[Arizona-students] Upcoming Rally

[David Andrews]

May 20, 2005

Dear Colleagues:

Your 34 organizations have now joined with the National Federation of the
Blind to cosponsor this rally. (See Quick List attached.)  Television,
radio, newspapers the media have been contacted; 500 rally signs have been
printed up; and plans for the day have been worked out. We are expecting
1,000 people at the rally on May 26 and we are counting on you to be in
this number!

Please distribute the following information to your members.

THE HOTEL:  Holiday Inn Capitol: 550 C Street, Southwest, Washington, DC
20024

THE RALLY SITE:  In front of the Department of Education (north side),
400 Maryland Avenue, Southwest, Washington, DC  20202

ARRIVAL: Buses and vans can be unloaded in front of the hotel or at the
rally site.

PARKING:  Large vans and buses can be parked at Union Station. See
attachment: Directions between hotel and Union Station. Vehicles under 66
can park in the Holiday Inn parking garage entrance on 6th Street
Southwest (maximum fee $15).

RALLY MARSHALS:  We will designate rally marshals to give directions and
be of assistance. They will be wearing National Federation of the Blind
badges.

SCHEDULE:

9:30 a.m.:  Go to the Discovery Room in the hotel.  Signs will be
distributed to participants, along with rally information.  Next, proceed
straight to the rally. Rally marshals will direct the traffic.

10:30 a.m.: Rally begins. Proceed with chants, songs, and sign waving.

Noon: Rally program begins. We prepared a large banner which lists the
cosponsors to hang behind the stage.

7        VERY IMPORTANT:  Each cosponsoring organization needs to send
one representative to the stage by 12 o'clock. Each representative will
have one minute to announce the name of the group and say one or two
sentences to the crowd. With 34 cosponsors, this part of the program
needs to move quickly.

7        Introduction of former RSA Commissioners.

7        Introduction of Dr. Marc Maurer, President of the National
Federation of the Blind, and Rally Coordinator.

7        Special presentation.

1:30 p.m.: Dismissal of participants.

DURING THE RALLY:

7        VERY IMPORTANT:  Bring and hold high the portable banner or sign
with your groups name on it. (Think photo op)

7        VERY IMPORTANT:  Each organization is responsible for
accommodations needed by its members, such as interpreters, personal care
attendants, and so on.

7        Wear comfortable shoes.

7        If it looks like rain, bring rain gear.

7        Bottled water and First Aid kits will be available for emergencies.

7        Remind participants to follow the directions of the rally marshals.

7        Bring a camera to take photographs of your own group at the
rally, so that you can forward shots of local people to your hometown
newspaper with your own press release.

BACK HOME:

For those in your organization who cannot come to the rally, here are
some things they can do at home to be helpful.  Please urge your members
at home to do any or all of these actions.

Email (or Fax: (202) 401-0596) a personal letter to
Margaret.Spellings at ed.gov; with a copy to Christina.Wilson at ed.gov; or
call her office at (202) 401-3000.  Each person should email or fax a
copy of this letter to his or her elected representatives in Congress.

Contact the local press and get an article in the newspaper or on
television or radio. The local NFB in Hawaii got an article printed
already and now can work on a follow-up article getting printed during or
just after the rally.

Write a letter to the editor or an opinion piece and get it published in
the local press.

Go to local political forums and press conferences. In Florida, a local
group of the NFB went to a press conference Secretary Spellings held and
they asked some pertinent questions.

Write and sign a petition to be emailed or faxed to Secretary Spellings.
In Maryland, a local organization wrote a petition that was signed by all
500 members.

Hold your own press conference, and pass out Press Kits to educate the
reporters on the issue.

This rally will be held rain or shine.

See you there!

Joanne Wilson
National Federation of the Blind