Note: Search "* * *" for beginning of each section. CCB logo - state with lines radiating from Sacramento area California Council of the Blind 2021 Virtual Conference & Convention Program “BUILDING OUR FUTURE, REMEMBERING OUR PAST” Location Zoom and streamed on ACB Radio Get Zoom Ready Workshops March 30 and April 1, 2021 Pre-Convention April 5-21, 2021 Main Event April 22-25, 2021 Gabe Griffith, President California Council of the Blind 2143 Hurley Way, Suite 250 Sacramento, CA 95825 916-441-2100, 800-221-6359 * * * Table of Contents A Message from Our President What you need to know Calendar of Events Get Zoom Ready! Pre-Convention April 5-21, 2021 Main Event: April 22-25, 2021 Activity Descriptions Get Zoom Ready! Pre-Convention April 5-21, 2021 Main Event: April 22-25, 2021 CCB Officers and Board Members Thank You * * * A Message from Our President Come build the future of CCB as we make history with our second virtual Convention! The COVID-19 pandemic still prevents us from gathering together in person, however, we won’t let that stop us from holding our Annual Conference and Convention. The 2021 CCB Convention promises to be filled with meaningful information and even some fun surprises. The month-long event will start with beginner and advanced Zoom trainings to get you Convention ready at the end of March, then the Membership Committee kicks off the pre-convention on April 5th leading up to the main event April 22nd-25th. During our preconvention you will find interactive activities as well as presentations facilitated by our many Affiliates, Chapters, and Committees. There will be our traditional Convention business and Committee meetings, as well as games, pedestrian safety and writers’ workshops, book discussions, and more. During our main event you will hear presentations and panel discussions on our organization’s history, current and upcoming legislation, Conflict and Collaboration between Blindness and Cross-Disability Services, how and why inclusiveness and diversity are important to CCB, Artificial Intelligence, to mention a few, and don’t forget about the fantastic Awards Banquet. We hope you will join us for this convention that promises to be unlike anything we have ever had before! I look forward to seeing you there! Gabe Griffith, President California Council of the Blind * * * What you need to know The virtual convention will be held on zoom and streamed on ACB Radio. The pre-convention and the main event will each have their own designated zoom information which you will receive upon registration. The CCB Board meeting will be held on its usual zoom conference line. In addition, members who are appointed to the Nominating Committee will receive Confidential zoom information for that Committee’s call. CCB members will only be eligible to vote if they have paid their dues for 2021 and have registered for the convention. (Please note that in order to be eligible to vote you must be a paid CCB member 30 days prior to the start of the convention main event, which means you must pay your Chapter/affiliate or member at large dues by March 23, 2021.) If you are not a CCB member, you can become a member at large or learn about our local chapters and special interest affiliates by calling the CCB office at 1-800-221-6359. You can register for the convention by visiting the CCB Convention page http://ccbnet.org/drupal7/node/579 or by calling the office at 1-800-221-6359. The price of registration is $25. Activities listed in this program are subject to change. Please check the CCB Convention page http://ccbnet.org/drupal7/node/579, often for updates prior to convention. * * * Calendar of Events * * * Get Zoom Ready! Tuesday, March 30 7:00-8:00 pm: Beginner Class Thursday, April 1 7:30-8:30 pm: Advanced Class * * * Pre-Convention April 5-21, 2021 Monday, April 5 7:00-9:00 pm: CCB Membership Convention Kickoff! Tuesday, April 6 7:30-9:30 pm: Resolutions Committee Open Meeting Wednesday, April 7 7:30-8:30 pm: Credentials Meeting Thursday, April 8 7:30-9:30 pm: Pre-Convention Board Meeting Friday, April 9 7:30-9:30 pm: Scattergories with CCB Fresno! Saturday, April 10 10:30 am-12:00 pm: Women’s Group Brunch 1:00-3:00 pm: Inclusive Diversity of California, IDC - Business Meeting/Program 3:00-5:00 pm: 20-21 Scholarship Winners Reception 5:00-7:00 pm: San Francisco Chapter Trivia Night Sunday, April 11 11:00 am-12:30 pm: Workshop: To cross, or not to cross - strategies and considerations for crossings with no traffic signal or stop sign 3:00-5:00 pm: Candidates Forum 6:00-8:00 pm: California Alliance on Aging and Vision Loss, CAAVL Business Meeting/Program Monday, April 12 7:00-9:00 pm: Governmental Affairs Committee Tuesday, April 13 7:30-9:30 pm: Resolutions Committee Open Meeting (If needed) Wednesday, April 14 7:30-9:30 pm: Nominating Committee meeting (Appointed committee members only) Thursday, April 15 7:30-9:30 pm: Bylaws Committee Open Meeting Friday, April 16 7:30-9:30 pm: Karaoke Night in the CCB Next Gen Lounge Saturday, April 17 12:30-3:00 pm: California Council of Citizens with Low Vision, CCCLV Business Meeting/Program 3:00-5:00 pm: California Library Users of America, CLUA Business Meeting/Program Sunday, April 18 3:00-5:00 pm: Golden State Guide Dog Handlers Inc, GSGDHI Business Meeting/Program 6:00-8:00 pm: California Council of Blind Students, CCBS Business Meeting/Game Night Monday, April 19 7:30-9:30 pm: Writers Workshop Tuesday, April 20 7:30 pm-9:30 pm: Braille Revival League of California, BRLC Business Meeting/Program Wednesday, April 21 7:30-9:30 pm: Randolph Shepard Vendors of California, RSVC Business Meeting/Program * * * Main Event: April 22-25, 2021 Thursday, April 22 6:00-9:30 pm: First Session 6:00 pm: Welcome 6:05 pm: Pledge of Allegiance 6:10 pm: National Anthem 6:15 pm: Roll call of Chapters and Affiliates 6:35 pm: Adoption of CCB Convention Rules 6:40 pm: CCB History Remembering Our Past, to Build Our Future 8:30 pm: Credentials Committee Report 8:40 pm: Nominating Committee Report 8:50 pm: First reading of Bylaw Amendments Friday, April 23 9:00-10:00 am: Advocacy Workshop #1 Your Voice Counts! Self-Advocacy Basics 10:00-11:00 am: Advocacy Workshop #2 Make a Difference! Systems Change Advocacy Basics 11:00 am-12:30 pm: Virtual Exhibit Hall Part 1 1:00-4:00 pm: Second Session 1:00 pm: Welcome 1:05 pm: Legal Update 1:50 pm: Untapped Asset - Racial and Ethnic Diversity in CCB - Panel discussion - Inclusive Diversity of California 2:50 pm: Let’s Get Moving - Calisthenics with Leslie Spoon! 3:05 pm: Conflict and Collaboration: Blind Services vs. Cross-Disability Services - Panel Discussion 4:30 pm: Virtual Exhibit Hall Part 2 6:00-9:30 pm: Third Session 6:00 pm: Welcome 6:05 pm: Invocation 6:10 pm: Remembrances 6:35 pm: Presidents Report 7:00 pm: Governmental Affairs Report 7:30 pm: CCB Board of Directors Elections Hospitality zoom room will open following the close of elections. Use pre-convention zoom info to login and enjoy the fun! Saturday, April 24 9:00 am-12:00 pm: Fourth Session 9:00 am: Welcome 9:05 am: American Council of the Blind Update 9:40 am: Artificial Intelligence: How it is Enhancing Our Everyday Lives -Presentation CCB Technology Committee 10:30 am: Domestic Violence: It’s Not Just Physical…-Presentation 11:15 am: Mid-day Mindfulness 11:30 am-12:45 pm: Virtual Exhibit Hall Part 3 1:00-3:00 pm: Fifth Session 1:00 pm: Welcome 1:05 pm: Pedestrian control over Drivers’ Yielding-Presentation 2:15 pm: You Have a Story to Tell-Motivational Presentation 4:00-6:00 pm: CCB Awards Banquet Hospitality zoom room will open following the close of the virtual banquet. Use pre-convention zoom info to login and enjoy the fun! Sunday, April 25 9:00 am-12:00 pm: CCB Business Meeting - Conclusion of convention. * * * Activity Descriptions * * * Get Zoom Ready! Deborah Armstrong, Cupertino, Ca Tuesday, March 30 7:00-8:00 pm: Beginner Class Master the basics of Zoom, the conferencing app we use for our virtual convention and ACB’s community calls. You will learn how to: - Join a meeting - Mute and unmute your audio - Raise your hand - Cope when you get an error. We will cover Zoom on the IOS and Windows platforms. We’ll also cover the advantages and disadvantages of dialing in with an ordinary telephone vs using the Zoom app. Thursday, April 1 7:00 pm-8:30 pm: Advanced Class Master the eccentricities of zoom, the conferencing software we use for our virtual convention and ACB’s community calls. You will: - Explore the zoom meeting window and the zoom settings - Learn which settings improve accessibility and make conferencing easiest - Discover the difference between the free JAWS scripts and the ones you can purchase - Explore the NVDA addon for zoom - Learn the differences between the webinar variant of zoom and the normal conferencing window - Get your zoom questions answered. * * * Pre-Convention April 5-21, 2021 Monday, April 5 7:00-9:00 pm: CCB Membership Convention Kickoff! Membership Committee Guillermo Robles, Committee Chair Whether you are a new member, or are well seasoned in the organization, kick off the 2021 convention with a look at our past and take stock of where we’ve been while looking to our future and exploring ways to maximize your individual and chapter membership in CCB. Tuesday, April 6 7:30-9:30 pm: Resolutions Committee Open Meeting Jeff Thom and Sarah Harris Co-Chairs Join the Resolutions Committee as they work on the backbone of CCB’s work. Wednesday, April 7 7:30-8:30 pm: Credentials Meeting Frank Welte, Committee Chair Chapters/special interest affiliates representatives only need to attend if their information has changed after submitting their credentials form. Thursday, April 8 7:30-9:30 pm: Pre-Convention Board Meeting Gabe Griffith, President Friday, April 9 7:30-9:30 pm: Scattergories with CCB Fresno It’s Friday! Come join CCB Fresno to play a fun game of Scattergories! You may even win a prize!!! Saturday, April 10 10:30 am-12:00 pm: Women’s Group Brunch Join us for the annual women's breakfast/brunch. We always have a great time socializing and learning about each other. This year, each of us can choose to share about either: - Who or what challenges you to be and do your best? - Or, which decade would you like to roll back to in your life and why? The last 15-20 minutes will be dedicated to a gentle meditation. Sharing is optional. Nothing beats the camaraderie of the women at a CCB convention! Join us! 1:00-3:00 pm: Inclusive Diversity of California, IDC Business Meeting/Program The Inclusive Diversity of California (IDC) Group invites you to our first business meeting as a CCB affiliate. Come and be part of our journey towards inclusive diversity within the organization and throughout our state. We will discuss how to move forward together while embracing and advocating on behalf of multiple cultures and ethnicities! 3:00-5:00 pm: 2020-2021 Scholarship Winners Reception Scholarship Committee and CCBS Christy Crespin Scholarship Committee Chair Andrea Thom President CCBS Come join the CCB Scholarship Committee and CCB Students as we celebrate our 2020-2021 CCB Scholarship recipients. 5:00-7:00 pm: San Francisco Chapter Trivia Night Vita Zavoli President Challenge yourself to an evening of trivia fun with the San Francisco Chapter. You could be the lucky winner to an Amazon gift card. Categories may include CCB, ACB, disabilities, math, presidents, and who knows what else lurks in the minds of our devious game hosts! Even if you don't want to play, we hope you will join us to be in the studio audience. Sunday, April 11 11:00 am-12:30 pm: Workshop: To cross, or not to cross - strategies and considerations for crossings with no traffic signal or stop sign. Dona Sauerburger, MA, COMS, Gambrills, Maryland When you're at a crossing that has no stop sign or traffic signal, do you wonder when is the appropriate time to cross, and whether it is safe to do so?  Then this workshop is for you!  Come learn about analyzing these crossings and what kinds of skills you'll need.  3:00-5:00 pm: Candidates Forum Come listen to the candidates for the CCB Board of Directors answer tough questions and tell the CCB membership why they should be chosen to serve. 6:00-8:00 pm: California Alliance on Aging and Vision Loss, CAAVL Business Meeting/Program Frank Welte Interim President You are invited to attend the Annual Business Meeting of the California Alliance on Aging and Vision Loss. We will be electing officers and directors, hearing committee reports and planning CAAVL programs and activities for 2021. All are welcome. Monday, April 12 7:00-9:00 pm: Governmental Affairs Committee Ardis Bazyn and Alice Turner Co-Chairs This session will highlight experiences from the virtual legislative seminar and legislation and regulations that CCB has worked on during the last few months. Tuesday, April 13 7:30-9:30 pm: Resolutions Committee Open Meeting (If needed) Wednesday, April 14 7:30-9:30 pm: Nominating Committee meeting (Appointed committee members only) Thursday, April 15 7:30-9:30 pm: Bylaws Committee Open Meeting David Jackson and Sarah Harris Co-Chairs Join the Bylaws Committee to discuss any Bylaw Amendments that will be presented during the convention. Friday, April 16 7:30-9:30 pm: Karaoke Night in the Next Gen Lounge Do you love to belt out your favorite song in the shower or while doing chores around the house? Have you always wanted to let your inner super star shine? Come to the CCB Next Gen Lounge and make your dreams come true! Registration for sign up will be posted closer to the event. Saturday, April 17 12:30-3:00 pm: California Council of Citizens with Low Vision, CCCLV Business Meeting/Program Bernice Kandarian President During our virtual CCB State Convention, we will be holding our annual business meeting and hearing from some fantastic presenters. A former Californian, Ron Brooks will speak about transportation reform as it affects people with low vision. Ron, who lives in Phoenix, is a twenty-seven-year professional in the transportation field and is a nationally recognized expert in transportation and people with disabilities. Eugene Lozano, Jr, of Sacramento, will update us on accessibility issues. Gene, who is retired after 40 years as a counselor for disabled students at CSU Sacramento, monitors state governmental activities pertaining to access. He has served for many years on the CCB Board and is a valued member of the ACB Environmental Access Committee. 3:00-5:00 pm: California Library Users of America, CLUA Business Meeting/Program Pam Metz President Join CLUA for its annual business meeting where you will hear updates from CLUA members about LUA, Library Advisory Council, LUA and CLUA book discussion groups, as well as the NLS collection development committee. We will also be discussing the future of CLUA. Joining us for a presentation will be Kelly Brakenhoff, author of the the Cassandra Sato Mysteries and Duke the Deaf Dog ASL Series. Sunday, April 18 3:00-5:00 pm: Golden State Guide Dog Handlers Inc, GSGDHI Business Meeting/Program Alice Turner President Join us for our Business membership meeting which will include elections for Board Positions, including President, and Secretary.  Immediately following the business meeting the Program Committee will host the following Program: “Integrating Our Guide Dogs into Our Families: The Good, The Bad, and the Ugly.” During the program we will discuss tips and techniques for what to do when the novelty of incorporating our guides into our network of friends, work associates and families has worn off and real life sets in. we may encounter less than helpful behaviors from our network.  We will offer and discuss communication tips to address these behaviors to avoid resentments and hurt feelings, and keep our relationships on a positive note. During the Business Meeting and Program, we will be raffling off several fun gift cards to add a bit of zing to the meeting!  All are welcome! 6:00-8:00 pm: California Council of Blind Students, CCBS Business Meeting/Game Night Andrea Thom President The California Council of the Blind Students will host a 30-minute business meeting and continue into a social event with games including Last Word and The Wrong Game, where you must quickly get the answers wrong to win!  Monday, April 19 7:30-9:30 pm: Writers Workshop Publications Committee Susan Glass Facilitator Bring your writing tool of choice and leave with the beginnings of an article for the Blind Californian. This workshop will include writing exercises with prompts that will motivate and inspire your inner writer! Tuesday, April 20 7:30 pm-9:30 pm: Braille Revival League of California, BRLC Business Meeting/Program Mike Keithley President You are invited to attend the Annual Business Meeting of the Braille Revival League of California. We will be electing officers and directors, planning BRLC programs and activities for 2021 and sharing useful information about braille. All are welcome. Wednesday, April 21 7:30-9:30 pm: Randolph Shepard Vendors of California, RSVC Business Meeting/Program Paul Patche Jr. President This session will give vendors a chance to share how they are faring during the pandemic and talk about options for the future. * * * Main Event: April 22-25, 2021 Thursday, April 22 6:00-9:30 pm: First Session Gabe Griffith, President, Concord, Ca Presiding 6:00 pm: Welcome Gabe Griffith, CCB President, Concord, Ca 6:05 pm: Pledge of Allegiance CCB Board of Directors 6:10 pm: National Anthem Valerie Salcedo, Fresno, Ca 6:15 pm: Roll call of Chapters and Affiliates 6:35 pm: Adoption of CCB Convention Rules 6:40 pm: CCB History Remembering Our Past, to Build Our Future This panel will feature longtime CCB members highlighting key moments in CCB past. 8:30 pm: Credentials Committee Report Frank Welte, Committee Chair, San Leandro, Ca 8:40 pm: Nominating Committee Report Frank Welte, Committee Chair, San Leandro, Ca 8:50 pm: First reading of Bylaw Amendments David Jackson San Francisco, Ca and Sarah Harris Fresno, Ca Co-Chairs Friday, April 23 9:00-10:00 am: Advocacy Workshop #1 Your Voice Counts! Self-Advocacy Basics Sarah Harris, Fresno, Ca Steven Mendelson San Leandro, Ca Does the word advocacy intimidate you? Don’t be afraid. We advocate for ourselves every day. Come see how you are already an advocate and learn some advocacy basics. 10:00-11:00 am: Advocacy Workshop #2 Make a Difference Systems Change Advocacy Basics Ardis Bazyn, Burbank, Ca Alice Turner, Sunnyvale, Ca Sarah Harris, Fresno, Ca This workshop will focus on systems change and basic tips on how to be an advocate at the local, state, and national levels. 11:00 am-12:30 pm: Virtual Exhibit Hall Part 1 1:00-4:00 pm: Second Session Sarah Harris, First Vice President, Fresno, Ca Presiding 1:00 pm: Welcome Gabe Griffith and Sarah Harris 1:05 pm: Legal Update Rachel Weisberg Attorney and Employment Rights Help Line Manager, Chicago, IL Learn about recent legal developments in employment law and other areas of importance to people who are blind or have low vision. 1:50 pm: Untapped Asset: Racial and Ethnic Diversity in CCB Inclusive Diversity of California The Inclusive Diversity of California (IDC) panel will examine how advocating with individuals facing multi-layered bias and discrimination strengthens and enhances the California Council of the Blind. We will explore the role of our affiliate, how we can offer resources to the blind community, and promote cultural and ethnic diversity as an asset to the organization and beyond.  2:50 pm: Let’s Get Moving Calisthenics with Leslie Spoon, Winter Park, Florida 3:05 pm: Conflict and Collaboration: Blind Services vs. Cross-Disability Services Roger Peterson, CCB Member, Mountain View, Ca Larry Wanger, Executive Director, Dayle McIntosh Center, Orange County, Ca Peter Benavidez, Executive Director, Blindness Support Services, Riverside, Ca Shellena Heber, Executive Director Valley Center for the Blind Fresno, Ca Suzanna Gamez, Executive Director Resources for Independence Central Valley, Fresno, Ca This panel will discuss the history of both the blindness and cross-disability movements. The discussion will explore the conflicts that have existed between the two, as well as successful collaborations that have happened along the way. 4:30 pm-5:45 pm: Virtual Exhibit Hall Part 2 6:00-9:30 pm: Third Session Lisa Presley Thomas, Treasurer, Fresno, Ca Presiding 6:00 pm: Welcome 6:05 pm: Invocation Liv Presley Fresno, Ca 6:10 pm: Remembrances At this time, we will recognize CCB members who have passed during the last year. 6:35 pm: Presidents Report Gabe Griffith, CCB President Concord, Ca 7:00 pm: Governmental Affairs Report Jeff Thom, Sacramento, Ca 7:30 pm: CCB Board of Directors Elections At this time the CCB membership will be electing new officers and board members. Voting instructions and information will be distributed widely. Hospitality zoom room will open following the close of elections. Use pre-convention zoom info to login and enjoy the fun! Saturday, April 24 9:00 am-12:00 pm: Fourth Session Rob Turner, Second Vice-President, Sunnyvale, Ca Presiding 9:00 am: Welcome 9:05 am: American Council of the Blind Update Clark Rachfal, Director of Advocacy and Governmental Affairs Alexandria, Virginia 9:40 am: Artificial Intelligence: How it is Enhancing Our Everyday Lives CCB Technology Committee The technology committee and guests will explore how machine learning and artificial intelligence are already being used to enhance our lives. We will also discuss other ways that AI and ML could be used to benefit us in the future. 10:30 am: Domestic Violence: It’s Not Just Physical Shari Roeseler, Executive Director Society for the Blind Sacramento, Ca Beth Hassett, CEO WEAVE Sacramento, Ca When we hear the words domestic violence, we often automatically think physical abuse. There are other types beyond physical and this presentation will cover the less talked about types of domestic violence and how people who are blind or have low vision are affected. It will also explore how to find resources, and when and how to report suspicions of abuse. 11:15 am: Mid-day Mindfulness 11:30 am-12:45 pm Virtual Exhibit Hall Part 3 1:00-3:00 pm: Fifth Session Linda Porelle, Secretary, San Francisco, Ca Presiding 1:00 pm: Welcome 1:05 pm: Pedestrian control over Drivers’ Yielding The Rev. Dr. Gene Bourquin, COMS New York, NY and Chiang Mai, Thailand All pedestrians are reliant on drivers to yield when they share spaces like crosswalks with vehicles. Many variables affect drivers’ behaviors. In this presentation we will review these factors, emphasizing the principles and techniques pedestrian can use to increase the likelihood of drivers yielding. 2:15 pm: You Have a Story to Tell Kelly Brakenhoff, Author Lincoln, Nebraska Everyone has a story to tell.  Maybe it’s your life story of the obstacles you’ve overcome to get where you are today. Or maybe characters in a fantasy world have lived inside your head for years. Or maybe listening to the news made you curious to know the backstory behind the headline. Find out how Kelly Brakenhoff, an ASL Interpreter, finally followed her childhood dreams and became a mystery and children’s book author. If she can do it, maybe you can, too. 4:00-6:00 pm: CCB Awards Banquet Larry Gassman, Master of Ceremonies, Fullerton, Ca Come join us to celebrate during our annual awards banquet. There will be awards presented by the Awards, Publications, Membership, and Scholarship Committees. We will also have the special treat of being entertained by ACB’s own Jason Castonguay. Hospitality zoom room will open following the close of the virtual banquet. Use pre-convention zoom info to login and enjoy the fun! Sunday, April 25 9:00 am-12:00 pm: CCB Business Meeting Gabe Griffith, President Presiding To close the 2021 virtual convention, we will conclude with our convention business meeting. This meeting will include the 2020 Convention Minutes, Treasurer’s Report, Newell Perry Report, and voting on proposed Resolutions and Bylaw Amendments. * * * CCB Officers and Board Members CCB Officers President: Gabe Griffith 1st Vice President: Sarah Harris 2nd Vice President: Rob Turner Secretary: Linda Porelle Treasurer: Lisa Presley-Thomas Immediate Past President: Judy Wilkinson Directors Steve Bauer Christy Crespin Nelly Emerson Larry Gassman Pamela Metz Guillermo Robles Jeff Thom Penny Valdovinos Frank Welte * * * Thank You I would like to thank the many people who have made this virtual convention a reality. A big shout out goes to our members who provided us with suggestions, feedback and support. Your input is valued and heard. A sincere thank you to our panelists, presenters, sponsors, and exhibitors who gave the virtual environment a chance. Gratitude to our friends at ACB Radio and CMAC for lending us your tech expertise. All of this would not be possible without the hard work, determination, and commitment of our Convention Planning Committee. This has all been made possible by the talents of Larry Gassman, John Glass, Gabe Griffith, Gene Lozano, Phil Obregon, Lisa Presley Thomas, Guillermo Robles, Jeff Thom, Alice Turner, Rob Turner, and Judy Wilkinson. Sincerely, Sarah Harris CCB Convention Planning Committee Chair *End of document* 2