Episode Description

On this episode of the ACB Advocacy Update, Clark and Swatha revisit our conversation from November 2020, with a returning guest, Rachel Weisberg from Equip for Equality. Rachel shares her impressions of the Winn-Dixie appeals court ruling and how it will impact digital accessibility. Then, we speak with Peter Berg from the Great Lakes ADA Center about the technical assistance and resources available to individuals and businesses regarding how the ADA and other disability rights laws apply to digital access and inclusion. To learn more about the digital access resources available from the Great Lakes ADA Center, please visit: www.accessibilityonline.org.

Episode Description

On this episode of the ACB Advocacy Update, Clark and Swatha reconnect with Mark Richert, ACB First Vice President, and Paul Schroeder, Vice President of Government and Community Outreach at the American Printing House for the Blind. We spoke with Mark and Paul at the beginning of the 117th Congress, and now we are checking in at the 100 days mark to ascertain whether the Administration and Congress are on-track with their policy priorities. Tune in as Mark rubs his crystal ball and shares what is in store for the rest of the Biden presidency!

Episode Description

On this episode of the ACB Advocacy Update, we revisit a presentation from the ACB DC Leadership Conference. Ron Brooks, former Chair of the ACB Transportation and Advocacy Steering Committees, moderates a conversation with industry leaders incorporating accessibility in autonomous vehicle design, testing and development, including: Eric Danko, Director of Federal Affairs, Cruise; George Ivanov, Head of International Policy & government Affairs, Waymo; & Dave Furukawa, co-Founder, Foresight Augmented Reality. To learn more about ACB’s current advocacy related to autonomous vehicles, check out the letter in support of S. 1260 that we shared with the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation: https://acb.org/support-letter-s1260.

Episode Description

Join us for this week’s ACB Advocacy Update with special guest host Tony Stephens, ACB’s Director of Development. Tony sits down with ACB’s Director of Advocacy & Governmental Affairs, Clark Rachfal, to talk with Audio Description Project (ADP) Committee Co-Chair Carl Richardson, and to introduce Jo Lynn Bailey-Page, who is now on staff with ACB coordinating the Audio Description Project. The episode kicks off Earth Day with a conversation on the UniDescription Project, which is a partnership between ACB, the University of Hawaii and the National Parks Service. We then dive into what’s hot with audio description in streaming media and get a preview of what is in store for audio description at this summer’s convention.

There’s still time to nominate your favorite audio described program for this year’s ADP Awards. Visit https://acb.org/2021-adp-awards-nominations for details. The FCC is also seeking comments on issues to explore around the CVAA. Tune in for more details, and email [email protected] for more information on how you can provide comments to the FCC.

Episode Description

On National Assistive Technology Awareness Day for 2021, Clark Rachfal and Swatha Nandhakumar were joined by Matt Ater, Vice President of Vispero, and Don Barrett, ACB Member, to discuss assistive technology: what it is; why it is so important; and what role assistive technology will play in our lives going forward.

Episode Description

On this episode of the ACB Advocacy Update, Clark moderates a panel discussion to mobilize advocates in support of the reintroduced Cogswell Macy Act! ACB is joined by: Mark Richert, Interim Executive Director, AER; Linda Alsop, Director, National Intervener and Advocate Association; Howard Rosenblum, Chief Executive Officer, National Association of the Deaf; Barbara Raimondo, Executive Director, Conference of Educational Administrators of Schools and Programs for the Deaf; & Amy Parker, Assistant Professor, Portland State University. To learn how you may support the Cogswell Macy Act (H.R. 1959 & S. 813), visit: www.cogswellmacyact.org.

Episode Description

On this episode of the ACB Advocacy Update, Clark is joined by fellow members of the National Coalition for Accessible Voting to discuss the gains in accessible voting over the past two years and concerning provisions of H.R. 1, and S. 1, the For The People Act. Guests on this podcast include: Maggie Hart from the Washington Lawyers’ Committee; Diane Golden from the EAC Technical Standards and Guidelines Committee; and Erika Hudson from the National Disability Rights Network. One of the items discussed is the National Coalition for Accessible Voting’s policy paper, which is available at: https://acb.org/national-coalition-accessible-voting.

Episode Description

ACB is celebrating a year of community! When the pandemic hit and everyone was told to shelter in place, we turned isolation into connection. From education, training, and information sharing, to peer support, socialization, and fun, learn what this growing community has meant to so many people in and outside of ACB over the past year during this week's episode of the ACB Advocacy Update.

Episode Description

On this episode of the ACB Advocacy Update, ACB's Director of Advocacy and Governmental Affairs, Clark Rachfal, speaks with ACB leaders about our internal voting process. Clark is joined by ACB President Dan Spoone, as well as Pat Sheehan and Koni Sims from the ACB ad hoc Voting Task Force. Voting is fundamental to our work as a membership organization, and during this conversation we learn how ACB is meeting the challenge of the current pandemic to ensure that the voices of all of our members are heard.

To read the Voting Taskforce’s recommendations for 2021, visit https://acb.org/voting-task-force-recommendations-2-20-21.

Episode Description

On this week’s episode of the ACB Advocacy Update, ACB Director of Advocacy & Governmental Affairs Clark Rachfal speaks with a plethora of ACB leaders regarding our ongoing efforts to make ACB a more representative and inclusive community while providing greater opportunities for future leaders. First, Clark is joined by Multicultural Affairs Committee (MCAC) Chair Peggy Garrett and MCAC Committee member Michael Garrett to discuss the intersection of diversity and disability. Then, as we discuss the organizational supports available to ACB members, Clark introduces Durward K. McDaniel Fund (DKM) Committee Chair Kenneth Semien and DKM Committee member Zelda Gebhard to share how the DKM Committee increases leadership opportunities, including the DKM First Timers’ Award and the JPMorgan Chase Leadership Fellows program. Applications for these two opportunities is April 5, 2021.

• To learn more about the ACB Multi-Cultural Affairs Committee, visit: https://acb.org/committee-mcac.
• To learn more about the Durward K. McDaniel Fund Committee, visit: www.acb.org/dkm.
• To learn how to apply for the DKM First Timer's award, visit: https://acb.org/2021-DKM-first-timers.
• To learn how to apply for the JPMorgan Chase Leadership Fellows program, visit: https://acb.org/2021-leadership-fellows.