AFB Blog

Photograph of Eleanor Roosevelt and Robert B. Irwin with others at the World Conference on Work for the Blind, 1931. Anna Eleanor Roosevelt (October 11, 1884 – November 7, 1962) was an American political figure, diplomat, and activist. She served as the first lady of the United States from 1933 to 1945, during her husband President Franklin D. Roosevelt's four terms in office, making her the longest-serving first lady of the United States. President Harry S. Truman later called her the "First…

As swathes of the United States continue to recover from the aftermath of recent hurricanes Henri and Ida—and as the nation tracks the movements of Hurricane Sam and Tropical Storm Victor—an article entitled, "The Value of Orientation and Mobility in the Preparation, Response, and Recovery of the 2017 Hurricane Season in Puerto Rico," by Kevin McCormack, in the upcoming September-October 2021 issue of the Journal of Visual Impairment & Blindness (JVIB), offers some reflections on the skills…

The Disability Information and Access Line (DIAL), funded by both the Administration for Community Living (ACL) and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), is an information and referral center that assists with locating vaccine sites, appointment scheduling, locating transportation to the appointment, in-home testing determination, COVID-19 vaccination education, and overcoming barriers to vaccination for people with disabilities. Additionally, DIAL specialists can help people with…

Join us, September 23, 8:00 PM Eastern, for an encore presentation of the AFB 100 “Art of Inclusion” concert and celebration, co-hosted by Haben Girma, author of the best-selling memoir Haben: The Deafblind Woman Who Conquered Harvard Law, and AFB president and CEO Kirk Adams, Ph.D.—with performances by Grammy-nominated artists Amadou & Mariam and Marcus Roberts, jazz pianist Matthew Whitaker, Tony-nominated Sean Allan Krill, songwriter Jennah Bell, hip-hop artist Aloe Blacc, and students…

First some good news: U.S. Eliminates Student Loan Debt For Some Borrowers With DisabilitiesNPR, August 19, 2021 "The U.S. Education Department announced Thursday that it is discharging the outstanding student loans of more than 323,000 borrowers who have significant, permanent disabilities, and will remove barriers for borrowers who qualify for this relief in the future. The announcement will erase some $5.8 billion in debt and marks a significant step toward fixing a troubled debt relief…

The doors to a healthcare facility open and a man walks in, using a white cane. You’re working the information desk. Do you know what to do? You’re a phlebotomist and you enter a patient’s room. The sign above the bed states the patient is blind. Do you know what to do? We’re betting like many healthcare workers, you have an idea but you’re not quite sure if your idea is “right.” After all, you’ve probably had few interactions, if any, with people who are blind, have low vision, or are…

A year ago today, the United States celebrated the 100th anniversary of the ratification of the Nineteenth Amendment to the United States Constitution. This federal amendment prohibits denying citizens the right to vote based on sex. In effect, recognizing a woman’s right to vote. Last summer, AFB commemorated that event with a talk in conjunction with the Planting Fields Foundation by AFB archivist Helen Selsdon. Images from the digital Helen Keller Archive – including letters, photographs…

On August 10, Well+Good, a media company dedicated to health and wellness, published a story titled, “Quarantine Conditions Have Uniquely Impacted People with Visual Impairments – Here’s How.” The story features extensive interviews with AFB Director of Research Dr. L. Penny Rosenblum and National Aging and Vision Loss Specialist Neva Fairchild, drawing upon research from the Flatten Inaccessibility survey results and their own personal experiences to illustrate how the COVID-19 pandemic has…

…But the clock is ticking. It is the goal of the American Foundation for the Blind to see more blind professionals in positions of leadership at work as well as in the community. Applications are still open for the second Blind Leaders Development Program centennial cohort. We are looking for early to mid-career people with vision loss who want to develop their leadership skills to apply as Fellows, as well as mid- to late-career people who are blind or have low vision with leadership…