National Federation of the Blind

National Federation of the Blind We advance the lives of our members and all blind people in the United States. Join the movement. We believe in blind people because we are blind people.
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The National Federation of the Blind knows that blindness is not the characteristic that defines you or your future. Every day we raise the expectations of blind people, because low expectations create obstacles between blind people and our dreams. You can live the life you want; blindness is not what holds you back. The National Federation of the Blind is the only organization that believes in th

e full capacity of blind people, and has the power, influence, diversity, and determination to help transform our dreams into reality. Our democratically elected leaders and our diverse nationwide membership are made up of blind people, our families, and our friends. We are bound together by our belief that the blind are capable of achieving our dreams and living the lives we want, and by the love and respect we have for one another and for all blind Americans. We support one another, act with courage and determination when we encounter barriers or experience setbacks, and engage in collective action to improve our lives.

09/11/2026

"Have there been times when others underestimated your ability to lead because you are blind? And how did you respond?"

Comment below.

Watch our latest Where the Blind Work Webinar: https://buff.ly/EhXwcj6

09/10/2026

"[The driver] asked me why I had a problem with being grabbed," President Riccobono said. "He went on to say that I was the second blind person to make that request of him on that day. I attempted to explain why it was useful to not assume help was needed, but more importantly, to inquire whether a person needed help before invading their personal space and putting your hands on them.

But to our amazement, he proceeded to tell me why my answer to his question was wrong. Furthermore, he informed me that clearly I was a mean-spirited person for not accepting his unwanted physical handling with anything less than heartfelt gratitude. He explained that kind people have a duty and furthermore, a right to grab people and help them."

What are your thoughts? Comment below.

Listen to more of "The Melody of the Organized Blind Movement:" on the Nation's Blind Podcast: https://buff.ly/eiIjVu3

09/09/2026

"I thought, 'This really is sometimes a very lonely journey. This blindness thing,' and it doesn't have to be. And I think NFB has changed my life in many, many ways, but probably the biggest thing for me is that I didn't have to be alone anymore in this journey," Steve Sawczyn said.

"There are things I confront every day where I think, 'I don't know how to do this. I'm not sure if I can do this. I don't know whether I should do this.' And then I realized because of my Federation family, I don't have to answer those questions or solve those problems by myself. I can have help with that, and that's awesome because it can enable me to be who I need to be and who I want to be."

Listen to more of "The Melody of the Organized Blind Movement:" on the Nation's Blind Podcast: https://buff.ly/eiIjVu3

09/08/2026

"Unfortunately, many newly blind people and families of blind children are only exposed to the misconceptions about blindness. They begin to internalize these negative messages and that noise can interfere with their personal melody." - President Riccobono

"There's a lot of people out there who have resigned themselves to being who they think they can be because they're not aware or ready or brave enough yet to stand up for who they want to become." - Steve Sawczyn

Have you ever internalized negative messages about blind people as a blind person? Comment below.

Listen to more of "The Melody of the Organized Blind Movement:" on the Nation's Blind Podcast: https://buff.ly/eiIjVu3

09/07/2026

"Growing up, so much of my identity was around blindness, and I assumed that had to be the way it is," Steve Sawczyn said. "It was so freeing to be able to go to convention and realize that I could be more than just a blind guy. I could be me, whoever that was."

What are your thoughts? Comment below.

Listen to more of "The Melody of the Organized Blind Movement:" on the Nation's Blind Podcast: https://buff.ly/eiIjVu3

09/04/2026

We, in partnership with the National Blindness Professional Certification Board (NBPCB), invite proposals for presentations at the Dare to Be Remarkable Conference, a specialized, multi-day professional development event for education and rehabilitation professionals working with blind or low-vision adults and transition-aged youth.

We seek proposals that are practical, innovative, thought-provoking, and grounded in the belief that blindness professionals should dare to be remarkable, teach with purpose and lead with high expectations. We are especially interested in novel teaching strategies, research-based approaches to education and rehabilitation, and new resources to propel the field forward.

Submit your proposal by September 15: https://buff.ly/OER9jgE

09/03/2026

Tune in tonight for our next live presidential release at 8:00 p.m., Eastern!

President Riccobono will discuss recent advocacy efforts and alerts, important dates and upcoming events, news from the Federation family, and will answer questions about the movement.

Access the Zoom link: https://buff.ly/qqlKRlv

Closed captions and Spanish will be provided on the Zoom platform, and you may also access the closed captions/transcript through 1CapApp.

09/03/2026

Episode 91 of Access On, is on. We conclude our seminar on learning technology using principles of structured discovery. Listener contributions include blind people processing and scanning printed receipts, digitizing and storing a DVD collection, and dealing with touch screens on airlines. Plus, there’s a programming note about next week’s special episode covering Apple’s September event.

Subscribe to Access On wherever you get podcasts, or download the audio for this week’s episode at: https://buff.ly/XFJjAj3

"I was about six weeks old when my parents figured out I wasn’t tracking anything visually. The doctors confirmed I was ...
09/01/2026

"I was about six weeks old when my parents figured out I wasn’t tracking anything visually. The doctors confirmed I was totally blind. My mom and dad had never met a blind person before. When the doctor told them to place me in a sanatorium in Coolidge, Arizona, because raising a blind child would be too hard, they knew there had to be a better way," Amy Porterfield wrote.

"My mother called what was then Arizona Services for the Blind. A young blind man named Ray Mungaray picked up the phone. He told my parents I could live a good life, and that it was their job to help me explore the world.

They took him at his word. My childhood is full of memories that prove it. My father would distract the staff at a museum while my mother ducked me under the velvet ropes to touch the exhibits. My mother opened boxes on toy store shelves so I could feel what was inside. In our house, curiosity wasn’t just permitted. It was expected."

Read more of "How I Came to the Federation," in the Braille Monitor: https://buff.ly/bKjhV6n

08/28/2026

"Hey, just FYI, I am blind. If you are providing any documents in print, I would love it to receive an electronic copy. And that's all I'll need," Juhi said to an employer before her in-person interview after having virtual interviews with the company.

"Didn't say any other accommodations I would need. Didn't say any additional support because I wouldn't need any additional support, truly. And I got a call saying, 'Hey, I talked to HR and they can't provide those additional accommodations that you need, so we're going to have to go another way.' And I remember just being like, that's interesting because electronic documents is not a big ask. If you guys are all, print copies, you're going to go bankrupt real quick."

"My immediate thought was, dang, that sucks for them, but I'll just keep applying to other jobs that will not make that assumption about me... Sometimes there is a purpose of fighting and sometimes it's simply just saying, 'Okay, I'm going to let it go. It's not that big of a priority for me. I still have my own self-worth and I'm going to keep pushing for something I actually want.'"

Gain insight from blind professionals on our Where the Blind Work webinar: https://buff.ly/QDLIJOw

The transcript of the video is in the comment section.

Address

200 E Wells Street
Baltimore, MD
21230

Opening Hours

Monday 8am - 5pm
Tuesday 8am - 5pm
Wednesday 8am - 5pm
Thursday 8am - 5pm
Friday 8am - 5pm

Telephone

+14106599314

Website

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