AFB Blog

This year and every year, the American Foundation for the Blind wants to take a moment to give tremendous thanks to the veterans who so selflessly have defended and protected our country with honor and pride. Thank you for your service. When veterans leave the military, it is not uncommon that they do so with disabilities. The Veteran’s Administration Office of Blind Rehabilitation Services estimates that there are over 130,000 veterans in the United States who are legally blind. AFB was…

Marc Safman is a fellow in the Blind Leaders Development Program Centennial Cohort. Marc is deafblind and has experience as a paralegal specializing in anti-money laundering compliance and litigation. He sits on the board of the American Association of the DeafBlind (AADB) and helped form the New York State Coalition of Deaf, DeafBlind, and Hard of Hearing Legislative Advocates. He frequently engages with legislators, candidates, and their staff to discuss disability and accessibility issues,…

One of the first questions people ask one another is, “What do you do for a living?” That question has such deep implications for most of us. Our jobs can be closely tied to who we are and what we value. What we do for work tells the world a lot about us: It can indicate our level of education or give an idea about someone’s personality. We often associate our self-worth with our careers. When we get a new job, we feel valued and when we get a promotion or raise, we feel a sense of…

Editor’s note: In the United States, October 15 is celebrated as White Cane Awareness Day — originally established as White Cane Safety Day by President Lyndon B. Johnson in 1964. White canes are a powerful mobility tool and symbol of independence for people who are blind, deafblind, or have low vision. In 2011, President Barack Obama also referred to White Cane Safety Day as Blind Americans Equality Day. In honor of White Cane Awareness Day, Amir Rahimi, AFB’s Major Donor and Corporate…

On October 11, 2021, the FDR Memorial Legacy Committee (FDR Committee) hosted a celebration to commemorate the 137th birthday of former First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt with a wreath-laying ceremony at the FDR Memorial in Washington, DC. The wreath-laying coincides with the 75th anniversary of First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt becoming chair of the UN Commission on Human Rights and drafting the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. Featured guests included Dr. Kirk Adams, President and CEO of the…

Video Transcript National Disability Employment Awareness Month (NDEAM) is held each October to commemorate the many and varied contributions of people with disabilities to America’s workplaces and economy. NDEAM's 2021 theme is “America’s Recovery: Powered by Inclusion.” This year, we reflect on the importance of ensuring that people with disabilities have full access to employment and community involvement during the national recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic. We understand the…

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…