[IL-Talk] February at large minutes

[Debbie Pittman]

Way to go Michelle.  Wonderful minutes.

Debbie P


Sent from my iPhone

> On Feb 24, 2025, at 9:42 AM, David Meyer via IL-Talk <il-talk at nfbnet.org> wrote:
> 
> 
> 
> NFBI AT LARGE CHAPTER MINUTES
> 
> February 10th, 2025
> 
> ZOOM Meeting
> 
> CALL TO ORDER
> 
> At Large Chapter President David Meyer called the meeting to order at 7:04
> PM. Persons in  attendance included President David Meyer, Vice President
> Linda Hendle, Tasabih Elfaki, Debbie  Pittman, Michelle Ault, Jemal Powell,
> Eileen Truschke, Ken Schad, Dennis Devitt, and first timer  Robert Frazier.
> 
> APPROVAL OF MINUTES FOR JANUARY 2025 AT LARGE CHAPTER MEETING
> 
> Debbie Pittman moved and Linda Hendle seconded. All in favor said Aye and
> minutes were approved.
> 
> PROGRAM
> 
> This month we will be talking about the REAL ID, It is a requirement by all
> States to have a REAL  ID. and the deadline is May 7th, 2025. We will not be
> able to fly or go into a federal building  without it. We can use a passport
> in place of a REAL ID and we can also use a passport ID Card.  David Meyer
> played the recording which tells people what we need for a REAL ID.
> 
> There are three different groups of documents for identification. We need
> certain ones from each  group. We need one item from Group One: Certified
> copy of a Birth Certificate, valid US Passport or  passport card, Consular
> Report of Birth Abroad issued by the U.S. Department of State, Certificate
> of Citizenship issued by the U.S Department of Homeland Security, a
> Certificate of Naturalization  issued by DHS Form N-550 or form N-570,
> Employment Authorization Document issued by DHS, Foreign  passport with a
> U.S.Visa affixed accompanied by the approved form I-94 documenting your most
> recent  admittance to the U.S., Permanent Resident Card issued by the DHS or
> the U.S. Immigration and  Naturalization Service, REAL ID DL/ID card issued
> in compliance with the standards of Part 37 if  you already have a REAL ID.
> You will also need name change documents, such as a certified marriage
> certificate. This is required if your current name differs from the name on
> your birth certificate.  This will prove your identity, date of birth, and
> U.S. Citizenship.
> 
> We need one item from Group Two: Social Security card, or a W2 with your
> full social security  number or your most recent pay stub or printed
> electronic deposit receipt bearing your name and  full social security
> number or the SSA 1099 Form or non SSA 1099 Form to prove your Social
> Security  Number. This will prove your Social Security Number,
> 
> We need two documents from Group Three: bank statement dated 90 days prior
> to your application must  have address on it, canceled check with address
> dated within 90 days prior to your application,  certified grade/high school
> or university college transcript, credit card statement dated within  90
> days before the application which must be VISA. MASTERCARD, AMERICAN EXPRESS
> or DISCOVER,  Credit report issued by Experian, Equifax, or TransUnion dated
> within 12 months prior to  application, A deed/title mortgage or rental
> lease agreement, Insurance policy, homeowners or  rental, Utility bill which
> could be electronic, water, refuse, phone, cable or gas which must have
> been issued 90 days prior to date of application. A voter registration card.
> These are just a few  examples stated that we will need to prove our
> residency.
> 
> We need one of the following from a fourth group with our written signature:
> A Sate ID current or  expired for less than one year, a canceled check, a
> passport, a medicare card, mortgage or  installment loan document, These are
> examples. They want something that shows our written signature.
> 
> This program was closed with a reminder from Debbie Pittman to make sure
> that we get our REAL ID  before May 7th.
> 
> SECOND PROGRAM ITEM
> 
> Washington Seminar
> 
> Michelle Ault shared her experience attending Washington Seminar. Our team
> this year was Marilyn  Green, Abbu Elfaki, Kaitlin Ryan, Olivia Cichowlas,
> Jean Johnson, Tanisia Bowman, Hao Wen, and  myself. It was such an amazing
> experience. On Monday morning I discovered the Congressional  building
> models exhibit. It was really nice to be able to feel them and tell what the
> buildings  were shaped liked because it made going to the buildings easier.
> The State Presidents and  Legislative Directors had a briefing in the
> morning and NABS had their Winter Student Seminar.
> 
> At noon we had a Career Fair and we were able to meet some of the employers
> hiring and talk to  them. It was a great way to get to know the different
> employers.
> 
> We had a Legislative Seminar at 2:00 and had the opportunity to meet our
> government affairs group.  A few weeks before we went to Washington Seminar
> the Illinois team practiced on each other how to  present the different Acts
> by doing mock meetings. We learned about the three different Acts we  were
> going to discuss beforehand and the Illinois team studied these Acts weeks
> ahead of time. The  Acts that we discussed and did mock meetings on before
> we arrived to Washington Seminar were the  Medical Device Nonvisual
> Accessibility Act, the Website and Software Applications Accessibility  Act,
> and Blind Americans Return to Work Act. At the Legislative Seminar we
> learned that we also had  other priorities that we wanted to make our
> Representatives aware of and really needed their  support on. We learned
> that we would also be discussing the Laws the Blind Depend On such as the
> Rehabilitation Act of 1973, especially Section 501, 503, 504, and 508. The
> second Act was The  Americans with Disabilities Act, Title I, Title II, and
> Title III. The third Act was the  Individuals with Disabilities Education
> Act. We really wanted to stress the importance of these  Acts and how they
> needed to be protected. We also presented some Federal Funding the Blind
> Depends  on such as Special Education funding, Vocational Rehabilitation
> Funding. Free Matter for the Blind,  National Library Services for the Blind
> and a few others. The National Federation of the Blind of  Illinois team was
> just so awesome and we were able to adapt to anything thrown our way.
> 
> Monday evening we had our Great Gathering-In. It was just amazing! We had
> about 400-500 of us  gathering in the room together. The National Federation
> of The Blind presented a plague to  Congressman Pete Sessions. It was our
> Distinguished Legislator Award. It was given to him for  actively supporting
> us through out the years. He sponsored the Blind Americans Return to Work
> Act  and he also Co-Sponsored other legislation to advance the lives of
> Blind people. We also did some  more mock meetings with our Government
> Affairs group. That night after the Great Gathering In, NABS  had their
> Annual Auction. It was great to network with students from all around the
> country and  meet new people.
> 
> Tuesday we went to work and started our meetings with Representatives. Our
> team met with about 18  different Representatives or their aids over the
> course of two days. It was a lot of running  around, high energy. After our
> meeting on Tuesday we had a Reception and had the opportunity to  hear
> Congresswoman Lateefah Simon speak. She is one of the first members of
> Congress known to be  legally Blind. She just got everyone so pumped up.
> Wednesday we had more meetings.
> 
> It was such a empowering experience and the way our team and the whole
> National Federation of The  Blind came together, just walking down the
> hallways with our canes, it was just an amazing  experience. The energy at
> the Great Gathering-In was so high and after leaving the Great  Gathering-In
> you just really feel so empowered.
> 
> PRESIDENTIAL RELEASE
> 
> This is Presidential Release 546.
> 
> We discussed our legislative work and for each of us to be engaged in our
> legislative priorities of  The National Federation of the Blind. Our
> National Convention sets the priorities for our  organization, and between
> conventions our board of directors has the responsibility for carrying  out
> those priorities. Part of the work at the national level is providing
> assistance, technical  assistance, to state affiliates of the federation as
> local advocacy efforts are undertaken. That  relates to our legislative
> priorities at the National level as we seek legislative change at the  state
> level in order to create momentum for our national priorities.
> 
> President Mark Riccobono wants to reassure everybody that the federation
> will take a careful  analysis of any new policy or proposed policy changes,
> to make sure that we have a good  understanding of the potential effects
> that that policy will have on blind people or programs that  are important
> to blind people. We do want to be careful not to overreact and start taking
> action  until we have fully analyzed the policy to make sure that we have
> all the details. A good example is  about challenges being undertaken by
> some states to challenge the 504 statute under the  Rehabilitation Act, and
> its viability. There are items we are concerned about and we will let you
> know when there is cause to mobilize.
> 
> For the 119th Congress that has just started our board has prioritized the
> same three issues that  were the focus of our Washington Seminar in 2024.
> Number one, The Websites and Software Application  Accessibility Act. Our
> second legislative priority is the Medical Device Non-Visual Accessibility
> Act. The third item is the Blind Americans Return to Work Act. We are all
> encouraged to review the  fact sheets and be familiar with them. We can
> review all of these in detail at our Washington  Seminar page:
> nfb.org/Washington-seminar.
> 
> President Mark Riccobono would like to highlight that there are many other
> issues that we are  promoting during the year. A few are our Integrated
> Competitive Employment Act, and the Access  Technology Affordability Act.
> 
> We are encouraged to think about the advocacy efforts of the federation and
> how to teach each other  how to be better self advocates. When we know that
> self-advocacy is not enough, we work together in  collective action to get
> the systemic change that we need. If there are things we dont understand  we
> are encouraged to ask questions so that we are informed and well educated as
> we can be so we can  be better advocates.
> 
> STATE REPORT
> 
> The State Board Meeting will be on Wednesday, February 19th at 7:00 PM.
> 
> The National Scholarship application deadline is March 31 at 11:59 PM, ET.
> The web site is  http://www.nfb.org/scholarships.
> 
> The State Scholarship application deadline is April 30 at 11:59 PM CT.
> 
> We have our Midwest Student Seminar at the Holiday Inn Chicago Ohare from
> March 7th - 9th. It is a  great opportunity for college students to network
> with other blind students and learn about the  programs of the National
> Federation of the Blind. If the student has a case open with rehab, they
> can contact their counselor to express an interest. Visit
> http://www.nabs-link.org.  The registration deadline is February 28th.
> 
> We will have our first STEM2U program on Saturday, August 23 at the Chicago
> Marriott Naperville  Hotel. We will also have two BELL programs. Our Chicago
> program is a two week day program, July  21st-August 1st at the Chicago
> Lighthouse. Our Springfield program is a 1-week residential program  August
> 4th-8th. Reach out to Debbie Stein at 7 7 3-2 0 3-1 3 9 4 or
> dkent5817 at att.net  for information or if you would like to volunteer as an
> adult blind mentor.
> 
> Our National Convention is in New Orleans this year from July 8-13 at the
> Marriott New Orleans.  This will be our headquarter hotel while across the
> street is the Sheraton New Orleans providing  the balance of our sleeping
> rooms and activity space. Reserve your room by calling 8 8 8-2 3 6-2 4 2 7
> for  the Marriott or 8 5 5-5 1 6-1 0 9 0 for the Sheraton New Orleans. Ask
> for the National Federation of the  Blind 2025 Convention block.
> 
> The nightly rate for both the Marriott and the Sheraton is 119 dollars for
> singles and doubles,  while triples and quads can be booked for 129 dollars
> per night. You should also anticipate the combined sales tax and tourism
> support rate of 16.2 percent and note there is a hotel occupancy fee  of
> 3.00 dollars per night.
> 
> Deposit and Cancellation
> 
> At the time you make a reservation, a deposit of the first nights stay is
> required for each room  reserved. If you use a credit card, the deposit will
> be charged against your card immediately, just  as would be the case with a
> check. If a reservation is canceled before Sunday, June 1, 2025, half  of
> the deposit will be returned. Otherwise, refunds will not be made.
> 
> OLD BUSINESS
> 
> Debbie Pittman reminded us that our next month we will be discussing our
> Popcorn Fundraiser.
> 
> NEW BUSINESS
> 
> Dennis Devitt was welcomed in as a At Large Chapter Member. Debbie Pittman
> moved and Linda Hendle  seconded. All in favor said Aye.
> 
> Elections are in April for board members and officers. All elections are
> open and all seats are  open for election. Current Members of the board are
> President: David Meyer, Vice President: Linda  Hendle, Secretary/Treasurer:
> Michelle Ault, Board Members: Debbie Pittman and Cathy Randel. Anyone  can
> run for a board seat or any officer seat.
> 
> Next Chapter Meeting is March 2nd, which is the first Sunday of the month at
> 7:00 PM.
> 
> The meeting was adjourned at 8:30PM. Debbie Pittman moved and Linda Hendle
> seconded. All in favor  said Aye
> 
> Respectfully Submitted,
> 
> Michelle Ault
> 
> Secretary
> 
> Date:
> 
> Friday, February 21 at 9:12 AM
> 
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