ACB Advocacy Update

On this episode of the ACB Advocacy Update, Clark and Swatha, along with guests Dan Spoone (ACB President) and Eric Bridges (ACB Executive Director),  look back on ACB’s accomplishments in 2021. We discuss our advocacy work, conventions and conferences, and community milestones. To support our ongoing advocacy efforts and the achievements and milestones yet to come, please make a donation by visit...

Episode Notes Clark and Swatha provide another round of advocacy updates for listeners and members. Topics include Quest, ACB's Rideshare Refusal Survey, the Department of Justice lawsuit against Uber and settlement with Urbana-Champaign, Illinois Mass Transit District, Congressional activity, and ACB’s Leadership Conference and Legislative Seminar. To access the Rideshare Refusal Survey, visit  h...

Episode Description On this episode of the ACB Advocacy Update, ACB's Advocacy & Outreach Specialist Swatha speaks to Kim Charlson, President of the World Blind Union (WBU) North American and Caribbean Region, Meryl Shecter, ACB’s International Relations Committee Vice Chair, and Sandra Sermons, International Relations Committee member, about advocacy on behalf of the global blind community. I...

Episode Description On this episode of the ACB Advocacy Update, ACB's advocacy team, Clark and Swatha discuss two major updates regarding CVS and the disability community. They go into depth on the CVS v. Doe Supreme Court case and the rollout of Spoken RX, the company’s accessible prescription label solution.

On this episode of the ACB Advocacy Update, Swatha and Clark participate in an ACB Community Event hosted by the Get Up and Get Moving Campaign and ACB Diabetics in Action. Hosted by ACBDA President, Tom Tobin, and ACBDA Advocacy Chair, Chris Gray, the program draws attention to the need for durable medical equipment to be made accessible and calls for our listeners, attendees, and members to cont...

Episode Description On this episode of the ACB Advocacy Update, we preview the inaugural ACB Audio Description Awards Gala. Anthony Corona, host of Sunday Edition on the ACB Media Network, moderated a conversation previewing the Audio Description Awards Gala and what is in-store. To celebrate greatness and innovations in audio description, please join us at the Audio Description Awards Gala live o...

Episode Description On this week’s episode of the ACB Advocacy Update, Clark and Swatha meet with Don Overton, Executive Director of Blinded Veterans Association (BVA), to discuss his role at BVA and the organization’s resources for blind and visually impaired veterans. They also discuss advocacy efforts by BVA, how both ACB and BVA can work together on key issues affecting the blind community, an...

Episode Notes On this week’s episode of the ACB Advocacy Update, Clark and Swatha meet with Andrés Gallegos, Chair of the National Council on Disability (NCD), to discuss his role and his vision for the organization. We also talk about the impact of the pandemic on the blind and low vision community, and additional topics including the importance of information and web access, and accessible curre...

On this episode of the ACB Advocacy Update, Clark and Swatha provide another round of advocacy updates for our members and listeners. Topics we cover include: the Congressional budget reconciliation process; the House of Representatives Judiciary Committee hearing on the ADA; ACB advocacy issues in the news; the Accessible Pedestrian Signal lawsuit in New York; Social Security, and others. Please...

Episode Description On this episode of the ACB Advocacy Update, Clark and Swatha meet with ACB’s Multimedia Design Specialist Kelly Gasque and Nolan Trowe from Everyday Disabled to talk about alt text. They discuss what alt text is, why it’s important, and a potential project with ACB and Nolan about alt text. If you’d have ideas or suggestions for this project, email us at  advocacy@acb.org .

Episode Description On this week's episode of the ACB Advocacy Update, ACB's Advocacy and Outreach Specialist Swatha Nandhakumar and ACB's Director of Development Tony Stephens speak with Koni Sims, South Dakota Association of the Blind President, about White Cane Safety Day on October 15th. We go into the history of the white cane, talk about its importance as a tool for independence and visibili...

Episode Description On this week’s episode of the ACB Advocacy Update, Clark and Swatha meet with Katie Fredrick, ACB Board of Publications Chair, in person at the M-Enabling Summit in Arlington, VA. We discuss the key events at the summit, highlights from the past three days, and the joys of being at an actual in person conference after almost two years.

Episode Description On this episode of the ACB Advocacy Update, Clark and Swatha speak with an old friend of ACB, Claire Stanley, Public Policy Analyst at National Disability Rights Network (NDRN) and co-Chair of the ACB Transportation Committee, to discuss air travel accessibility and the Air Carrier Access Act’s (ACAA) 35th anniversary. They discuss the law’s relevance in today’s post ADA world,...

Episode Description On this week's episode, Clark and Swatha return to the roots of the ACB Advocacy Update Podcast and provide a myriad of little updates relevant to ACB and our members. Topics we cover include Social Security, accessible voter registration, Discord, and Planet Fitness.

Episode Description On this episode of the ACB Advocacy Update, Clark and Swatha speak with Guillermo Robles from ACB’s Multicultural Affairs Committee, and Gabriel Lopez Kafati from ACB’s International Relations Committee, about the month-long celebration of Hispanic heritage. Guillermo and Gabriel share what Hispanic Heritage Month means to them and their community, advocacy issues important to...

Episode Description On this episode of the ACB Advocacy Update, Clark and Swatha meet with Joe Nahra, Director of Government Relations at Powers Law, and co-Coordinator of the ITEM Coalition, to discuss legislative action surrounding Medicare Coverage of low vision devices. We revisit ACB’s Medicare Demonstration of Coverage for Low Vision Devices Act legislative imperative, discuss H.R. 4187, the...

Episode Description On this episode of the ACB Advocacy Update, Clark and Swatha meet with the 2021 DKM First Timers, Belinda Collins and Kaila Allen, and one of this year’s scholarship winners, Bhavya Shah. We talk to them about getting and staying involved in ACB, their experiences advocating for themselves both personally and professionally, and ask them for advice on getting involved in advoca...

Episode Description On this episode of the ACB Advocacy Update, Clark and Swatha, along with guest Tom Tobin discuss the Medical Device Nonvisual Accessibility Act (H.R. 4853). We talk about how requiring medical device accessibility will enable people who are blind and experiencing vision loss to take control of their health. ACB urges all of our members and friends to contact their members of Co...

Episode Description On this episode of the ACB Advocacy Update, Clark and Swatha discuss the reintroduction of the Exercise and Fitness for All Act (H.R. 4756/S. 2504) with guest Sheila Styron, ACB’s Transportation Committee Chair. We share the details of this important legislation, how it relates to ACB’s Get Up and Get Moving campaign, and urge all ACB members and friends to contact their member...

Episode Description On this episode of the ACB Advocacy Update, Swatha and Clark speak with the ACB officer and board members who were newly elected in ACB’s first-ever virtual elections this July. Joining them for the conversation are ACB First Vice President Deb Cook Lewis, and Board Members Koni Sims, Kenneth Semien, and Chris Bell. Our guests share what drew them to ACB, their personal advocac...

Episode Description On this episode of the ACB Advocacy Update, we feature the second installment of a panel discussion from the ACB Conference and Convention. Carl Richardson, co-Chair of ACB’s Audio Description Project speaks with representatives from major streaming services to discuss their product’s, programming, services, and offerings. Featured guests include: Melanie Goodman, HULU; Martha...

Episode Notes On this episode of the ACB Advocacy Update, we feature the first installment of a panel discussion from the ACB Conference and Convention. Carl Richardson, co-Chair of ACB’s Audio Description Project speaks with representatives from major streaming services to discuss their product’s, programming, services, and offerings. Featured guests include: Melanie Goodman, HULU; Martha Heller,...

Episode Description Help us celebrate this milestone, as we launch a goal to raise $60,000 for 60 years of success: what we are calling our $60k for 60 Campaign. Since our founding in 1961, ACB continues to strive to make an impact with important advocacy efforts and value to our community. We continue to fight for not only accessibility but pushing forward equality, diversity, and inclusion for a...

Episode Description On this edition of the ACB Advocacy Update, Clark and Swatha highlight the Health & Wellness Track of programming at the 2021 ACB Conference and Convention. Integral to the Health and Wellness Track is the launch of the ACB Get Up & Get Moving campaign on Saturday, July 17. Joining us to discuss the Get Up & Get Moving campaign, and the plethora of sessions included...

Episode Description Join ACB’s advocacy team, Clark and Swatha, as they highlight the entertainment track of the 2021 ACB Conference and Convention. Whether in-person or virtual, the ACB Conference and Convention is an opportunity for family and community to come together in a safe, welcoming, and respectful environment. Also participating in this conversation are ACB’s President, Dan Spoone, and...