American Council Of The Blind Inc

THE ORGANIZATION STRIVES TO IMPROVE THE WELL-BEING OF ALL BLIND AND VISUALLY IMPAIRED PEOPLE.

CONFERENCE AND CONVENTIONACB'S 61ST ANNUAL CONVENTION WAS ITS FIRST HYBRID CONVENTION. VIRTUAL SESSIONS WERE HELD PRIOR TO THE IN-PERSON PORTION OF THE CONVENTION. ALL ELIGIBLE ACB MEMBERS HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO VOTE ON PROPOSED RESOLUTIONS AND ELECT BOARD MEMBERS DURING ACB'S BUSINESS MEETING. THERE WERE OVER 150 WORKSHOPS, SEMINARS, AND BUSINESS MEETINGS HELD; INDIVIDUALS COULD ATTEND SESSIONS LIVE OR LISTEN LATER TO PODCASTED SESSIONS. THERE WERE BOTH VIRTUAL AND IN PERSON EXHIBITORS AND MANY VIRTUAL AND IN PERSON TOURS FOR REGISTRANTS TO ATTEND.

ADVOCACY AND GOVERNMENTAL AFFAIRS ACB WORKED CLOSELY WITH FEDERAL, STATE AND CORPORATE PARTNERS TO FURTHER KEY POLICIES IMPACTING PEOPLE WHO ARE BLIND. SUCCESSES IN 2022 INCLUDE ENSURING THE HEALTHCARE SYSTEM WORKED FOR PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES, ADVOCATING FOR ACCESSIBLE ABSENTEE VOTING, INCREASING THE AVAILABILITY OF AUDIO-DESCRIBED VIDEO CONTENT, CREATING GREATER AWARENESS FOR ACCESSIBLE INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATIONS TECHNOLOGIES, AND IMPROVING ACCESS TO TRANSPORTATION AND THE PEDESTRIAN RIGHT-OF-WAY. ACB CONTINUES TO ADVOCATE FOR THE RIGHTS OF ITS MEMBERS AND THE BROADER BLINDNESS COMMUNITY. AUDIO DESCRIPTION PROJECT (ADP)ACB'S AUDIO DESCRIPTION PROJECT SPONSORS A BROAD RANGE OF ACTIVITIES DESIGNED TO BUILD AWARENESS OF AUDIO DESCRIPTION AMONG THE GENERAL PUBLIC AS WELL AS THE BLINDNESS COMMUNITY. IN 2022, THE ADP: HELD ITS SECOND AUDIO DESCRIPTION AWARDS GALA, CELEBRATING THE MEDIA INDUSTRY'S ADVANCEMENT OF AUDIO DESCRIPTION; SERVED ON THE FCC'S DISABILITY ADVISORY COMMITTEE; SPONSORED ITS ANNUAL CONTEST FOR STUDENTS; CONDUCTED ITS 20TH AUDIO DESCRIPTION TRAINING INSTITUTE; WITH THE SUPPORT OF THE NATIONAL PARK SERVICE AND UNIVERSTY OF HAWAII, PROVIDED AUDIO DESCRIPTION IN NATIONAL PARKS; AND CONDUCTED ITS 20TH AUDIO DESCRIPTION TRAINING INSTITUTE.ACB SCHOLARSHIPS AND AWARDSIN 2022, ACB AWARDED $97,500 ACROSS 25 SCHOLARSHIPS TO BLIND POST-SECONDARY STUDENTS. ACB PARTNERED WITH THE AMERICAN FOUNDATION FOR THE BLIND (AFB) AND SEVERAL OF OUR AFFILIATED ORGANIZATIONS, WITH ACB MANAGING THE ADMINISTRATIVE PROCESS OF THESE SCHOLARSHIPS. SCHOLARSHIP AMOUNTS RANGED FROM $1,200 TO $7,500. THE JPMORGAN CHASE LEADERSHIP FELLOWS AND DKM FIRST-TIMER AWARDS HELPED TO FOSTER FUTURE LEADERS THROUGH MENTORING, TRAINING, AND PEER DEVELOPMENT. THE AWARDEES HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO ATTEND ACB'S CONFERENCE AND CONVENTION TO CONNECT WITH ONE ANOTHER, DISCUSS ISSUES OF IMPORTANCE, AND DEVELOP LEADERSHIP SKILLS.INFORMATION AND PEER SUPPORTACB PROVIDES VITAL INFORMATION AND REFERRAL SERVICES TO INDIVIDUALS AND FAMILY MEMBERS EXPERIENCING VISION LOSS WHO ARE SEEKING SUPPORT IN A NUMBER OF AREAS, INCLUDING ACCESSIBLE TECHNOLOGY SERVICES, DAILY LIVING SKILLS, AND ADVOCACY-RELATED INQUIRIES. MANY CALLERS ARE LOOKING FOR SOMEONE THEY CAN TALK TO ABOUT DEALING WITH THE CHANGES ASSOCIATED WITH VISION LOSS. ACB HAS EXPANDED THESE SERVICES OVER THE PAST THREE YEARS BY BUILDING A VIRTUAL PEER SUPPORT COMMUNITY EVENT PLATFORM, WHICH PROVIDED OVER 100,000 INDIVIDUAL CONNECTIONS IN 2022.

PUBLIC AWARENESS ACB SIGNIFICANTLY INCREASED SPANISH LANGUAGE CONTENT FOR EVENTS, PRESENTATIONS, AND AWARENESS INITIATIVES. THE SECOND ANNUAL ACB AUDIO DESCRIPTION AWARDS GALA WAS BROADCAST LIVE ON YOUTUBE AND PLUTO TV, ALLOWING ACB TO EXTEND ITS REACH ACROSS THE NATION. ACB MEDIA'S 10 RADIO STATIONS REACHED 308,700 LISTENERS FOR A TOTAL OF 162,400 LISTENING HOURS, AND 34 PODCAST FEEDS WERE DOWNLOADED 256,300 TIMES. ACB COLLABORATED WITH CONSTANT CONTACT TO ENHANCE THE ACCESSIBILITY OF THEIR PLATFORM, WHICH ALLOWED EMAILS TO BE FULLY ACCESSIBLE WITH CONTENT HEADINGS.

MEMBERSHIP AND ORGANIZATION SERVICES ACB STRENGTHENED ITS AFFILIATES THROUGH ONE-ON-ONE AND PEER SUPPORT, FORMALIZED LEADERSHIP TRAINING, AND ACB BOARD LIAISONS TO AFFILIATES TO PROMOTE CONSISTENT TWO-WAY COMMUNICATION AND ASSISTANCE. THROUGH ACB'S COMMUNITY PLATFORM, MORE THAN 100 TRAINED VOLUNTEERS ACTIVELY HOSTED OVER 4,800 COMMUNITY EVENTS VIA ZOOM AND CLUBHOUSE. THESE EVENTS, PROVIDED FOR MEMBERS AND NON-MEMBERS, WERE SOCIAL, EDUCATIONAL, AND TOPIC-DRIVEN, FROM ASSISTIVE TECHNOLOGY TO HEALTH AND WELLNESS, AND PROVIDED NEEDED PEER SUPPORT. IN 2022, OUR COMMUNITY CONTRIBUTED MORE THAN 38,600 VOLUNTEER HOURS.