step toward remedying this situation, we hired a grant writer who has already submitted an Operations Grant. We also made the first cut on a grant educating people about financial matters, and we are a finalist for a Vista grant which, among other things, will pay chapter members in more financially strapped communities to help raise the standard of living and education in those communities. Because these chapter members will be paid through a grant, they will not have to report their earnings if they are on SSDI or SSI. Judy Wilkinson explained that grants provide CCB with a concrete track record of its activities, which in turn make it a better candidate for more grant funding.
Paul Shane also discussed "The 4 C's: (Crisis Intervention, Career, College, and Civil Rights). CCB addresses Crisis Intervention through the Ellen Murphy fund, which helps women who encounter economic and domestic difficulties such as needing to pay the rent, keep the heat turned on, or pay medical bills. CCB scholarships help advance college education and careers for blind/visually impaired young people. And of course, our legislative activities at the State and Federal level our evidence of our work in the area of Civil Rights. Paul Shane said we need to publicize this work everywhere and often, because it concretely articulates CCB's mission. He said that nonprofit organizations are always doing the mission money dance, either raising money or articulating their mission. It's crucial, he said, that neither part of the dance supersede the other.
ACB Legislative Report
As an advocacy and consumer organization, CCB works with both State and Federal legislatures to pass laws that benefit the lives of blind and visually impaired people. Accordingly, each of our CCB conventions always features a Federal legislative report from ACB. At our second general session on Friday evening of convention week, we heard from Anthony Stephens, ACB's Director of Advocacy and Governmental Affairs. A journalist by trade, Tony Stephens has worked on social justice issues in venues ranging from the halls of Latin American monasteries to the halls of Congress. With us, he addressed issues concerning Medicare and Medicaid, education, employment, and civil rights.
Blind advocacy organizations are still working with Congress to pass a bill that would require Medicare to cover the purchase of low vision aids such as magnifiers. On Thursday April 6, a bipartisan bill on Medicare coverage of devices for those with low vision was re-introduced. Tony Stephens said that we will need to wait until at least October 1 to learn the fate of this bill, because it is dependent upon the new Federal budget, which will not be in place until then. Between now and October, he said, Congress will engage in lots of posturing, and it will not be clear exactly what budget we ultimately have. He acknowledged that a Medicaid bill, which would have adversely affected the blind and visually impaired community, was rejected three weeks ago. However, he cautioned that Congress will now try to push that unfavorable legislation through as part of a tax reform package. We will therefore need to remain vigilant. He said that 7 million Americans with disabilities are currently on Medicaid. That's a good number to remember when advocating.
One piece of good news, Stephens said, was that the Trump administration did not abolish the Office of Civil Rights. But he warned that we will receive far less help regarding our civil rights during this current administration. If the current proposed Federal budget passes, a significant chunk of money will be taken away from the Department of Justice (DOJ), which by implication, will affect our civil rights, although exactly how it will affect them is as yet unclear. In coming decades, Stephens said, we will need to protect the rights of older citizens who are becoming blind. Due to aging baby boomers, the numbers of blind people will spike in the 2020s and 2030s. He said that the Work Force Innovation and Opportunity Act did great things for blind youth who were transitioning into their careers. But we need similar legislation for older blind/visually impaired Americans. He lamented the removal of the Home Maker Exemption provision from Supported Employment Services. This provision had allowed blind and visually impaired homemakers to receive support from the Department of Rehabilitation. The loss of this provision undoubtedly makes life harder and more costly for these individuals, and may even preclude their ability to remain at home. The irony of course, is that institutional living will cost even more. This raises a crucial question: How can we help disabled Americans age in place, in their communities, at home?
Tony Stephens concluded his remarks by reminding all of us that it is our duty to advocate for those issues that shape our lives, and to exercise our rights as citizens to engage our democracy. He urged that we all visit the ACB website and read about the legislative imperatives that ACB has set for 2017. Here is a brief glance at some of the imperatives:
1. Safeguarding Programs that Promote Independence & Inclusion.
Pass legislation that protects and promotes these programs:
Independent Living Services for Older Individuals with Blindness
Helen Keller National Center for the Deaf - Blind
Defense Department Peer Reviewed Medical Research Program
National Library Service for the Blind & Physically Handicapped
Education Technology Media & Materials Program
American Printing House for the Blind
2. Securing Independence for Medicare Beneficiaries.
3. Ratification of the Marrakesh Treaty.
Special Interest Groups and Workshops
Technology
On Thursday afternoon of April 6, CCB offered three technology workshops. In the first hour, San Francisco chapter member Vita Zavoli shared information about the IOS application developed by Kaiser that allows patients to schedule appointments, order medication, and communicate with their doctors. The second segment featured demonstrations of three new braille note takers. Gabe Griffith, who works with HumanWare, shared information about the Braille Note Touch. Next, Bob Sweetman of Sweetman Systems, demonstrated the Braille Sense Polaris from Hims, which is scheduled for release in May. The Polaris retains many keyboard and operating features of the original Braille Sense, but now runs on an Android platform that, among other things, features swift and efficient web access. The now obsolete Windows CE operating system formerly used in the Braille Sense will be dropped. Andrea Pitsenbarger from Access Ingenuity, concluded the note taker program segment by sharing the ElBraille from Freedom Scientific.
The ElBraille is essentially a braille computer running Windows 10 and Jaws, with a braille display that slides into a docking station.
The final segment of the technology program focused on innovations and techniques that enhance quality of life for people with low vision. Dr. Bill Takeshita, who regularly hosts telephone conferences for the Council of Citizens with Low Vision International, shared tips for protecting one's existing vision both indoors and out. He recommended wearing yellow or amber tinted glasses for indoors, and darker tints for outdoors. He also stressed the need to build color contrast into one's home environment, both for ease of mobility and safety.
BRLC
The Braille Revival League of California (BRLC) held its business meeting on Friday morning, April 7. Following election of BRLC officers, members discussed ways of growing BRLC's membership and influence throughout California. Ideas now under consideration include hosting braille literacy and education sessions at public libraries (these especially geared toward children), and designing and teaching functional braille literacy classes to people who lose vision later in life. The classes would teach just enough braille to enable a person to read things like ATM and elevator signage or room numbers in hotels. We also agreed to reaffirm our connections and donations to the Braille Institute and Braille Challenge. Perhaps BRLC could have a table at next year's National Braille Challenge meeting. BRLC president Linda Porelle reminded members of the April 12 telephone conference being sponsored by the National Braille Revival League, which would feature discussions of current braille displays, braille note takers, and braille computers.
CLUA
The California Library Users (CLUA) also held its business meeting and program on Friday, April 7. Its morning program featured Mr. Reed Strege, Director of Library Services at The Braille Institute in Los Angeles. He told us that last year, The National Library Service, (NLS) added 3,000 new books to its collection. This is great news, he said, but added that when compared to the number of print titles available, it's only a drop in the bucket. He said that if readers can develop a tolerance for synthetic voice, many more books can become available. Several in the room expressed the wish that professional narrators remain, even in the face of commercial audio book production and books recorded via synthetic voice. Reed agreed that the collection needs to balance its offerings between professionally recorded books and newer technologies. He told us that NLS is researching its next generation book player, but that at present, it's not clear what this player will look and be like. NLS is seeking patron
feedback: Do we want the new machine to be voice activated? What size would we like it to be? Would we like it to be interactive? Would we want it to combine a refreshable braille display with an audio book player? Californians are one of the largest reading populations, and now is the time for us to weigh in with our preferences.
Susan Glass, who is ACB's representative to NLS's Collections Development Advisory Group, (CDAG) invited CLUA members to share with her their wishes and preferences regarding NLS's current offerings, future growth, and website interface. She will attend the CDAG conference at the Library of Congress from May 24 through 26 of this year, and will carry reader suggestions with her.
Rob Turner updated CLUA members regarding changes happening at Book Share. Currently Book Share has 550 thousand books in its collection. Much of this growth stems from the Special Education Grant which, after 5 years, is now up for renewal. Rob urged Book Share Users to contact their Congress people and recommend that this grant be renewed for another 5 years. Book Share will soon implement a new way to search for books: when you search, along with the display of titles, you will also see a list of authors. You can then choose a particular author to narrow your search. There will also be flexibility in the category search feature. Book Share is working on cover images for its books. As part of Global Literacy, Book Share continues to work on availability of books internationally. When a foreign publisher produces a book, it will be accessible without Book Share engineers having to do anything to it. Ideally, it will have image descriptions, navigation by chapter, sections, and subsections. Book Share is also continuing its work on Math ML. They work with vendors who develop DAISY readers that can accommodate Math ML.
Guide Dog Program
On Saturday morning of April 8, I attended the Golden State Guide Dog Handlers (GSDGH) program. Yes, this affiliate recently changed its name; you formerly knew it as Guide Dog Users of California, (GDUC). The program featured Ms. Peggy Rew, of RewCrew Collaborations, who shared valuable information with us about guide dog first aid and CPR. This was a hands-on workshop in which we learned how to know if our dogs are overheating and how to cool them down if they do overheat, how to stop bleeding from a severe wound, how to perform a Heimlich maneuver on a choking dog, how to treat frost bite, and where to check for a dog's pulse. Ms. Rew's business is based in Sparks Nevada, and is currently the only such service available in the United States.
CCB Resolutions
Perhaps the most important part of CCB's final session on Sunday morning is the reading of, and voting on, resolutions. We always pass a resolution thanking hotel staff for hosting us, and another thanking all volunteers. It was especially delightful to do so this year, as the Woodland Hills management and staff were exemplary. President Judy Wilkinson invited as many staff as were available to be present when this resolution was read. In thanking volunteers, we paid special tribute to members of local puppy raising clubs who, not only helped out in the guide dog relieving area, but also provided sighted guide to any CCB member who needed it.
Here is a summary of the other resolutions:
Resolution 2017 1: Mobility Education and Teaching Instruction
This resolution confronts unreasonable restrictions imposed by school districts on mobility instructors and blind students. CCB will take steps to prohibit districts from imposing unnecessary restrictions on their blind students such as preventing them from working on nearby street crossings with their mobility instructors, preventing them from meeting during school hours etc. Such restrictions interfere with Core curriculum. Since this problem is national in scope, CCB recommends that ACB address this issue as well. The resolution passed.
Resolution 2017 2:
Work with legislative committees and websites to be sure all documents posted thereon are made accessible to blind and visually impaired persons and that this happens in a timely fashion. The resolution passed.
Resolution 2017 3:
Library Services Funding. The Braille and Talking Book Library (BTBL) could lose up to 90 percent of its funding if President Trump's budget passes. CCB will ask that the California legislature fund both the BTBL and the Braille Institute libraries at the level currently funded by the Federal government. This resolution also passed.
Resolution 2017 4:
The CCB Constitution and Bylaws Committee propose an updated Constitution. The process of designing and writing this constitution will make use of, but not be limited to, in-person and telephonic, web forums etc. In other words, CCB will do all it can to include all members in the process. The proposed Constitution will be distributed to the membership no less than 30 days before the next conference and convention and will require a 2 thirds vote to pass. The resolution passed.
Much more happened at the convention, but time and space constraints prevent me from covering it all. I believe that the convention's general sessions were recorded and are available to those who would like to hear them.
Some of the best things happened after hours as we sat chatting together in hospitality suites or caught a late night snack in the hotel restaurant. I re-connected with people I first met at Camp Bloomfield in Los Angeles when I was a child. I also made some new friends from the San Francisco and Fresno chapters. These connections can't happen virtually; and even though cost can sometimes be prohibitive, I hope that we never eliminate our live conventions. They are community builders and they allow us to exercise democracy, albeit on a small scale, at a time when all citizens need to feel that they have power and can make some difference in the world.
