THE BLIND CALIFORNIAN
Quarterly Magazine of the
CALIFORNIA COUNCIL OF THE BLIND
Summer 2026
Volume 70, No. 3
Published in Email (bc+subscribe@ccblists.groups.io
and online in readable and downloadable text and audio media.
Guillermo Robles: President, Culver City, CA
president@ccbnet.org
executive Office
California Council of the Blind
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Sacramento, CA 95826
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Joshua Sanders and Ardis Bazon, Co-Chairs
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Mike Keithley, Editor
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editor@ccbnet.org
Susan Glass, Associate Editor
408-429-9567.
editor@ccbnet.org
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Andrea DeKlotz, CCB Courier Editor
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Table of Contents
Editor's Corner, Susan Glass and Omni Glass
Telling your Story, It Really Matters, Regina Marie Brink
Convention Report, Deborah Armstrong
Tactile Sports Broadcasting
Get Ready for Extreme Heat
The Future of Aging
Review of the Pure Nature App, Susan Glass
Using The Amazon Fire TV Stick: A Review, Deb Armstrong
Guide Dogs For The Blind Orientation and Mobility Immersion Program: A Personal Reflection, Alice Turner
New Podcast: Beyond Sight, Beyond Limits, Susan Glass
CCB Officers and Board Members
***
Editors Corner
by Omni Glass and Susan Glass
Susan Glass: Much has happened for Omni, John and me since we wrote our last editor's column for the BC. Omni, why don't you start our story.
Omni: Okay: Our biggest news, at least from my point of view, is that we're all 3 trying out a temporary new living space, or what my dog friends and I refer to as "new digs." We've moved from our condominium in Saratoga California, to an apartment in Los Altos California. The neighborhood where we've lived ever since I joined our family 9 years ago has changed substancially. For starters, the shopping center where Mom and I used to by groceries, drop off dry cleaning, and meet friends for coffee, was torn down, and replaced with a congo complex that's languished under construction for the last 2 years and is still unfinished. This means we now shop by car and depend on sighted friends and family to help us. We get our exercise in nearby sidewalkless neighborhoods, which is good as far as it goes. But the traffic where we live has increased markedly, and some of the major intersections that we cross are no longer safe. Mom's sister lives in Los Altos, and we've moved into the same apartment building where she lives. From there we are within walking distance to many restaurants, 2 grocery stores, a post office, UPS office, library, senior center, community center, community theater, history museum, and a rustic parkland called Redwood Grove. MOM Susan and Dad John, who are both totally blind, can be super independent in Los Altos. We think this is a good move for our future.
So now Mom and I are learning new routes and new destinations.
There's just one problem: I'm starting to have trouble with my eyes, which is not a good thing if you're a guide dog. Mom, maybe you can explain my eye condition.
Susan: Of course, Omni. It's called Nuclear Sclerosis, and is a deterioration of the retinas. Right now Omni sees reasonably well in full daylight, but low light conditions are difficult for her. She'll continue to lose her sight as time passes, and eventually she'll be blind. Her condition is genetic, and is not painful. But more often than not, we leave her harness at home and explore our new town as I use my cane and Omni walks beside me. I've applied to GDB for a new dog, and my application has been accepted, but the wait time will be at least 9 months, possibly longer. So I'll sharpen my cane skills and memorize this town super well so that I will be able to teach my new dog when she or he arrives. John and I will keep Omni as our household princess, and lavish on her all of the attention that she has earned and deserves.
On now to what's in store for you in this Summer issue of the BC. We begin with a CCB Convention report written by Debee Armstrong, delegate from the Silicon Valley chapter. Regina Brink contributes a piece on how we can use the power of our stories and story telling to mobilize legislators to act with us on our behalf.
The AAV-L email list gives us an article on the future of aging at a time when uncertain Federal policies demand strong action from us all. To quote from their article, Aging programs and policies are currently under attack in Washington, DC. Much of our attention is necessarily focused on defending Medicaid, Medicare, Social Security, and other essential supports. But simply holding the line is not enough. Moments like this demand that we do more—they call on us to define what comes next: a clear, values-driven vision for the future of aging that we, as a community, shape."
We offer an article on staying safe during heat waves and power outages. Susan Glass reviews the Pure Nature Bird Listening App. She also tells us about Sudha Rajagopalan, aVista Center for the Blind Board Member, who recently launched that features blind people who actively read and write braille.
Deborah Armstrong reviews the Amazon Fire Stick TV. Alice Turner reflects on her recent experience with GDB's Orientation and Mobility Instruction (OMI) program.
Happy summer reading.
***
Telling Your Story, It Really Matters
By Regina Marie Brink
As our federal landscape changes, affecting our states, counties and cities, you may feel the pull to be more active than you have ever been. Perhaps you are writing or calling your legislator for the first time or joining in a listening session or lobby day with your legislator. If you have never done this before, it can seem challenging.
It may help to keep several things in mind: First, legislators and their staff do not often see people with disabilities in person. This is even truer for people who are blind or have low vision. We are underrepresented, even in advocating for legislation backed by the California Council of the Blind or the National Federation of the Blind. Secondly, real stories from real people touch legislators and their staff in ways paid lobbyists cannot. Your story is more important than ever during these times of uncertainty.
However many people do not realize there are limits when testifying before legislative bodies. Typically, it is 2 minutes. It can be less. Sometimes, all you need to say is your name and your position (oppose or support) the legislation under consideration. So how do you tell your story in 2 minutes or a couple of sentences in an email or template?
It is important to remember that long stories are not usually effective in these hearings. Often the committees are discussing multiple items, and lawmakers are people just like us, and long speeches often lose their impact as their attention wanders. A little thought and preparation on your part is helpful here, even if you are only doing unplanned legislative visits.
First, sit down and write or record verbally the points you'd like to communicate. Keep it to 2 and no more than 3 points. How does this bill impact you and share a story that highlights that. Write or verbalize the story, again, recording it somehow. Read it back to yourself several times. Now time it if it will be verbal. If it is written, figure out the word count or how many sentences you have composed. Now edit.
It may feel as though you are losing something when you edit. This is not necessarily true. Come up with shorter ways to say the same thing. Cut out superfluous information. Do people need to know what time the story occurred or why you were at a particular meeting or event? Probably not. Make sure to edit out other people's names or identifying information. This is your story and you don't want to have to get permission from other people to share it. Incidentally, be sure if you do share a story on someone's behalf that you have run it by them for accuracy. You may want to send your message or statement to a friend or colleague to help you edit.
The most important thing is that you make sure your voice is heard. Those who have advocated on behalf of people who are blind or have low vision will tell you, the more voices heard and people seen the better! We need all hands on deck! Please help in any way you can!
***
Spring CCB Convention 2026 Report
By Deborah Armstrong, SVCB Delegate
To keep this article a reasonable length, I've not given details of every presentation. A great deal of hard work produced a wonderfully informative convention for CCB members, and I wish I did not have to summarize it. If you look at the convention program on our website, you'll be able to read the biographies of our speakers.
CCB held its Spring convention virtually, over several weeks. On April 16, we started off with Keys To the Convention, an informational session that explored rules of polite conduct for attendees and how to be a good zoom citizen. The way in which voting by phone will be conducted was also explained in detail. We also covered a guide to Robert's Rules of order including motions and amendments, point of inquiry, point of order, point of information, parliamentary authority, and standing rules. Understanding all this terminology helps members feel that they belong and can make meaningful contributions. Questions from attendees were also answered of course, and the best part was how a variety of voices presented all this information.
This, along with all other preconvention sessions was open to everyone regardless of whether they'd registered. Once the main convention began, though everyone was able to hear it streamed through ACB media and all member were able to vote by phone, only those registered for the convention were able to vote or comment on zoom.
Friday, April 17 was games night, and everyone who wanted got a chance to play a fun round against an opponent. The games committee was super creative at finding interesting ways for us to laugh and socialize over zoom.
Saturday at noon, the convention commenced with the resolutions committee crafting and adding final touches to the resolutions to soon be voted on. And in the afternoon, California Diabetics in action took us through a day in the life of a diabetic with many voices from the affiliate contributing. Topics included getting motivated to exercise, healthy eating and technology used to independently monitor blood sugar.
Sunday, April 19, the housing committee discussed help and resources especially for those seeking a good place to live. Warren Kushman detailed laws that protect renters as well as laws to protect apartment and house owners. Often tenant rights conflict with the owners' rights and it was also interesting to see how federal laws are changing. Members of the committee reminded the audience to contact their local independent living center if they needed to work with an advocate.
April 20-22, Monday through Wednesday, regular credentials, bylaws and nominations committees met to conduct business.
On Thursday, April 23, we enjoyed a presentation from the cable company Spectrum, which discussed their accessible settop box. But for those of us not on Spectrum, their free Spectrum Access app was the most interesting part of the presentation as it contains 1300 audio described shows you can access for free without needing to log in or be a Spectrum subscriber. The catch is that you have to watch the show to enable the audio description track to play, as the app is able to sync the audio with the program you are watching.
Resolutions met again on Saturday, April 25, followed by a presentation from guide dogs about their O&M immersion program which is open to any blind person, regardless of whether they intend to use a guide dog.
If you know blind adults who are uncomfortable getting out and going places, please recommend they apply for this program. It's completely free and it gives one on one training to folks, no matter what stage of learning they are at. As a personal note, I took the training even though I have good O&M skills because due to hearing loss I had become afraid to cross streets. The program helped me know for sure when I could and when I could not safely hear traffic.
At 4 PM IDC (Inclusive Diversity of California) and CLUA (California Library Users of America) showed a series of three described films called "Disabled Renegades" produced by a blind filmmaker that was aired on PBs. She was interviewed extensively during the presenta. the films were full of pathos and fascinating life stories.
At 6 PM, we learned more about rights for seniors, how to apply for medi-cal and services that assist seniors with a variety of needs. The focus wasn't so much on those living in nursing homes as it was on how to ensure a senior, especially one with a visual impairment, can continue, even with limited income, to live independently in their community.
There were a few nights after that without any program and the board meeting was held on Wednesday April 29. Guillermo welcomed many updates and announcements from the audience; The meeting wasn't just for the CCB board..
Thursday night, April 30, with the pre-convention activities over, the main CCB spring convention began. The usual activities (treasurer's and credentials reports) were followed with a first reading of proposed bylaws amendments.
Friday the convention began streaming on ACB media 8. The first session from 1 to 4:30 had three presentations. Kolby Garrison, ACB's staff person responsible for digital accessibility compliance spoke about advocating for access.
Next, we heard from a panel of blind individuals who had to overcome barriers to achieve career success. It was fascinating to hear the journeys of three people with a variety of jobs and from different generations speak so candidly.
Last, we learned about the blind advisory committee which guides the department of rehab towards making better choices for blind clients.
The Friday evening session began with an inspiring speech from president Guillermo robles. When the recording comes out, I urge you to listen to it. He emphasized the improvements that CCB has made, and the distance we still need to travel.
Next came CCB elections: All officers on the nominating slate were voted in by acclamation; in fact nobody opposed any of them. For the board however, two seats were contested with impassioned speeches for both candidates. We in the CCB are always positivbbe; unlike our gubernatorial race, nobody had anything negative to say about any candidate.
The Friday session ended at 10 PM.
Saturday's session convened at 9 AM with ACB executive director, Scott Thornhill giving us the year in review. It was exciting to hear about all the advocacy ACB is now involved with. After that, we heard about the many state advocacy efforts actively engaged with our CCB governmental affairs committee. Not only are we fighting for equality in both private and public life, but we are also building coalitions with groups whose needs are similar. The alliance for aging and vision loss also spoke about its advocacy for visually impaired residents of nursing homes.
At 11 we heard from a panel of blind artists, a film-maker, a painter and a photographer. How they adapted to succeed in these roles with creativity and resilience was a fascinating story.
Peggy Chong, the blind history lady was the first speaker for the afternoon session, telling biographical vignettes about folks in our past.
We next heard from two speakers well-versed in fall prevention. Not only had they tips for low vision folks but also for completely blind seniors who must avoid falling. Balance, confidence and preparing spaces for safe movement is key.
The session ended with a debate about amendments to the bylaws.
Our banquet speaker Dr. Joshua Miele is a blind scientist, disability scholar and author. His insights perfectly captured this year's beyond barriers theme.
Of course, awards were also given, and virtual food even. Laughter and congratulations were plentiful.
Sunday was the final day of the convention with a business meeting beginning at 8:30. Resolutions were discussed and voted on. There were also some suggestions from the membership about changes they'd like to see in convention planning and CCB in general. President Robles ensured everyone who wanted to express an opinion got to do so.
The virtual convention ended around noon.
***
Tactile Sports Broadcasting
press release as see on the ccbl email list
Alexandria, VA & Seattle (May 18, 2026)
American Council of the Blind and OneCourt are pleased to announce a special member benefit for ACB members to be among the first to experience tactile sports broadcasts at home or on the go. ACB's blind and low vision members can enjoy OneCourt's patent-pending haptic tablet and All-Access subscription, powered by official NFL, NBA and MLB live data, to literally feel the game through vibrations, – experiencing every pitch, dunk, and touchdown in real time, in this special member offer.
OneCourt has proven its technology on the biggest stages in sport, partnering with Ticketmaster and major leagues for events like Super Bowl LX, the NBA All-Star Game, and the MLB All-Star Game.
"Since launching in venues, fans have been asking when they can get OneCourt at home! It's no surprise to us that they're snapping up our first production batch," said Jerred Mace, CEO of OneCourt.
"Our partnership with OneCourt represents an exciting step in ACB's mission to champion true accessibility and inclusion," said Scott Thornhill, Executive Director of the American Council of the Blind. "OneCourt's technology is about more than just keeping up with the score—it's about experiencing the pulse of the game in real time. We're thrilled that our members now have the opportunity to enjoy this innovation."
[A stock image of a hand using the OneCourt's haptic tablet. The haptic tablet is rectangular shaped. The outer rim is white with a black screen and black buttons on the far right. The screen is replicating a basketball court. There is a black smartphone placed in front of the haptic tablet that showcases a basketball game.]
The OneCourt at-home experience includes a tablet, smartphone app and an All-Access subscription that unlocks all football, basketball and baseball games, with plans to add more pro sports as available. Fans can access every game, or every team, with no blackout dates or games. ACB members can use promo code ACB26 at checkout for one free month of the All Access subscription, while supplies last.
At a time when the U.S. blind and low vision population is projected to double in the next 25 years to roughly 16 million Americans, making sports accessible to all is more important than ever. "We believe Sports are for Everyone. Having OneCourt available at home in this special ACB offer brings the game to so many more fans," adds Mace.
***
Get Ready for Extreme Heat
From the May 14, 2026 Access and Functional Needs (AFN) Minute
[Silhouette of a person drinking water from a bottle on a hot day]
As temperatures continue to rise across California, it is important to prepare for extreme heat before it becomes dangerous. Heat-related illnesses can develop quickly and may have more serious impacts on individuals with disabilities, older adults and people with access and functional needs.
Planning ahead can help you stay safe, healthy and connected during extreme heat events. Taking a few simple steps now can make a big difference when temperatures climb.
Start by identifying nearby cooling centers and accessible transportation options in your community. Access:
https://www.cpuc.ca.gov/consumer-support/cooling-centers
It is also important to review your medications with your healthcare provider or pharmacist to understand whether heat may affect you differently or increase your risk.
You can also prepare an emergency kit that includes water, medications, medical supplies, backup chargers, and copies of important documents. Check out:
https://www.cdph.ca.gov/Programs/EPO/Pages/PrepareanEmergencySupplyKit.aspx
In addition, stay informed by regularly checking your local heat risk and air quality conditions, especially during heat waves or prolonged hot weather. Access:
https://ephtracking.cdc.gov/Applications/HeatRisk/
Knowing the warning signs of heat-related illness is also essential. Symptoms may include: Muscle cramping, unusually heavy sweating, shortness of breath, dizziness, headaches, weakness, or nausea.
https://www.listoscalifornia.org/disaster-readiness/extreme-heat/
Heat emergencies are largely preventable with preparation, awareness and community support. By planning ahead and checking in on one another, we can help ensure everyone stays safe during extreme heat events.
Prepare for Upcoming PSPS Events
As temperatures continue to rise and the risk of strong winds and wildfires increases across California, communities throughout the state may experience Public Safety Power Shutoff (PSPS) events.
While these temporary power outages are implemented by utility providers with the intention of supporting public safety, they can create significant challenges for older adults, individuals with disabilities and anyone with access and functional needs. Loss of power can impact the use of durable medical equipment, refrigeration for medications, charging for mobility devices, internet and communication access, cooling systems, and other critical supports that help individuals maintain their health, safety and independence.
For some individuals with access and functional needs, even a short-term outage can quickly become a serious health and safety concern. Taking a few preparedness steps ahead of time can help support safety, communication and continuity of care during PSPS events.
Preparedness steps may include:
Signing up for emergency alerts:
https://calalerts.org/signup.html
and utility provider PSPS. notifications:
Enrolling in utility Medical Baseline programs, when eligible.
Creating a support plan with family members, neighbors and care providers.
Community-based organizations such as Independent Living Centers, 211 and emergency management partners also play an important role in helping support individuals with access and functional needs before, during and after PSPS events.
Programs such as the Disability Disaster Access and Resources (DDAR) Program can also serve as essential resources before, during and after PSPS events by helping connect individuals to preparedness support, backup batteries, accessible transportation, food assistance, hotel stays, and other critical services. Access:
disabilitydisasteraccess.org
Individuals are also encouraged to visit:
PrepareForPowerDown.com
for preparedness information, PSPS resources, Medical Baseline information, emergency planning tools, and links to local support services. The website was developed in partnership with California utilities, emergency management and partners from the access and functional needs community to help Californians better prepare for PSPS events and power outages.
Remember, the time to prepare is now.
***
As seen on the aav-l email list
The future of aging is not set. It will be shaped by the policy ideas we develop, the priorities we elevate, and the choices policymakers make in the years ahead. At a time when aging programs face real threats, it is more important than ever to define what progress should look like—and to be ready when opportunities for change emerge.
This work begins in a moment of real pressure. Aging programs and policies are currently under attack in Washington, DC. Much of our attention is necessarily focused on defending Medicaid, Medicare, Social Security, and other essential supports. But simply holding the line is not enough. Moments like this demand that we do more—they call on us to define what comes next: a clear, values-driven vision for the future of aging that we, as a community, shape, not others.
At Justice in Aging, we believe the future of aging in America is still being written—and that it can be far better than the status quo. We envision a future where people are not pushed into poverty or institutional care simply because they grow older; where families can care for loved ones without sacrificing their own economic security; and where everyone—no matter their race, income, geography, disability, or immigration status—is able to age with dignity in the communities they call home.
To get from our current reality to that future, we need transformative policy change. And that starts with developing an affirmative policy agenda—one that future administrations and Congresses cannot ignore. That agenda will need to focus on rebuilding what has been broken and reimagining systems that were never designed to work for everyone in the first place.
That is why we are excited to launch the Future of Aging Policy Project, a new project Justice in Aging is undertaking in partnership with Day One Strategies . This project is about reclaiming the initiative and setting out a clear, proactive agenda for policymakers to strengthen older adults' access to economic security, long-term care, caregiving, and social supports like housing, health care, civil rights, and more. That agenda will be grounded in the lived experience of older adults and informed by advocates and policy experts across the aging and disability communities.
This is a difficult moment, but it is also a call to action. We do not have to accept a future defined by the scarcity, fear, or retrenchment that dominate the policy debates of today. By working together now—by organizing, convening, and reimagining—we can lay the groundwork for policies that truly improve people's lives. We are excited to begin this work and to share more as the Future of Aging Policy Project takes shape in the months ahead.
Kevin Prindiville, Executive Director
Justice in Aging
{To reach the Justice in Aging website, go to:
https://justiceinaging.org/}
***
The Pure Nature App
Reviewed By Susan Glass
It's high summer as you read this issue of the BC, a great time for birding by ear, listening for night frogs and owls and crickets, zoneing in on ocean waves and thunderstorms, and ear-catching nature where ever you find it. That nature-catching can also happen indoors, so to that end, I'd like to share one of my favorite nature apps. It's called Pure Nature, and is an ongoing project created by naturalist Lang Elliott. Whereas the Merlin Bird ID App is an interactande and direct birding tool, Pure Nature teaches you indirectly as you listen in your leisure time.
If Lang's name sounds familiar, it may be because you downloaded his BARD audiobook: A Birdsong Tutor For Visually handicapped Individuals: An Introductory Guide To The Sounds Made By Common Birds, Frogs, Insects and Mammals of the Eastern Half Of The United States and Canada. This two and a half hour recording is co-produced by The Cornell Lab of Ornithology, NLS, and The Canadian Institute For The Blind.
A lifelong naturalist turned recording artist, Lang has traveled extensively throughout North America recording natural sounds. He recently created an app called Pure Nature which contains many downloadable bird and nature sound recordings. I have this app installed on my I phone, but you can download it to Android phones and computers as well. Some of the recordings are album length, but the newest ones that Lang calls Seedlings, are stand alone files. All of his recordings include narratives about the birds and animals that you hear, as well as dates, times and comments on the locations where he recorded. Sometimes he even shares recording techniques. Here's a sample list of some of the recording titles:
Night Into Day: 6 tracks, 69 minutes.
Birds and Brooks: 8 tracks, 80 minutes.
Birds At Dawn: 8 tracks, 84 minutes.
Voices of the Night: 9 tracks, 83 minutes.
Mountain Melodies: 10 tracks, 91 minutes.
Each track within an album is individually titled, and Lang narrates what you hear there. For instance, the Birds At Dawn album has these tracks:
Chaparral Ensemble,
Abundant Life,
Eagle Bluff Marsh,
Bever Pond At Dawn,
Foggy Bottom,
Woodland Medley,
Land Between The Lakes.
Some of the stand alone sound scapes are these:
Desert Dawning
California Dreaming,
Crane Lake,
Light Rain, Thrush Music, and Lone Cricket.
Because each of these recordings is dramatically immersive, I recommend that you listen to them using stereo headphones. In one called Duck Mania, you hear what Lang describes as "a raft of ducks," splashing, quacking, squealing, flapping, moving in chaotic unison from your left ear to your right and back again. In the "California Dreaming" sound scape, you hear individual quail stepping through oak leaves. The bats that ply through the "San Pedro Night Scape" may convince you that your entire home is swarming with wings. There's an ocean sound scape where the waves come directly at you and when they break and spray, you may flinch or brace, believing you're about to be soaked. When the soaking doesn't happen, your skin is surprised.
The app is easy to use. Simply click on the sound scape that you want to hear and it will play.
For me, there is no substitute for real travel, real encounters with bats: --I once had such an encounter while taking a night walk on a trail in Pinnacles National Park.-- But the exquisite and realistic sound scapes that Lang Elliott creates have allowed me to experience sounds in parts of the word I may never visit in person. Like a fine book or masterful piece of music, they open and enlarge my life. I hope they will enlarge yours too.
***
Using the Amazon Fire TV Stick: A Review
By Deb Armstrong
The newest Fire TV sticks as of April 2026 are the Fire TV Stick HD (launched April 29, 2026), designed as a budget-friendly, portable HD option, and the upgraded Fire TV Stick 4K Plus which features improved AI search and Wi-Fi 6. These, along with the 4K Select, are transitioning to Amazon's new Linux-based Vega OS, replacing the older Android-based Fire OS.
For $24 I pre-ordered the new Fire TV stick HD. Amazon's link is here:
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0DJGDC3BD?ref=amzdv_ucc_dp_lod__B0DJGDC3BD
I have an old 13-inch TV so I don't need the 4K stick, but if I was sharing it with family members, I might have purchased the more expensive model withm uch higher picture quality.
I had an early second generation Fire TV stick which was released in 2015 and was the first to feature accessibility. This new one is vastly improved, and like many Amazon devices, the support for blind and visually impaired users is superb.
Unboxing
The device arrived on April 29, the same day Amazon released this model and came in a somewhat flimsy cardboard box. But for $24, nobody expects to be paying for packaging. Inside there was minimal print documentation because onscreen instructions are sufficient for most folks to easily set it up.
Unlike older models, this connects via USB-C, and many modern TVS can also charge USB-C so a spare AC outlet may not be necessary. The device itself is lessless than five inches long and about an inch wide and half an inch thick. It has an HDMI connector on one end and those who pre-ordered could also purchase a free HDMI extender which I did not need.
I plugged it in to the HDMI port on the side of my TV, put two triple A batteries in the remote and turned on the power strip.
Accessibility
Amazon has pages devoted to accessibility including instructions on how to configure it using VoiceView, the built in screen reader. There are also videos explaining the accessibility features, including magnification and ability to pair with some hearing aids and toggle captions. For low-vision users, there's a high contrast theme and also a text banner to enable those with only central vision to easily see what's selected. The magnification automatically zooms to what's selected and also can display a screen map you can use to easily move between elements. You can read about the fire TV stick accessibility here:
https://www.amazon.com/gp/help/customer/display.html?nodeId=202105050
The accessibility pages also have text descriptions of two remotes, but this new remote is very slightly different.
The Remote
The single button at the top is for power, and can toggle power on some televisions. Below and slightly to the right is the Alexa button, which activates your favorite A-lady.
Below that is the navigation ring, a circular large button which lets you press on its sides for up, down, left and right motions. Pressing in the center of the navigation ring is the select button. I will refer to these sides of the ring as the arrow keys.
Below that are three buttons: from left to right they are back, home and menu. Home sports a tactile dot. If you hold back and menu for two seconds, they very reliably toggle VoiceView on and off, so it's easy to share the remote with sighted family. You can turn off the voice, and hand the remote to someone and when they return it to you, simply hold the menu and back button for two seconds and the voice returns as well.
Below the first row of three buttons a second row of three buttons features rewind, play and fast forward. If you hold play and press the select button you go in to a key explorer mode where pressing buttons on the remote voices their function. This is a toggle and works only if Voice View is on.
Below this row there is a mute button to the far left with a tactile circular indicator. To its right is a long skinny volume control, pressing up turns up the volume and pressing toward the bottom of the button lowers the volume. To the right is a guide button.
Below that are two rows comprising four buttons: from left to right they are prime video and netflix in the first row and disney plus and youtube in the second row. These are all external apps installed in the Fire TV stick and this configuration can be changed. For example, you might want to replace disney
plus with the Roku channel and Netflix with Pluto TV.
The last thing you need to do is ensure your TV is set for the correct HDMI output, and usually there's a button on your TV remote to do this. For example, my little TV has only two inputs so I only have to press that button once to get to the first input where my Fire TV stick is attached. But our big family-room TV has four HDMI input ports, so more presses would be required to rotor between them.
If things fail, you can always power everything off and try again. The Fire TV stick is very forgiving. Even my old Fire stick when it crashed during setup easily returned to where I was last.
Configuration
The first thing setup requires is to have the Fire TV stick pair with its remote. Unlike using a remote on a TV, this doesn't happen automatically. You hear a tone telling you the device is booted but not paired. Then you hold the Home button for about two seconds and that pairs the remote with your TV.
Another tone which sounds different lets you know it has indeed paired. One advantage of having pairing is unlike an infrared remote, it need not be pointed at the TV. You can curl up in bed with the remote near your pillow and still channel surf.
You could now easily move your Fire TV stick to another TV such as one in a hotel room, and it will stay paired with this remote. This was mentioned as part of Amazon's advertising.
Next, a voice will prompt you to press a button if you want the screen reader, but you can also choose to not have it on. There are several settings too for a low-vision user, a magnifier, and a text banner which you can read about on Amazon's accessibility help site. There are also videos demonstrating and describing all the accessibility features. If needed, you can also use VoiceView and magnification together.
Features for the hearing impaired besides captions are the ability to pair with some hearing aids including the low energy variety. However I don't believe these other access features are available until it's fully set up. If you don't hear a voice after a minute you can always hold back and menu to toggle it on. In my experiments I found sometimes there's a voice prompt on first boot and sometimes not. But the voice always wants to play the tutorial if you have not yet listened to it, so you won't miss out if it is off at first.
The tutorial has you pressing up to hear the previous tip or down to hear the next tip. Each tip is short and easy to recall, and you can take your time and move through the tips at your own pace. When you're done, hold the select button to end the tutorial. You can get it back if needed by finding it in
settings.
When the tutorial exits, VoiceView reminds you that if Dolby sound is enabled, it cannot speak when a show is playing, but it can if you press pause. It offers you the chance to turn off Dolby but you can arrow to the choice to leave it on. As I don't have fancy speakers, I turned it off.
You are next asked for your language, but I've heard the screen reader only supports English, the selected choice, so I pressed the select button. After that it wanted to connect to Wi-Fi and to register itself with my account. If I'd waited to buy it, Amazon could have automatically registered it with my account before shipping, but that wasn't available with the discount price.
With my first Fire TV stick, I had to enter both my Wi-Fi password and Amazon passwords to accomplish these tasks, but it can also be done with the Fire TV app on a smartphone. That app is also accessible and runs on iOS, Android and of course Fire OS on the Fire tablets. A QR code displays onscreen so you can download that app with your phone. Because I'd told Amazon to save my passwords with the old Fire TV Stick, I didn't need to type a thing. On the phone, since I had the app already, I went to My account and chose "set up a new Fire TV". Because I had a previous stick, the phone app tried repeatedly refreshing the screen with movies it was promoting, but that wouldn't happen to a new user. Once the "my account" screen finished loading, the refresh process stopped and the setup was completely accessible.
If you do not have a smartphone, you can type all that in with the remote, and the screen reader accurately reads everything you need to know to work with the onscreen keyboard. You repeatedly press arrows and select to slowly enter each character and you can choose to have the passwords display or stay hidden. Next it updates its firmware, which with my fast connection, took about five minutes. My old stick needed fifteen minutes but its processor was much slower, though my internet was equally speedy. A percentage is shown onscreen, but you need to read it with review mode.
Reviewing The Screen
The review mode is very easy to use. Hold the menu button to toggle it on or off. When on, you can navigate by element, sentence, word or character, and to change the navigation unit, called granularity, you use the up and down arrows. To actually move by unit, use the left and right arrows. When review mode is off, items that are selected are read so you know where you are focused, and hitting the menu button twice will provide more information about the selected item. But review mode lets you read text that does not gain focus. For example if you want to read the full description of a show or Fire TV Stick feature you can review all that text on the screen.
After the update completes, the device reboots. You are prompted to enter a PIN for purchases and parental controls. You can choose to not enable either of these features, or just one of them.
Next you can set up other profiles, for example if others want their own preferences and watchlists, but you can also skip that step.
Next Steps
The device is now set up and ready to start exploring content, of which there is an overwhelming amount, both free, pay to own and pay to rent. Categories include news, sports, reality, kids, crime, drama, TV series and movies.
To turn on audio description, go to settings, select accessibility and audio description is a toggle there. When it is on, apps built by Amazon know to make it the default but apps from other vendors may not respect this setting. Since there's so much described content on prime, you may decide that's enough for now.
The home button takes you to the main screen where from left to right you have menu, Search and Home, which is where you are focused. If you down arrow you move through Featured Content which is advertising if Home is focused. If you move left to Search, pressing down arrow lets you do just that. If you move all the way left to menu, pressing down arrow opens a menu for TV, Movies, My Stuff, App Store and Settings. My Stuff shows your watch lists and Amazon purchases.
There are many apps you can install on the device, and many you might wish to remove. Some like Amazon Kids cannot be deleted but Luna Games and some other Amazon installed apps, like Disney Plus and YouTube TV can. I removed all the subscription apps and replaced them with Pluto TV, Tubi, The Roku Channel, Hoopla and Kanopy, all which offer only free content. I used the Amazon website to add apps, because it's easier to type there, but you can also pair a Bluetooth keyboard with the Fire TV stick.
Settings is where you can adjust most everything you did during installation plus you can change the speech rate and volume for Voice View. You can also control other devices with the remote, update the operating system, learn how much storage remains for apps, adjust personal preferences, switch profiles, register it with another Amazon account, restart the Fire TV stick and reset it to factory defaults. You can also use the Fire TV app on your phone to control many of the device's features and use the phone as a remote too.
The Alexa button lets you communicate with the A-Lady by holding it down while you speak. It does not respond to a "wake word"; you must hold the button down. not only can you do usual things but you can ask her to locate any show the device can play, including content inside apps.
It is worth knowing that I also have the discontinued Fire TV Recast device which tunes, plays and records live TV broadcasts. They can still be purchased on eBay and work well with the Fire TV stick though as an early DVR, they have many limitations. However they are fully accessible tuners, which makes finding live broadcasts easy and they do pass the audio description track through if one exists. In fact the Fire TV recast has no screen; it has to be controlled with either a smartphone app or an Echo Show or the Fire TV stick, all of which are accessible.
If I have any complaints about the Fire TV sticks , it is that the ubiquitous advertising is also always accessible!
In summary, the Amazon Fire TV stick HD is a fully accessible device and ever so tiny and affordable.
***
Guide Dogs For The Blind Orientation and Mobility Immersion Program: A Personal Reflection
By Alice Turner
Editor's Note: The enclosed article is Alice Turner's President's message which she wrote for the May issue of the SVCB In Touch Newsletter. Alice gave me permission to reprint it in full here. Enjoy.
PRESIDENT's MESSAGE — June 2026
by Alice Turner
For those who joined the May SVCB meeting virtually, you may know that I was unable to attend because I was participating in the Guide Dogs for the Blind (GDB) Orientation and Mobility Immersion (OMI) one-week program at the San Rafael campus.
Several months ago, Deborah Armstrong led a discussion about this opportunity after attending the same class in Santa Rosa. The program provides blind and low vision individuals with an immersive learning experience focused on effective orientation and mobility skills using a white cane.
I first learned structured orientation and mobility (O&M) skills in 1997, when I still had a significant amount of functional vision. Longtime Vista Center clients may remember Alec Karp, who helped me in ways I cannot adequately describe. Alec gave me the competence and confidence to navigate my world professionally at See's Candies, Inc., as well as through public transportation and recreational activities, including hiking with my white cane.
Fast forward to 2005, when I was matched with my first guide dog, Kato, from GDB. That partnership marked the beginning of 20 years working with two amazing guide dogs. My previous guide dog, Cora, crossed over the rainbow bridge after 14 years of dedication and partnership.
So why am I sharing this background with you? Simply put, the free OMI program is highly personalized. Participants are matched with their own O&M instructor for the week. I was fortunate to be paired with Regina from the Earle Baum Center of the Blind in Santa Rosa, now part of the San Francisco Lighthouse. Regina has 19 years of O&M instruction experience, all with the Earle Baum Center.
During our opening meeting, Marc Gillard, Director of the OMI Program, explained that the program is based on adult-learning principles, where each participant identifies personal goals and desired outcomes. Unlike guide dog training, where the focus is on building a partnership with a dog, this experience focused entirely on me and my own mobility skills. Here are a few "aha" moments I experienced. Since the program is highly individualized, others may have very different experiences:
Learning cane and orientation skills with only light perception is dramatically different from learning them with partial vision. While this was not a major revelation, I discovered that the muscle memory developed from traveling with partial vision—and then spending more than 20 years traveling with guide dogs—is deeply ingrained. For example, when listening to traffic patterns at intersections, I kept turning my head to face the near-parallel traffic more clearly. Unfortunately, that movement also shifted my body position and affected my ability to travel in a straight line. That muscle memory is incredibly powerful, and it took intense focus to overcome the habit.
The program takes a holistic approach. Participants are offered audiology evaluations, and the opportunity to work with a physical therapist on posture, breathing, and other important skills. This comprehensive approach recognizes that many factors contribute to safe and effective travel.
Whenever my cane encountered a wall in a corridor, I tended to overcorrect, creating a "ping-pong" effect instead of maintaining a straight path. Learning to make subtle micro-adjustments became an important new skill that I am still working to build into muscle memory. It requires daily practice. Moving learning from the "head" to the "body" felt very similar to learning a new sport.
At the end of five hours of daily instruction, my brain was far more exhausted than my body. I trained physically for a year to prepare for this experience; I only wish I could have trained my brain as effectively!
In conclusion, GDB continues to look toward the future of guide dog partnerships, and this holistic approach is truly unique. I now know with certainty that I will complete the application process for my next guide dog, and I will do so with a much stronger foundation in orientation and mobility skills.
It is important to note that this program is not designed to require participants to apply for a guide dog. The goal is to provide an immersive experience that develops critical skills for safe cane travel. If desired, participants may spend a morning doing a practice session with a guide dog in training.
For more information about the program and Guide Dogs for the Blind, visit:
Orientation & Mobility Immersion Program
Guide Dogs for the Blind
https://www.guidedogs.com/client-programs/orientation-mobility-immersion...
***
New Podcast: Beyond Sight, Beyond Limits
BY susan Glass
I am excited to share with readers of the Blind Californian, a recently launched podcast called Beyond Sight, Beyond Limits. Its creator is Sudha Rajagopalan, founder and CEO of Access Braille, a nonprofit that works to expand literacy and access for people who are blind, visually impaired, or print disabled. After a long career in the tech industry and becoming visually impaired herself in 2008, Sudha turned her lived experience into a mission to ensure others have the reading materials and tools they need to learn and live independently.
Through Access Braille, Sudha and her team provide Braille books, Etext and audio resources, and tactile learning materials to students and adults around the world, often partnering with schools, educators, and community organizations to reach those who might otherwise be left behind.
"I began learning braille myself during the Pandemic," Sudha told me, and immediately realized how much easier my adjustment to blindness would have been if I'd started learning it earlier."
Sudha is concerned that the prohibitive cost of braille technology such as braille displays and note takers as well as the limited numbers of teachers of the visually impaired who know braille, prevent many blind people from accessing the literacy that will advance them personally and professionally.
"Here we are in Silicon Valley," she says, "where potential donors are plentiful. If they understand the life changing experiences of those who learn and use braille, if they can hear first-hand accounts, then surely they will want to help. How can anyone not want to move the needle on that statistic about only 10 percent of blind people reading braille, and 70 percent of blind people being either unemployed or underemployed.?"
For this reason, Sudha has launched a podcast called Beyond Sight, Beyond Limits, in which successful blind people who use braille tell their stories. Thus far CCB members Rob Turner and Bev Clifford have contributed their interviews to episodes, and John and I will contribute our interviews soon. Here is the link to Rob Turner's interview:
https://youtu.be/dqSxk3D5VuI
Beyond Sight Beyond Limits - esisode 1 - Rob Turner
youtu.be
https://youtu.be/dqSxk3D5VuI
https://youtu.be/dqSxk3D5Vu
Sudha is eager to hear from any CCB members who value the power of braille in their lives. If you are interested, you can reach her at the following email address:
sudhaxr@pacbell.net
***
CCB Officers and Board Members
July 1, 2026
Officers
President: Guillermo Robles (2025-2026, partial term), Culver City, CA
310-896-8525, Guillermo.Robles@ccbnet.org
1st Vice President: Regina Brink (2025, partial term), Sacramento, CA
916-393-0662, Regina.Brink@ccbnet.org
2nd Vice President: Alice Turner (2024-2026, 3rd term), Sunnyvale, CA
650-388-0095 alicem@comcast.net.
Secretary: Steve Bauer (2023-2025, 1st term), Culver City, CA
310-558-4500, Steve.Bauer@ccbnet.org
Treasurer: Lisa Presley-Thomas (2024-2026, 3rd term), Fresno, CA
559-250-6760, Lisa.Thomas@ccbnet.org
Immediate Past President: Gabe Griffith (2024-2026), Concord, CA
925-222-5762, Gabe.Griffith@ccbnet.org
Board Members
Christy Crespin (2023-2025, 3rd term), Highland, CA
909-800-7189, Christy.Crespin@ccbnet.org
Andrea DeKlotz (2024-2026, 2nd term), Orange, CA
714-921-0289, Andrea.DeKlotz@ccbnet.org
Nelly Emerson (2024-2026, 1st term), Santa Maria, CA
951-237-2960, norconelly11@gmail.com
Larry Gassman (2024-2026, 2nd term), Fullerton, CA
562-706-7710, Larry.Gassman@ccbnet.org
Joe Green (2023-2025, 1st term), Sacramento, CA
916-317-7957, Joe.Green@ccbnet.org
Daveed Mandell (2023-2025, 1st term), Berkeley, CA
510-504-3211, Daveed.Mandell@ccbnet.org
Pamela Metz (2023-2025, 1st term), Chatsworth, CA
818-388-4995, Pam.Metz@ccbnet.org
Phill Obregon (2025-2026, partial term), La Verne, CA
909-675-7415, Phill.Obregon@ccbnet.org
Penny Valdovinos (2023-2025, 3rd term), Bakersfield, CA
661-378-8282, Penny.Valdovinos@ccbnet.org
***
Donations
If you, a family member, or a friend would like to remember the California Council of the Blind in your Will or estate planning, you can do so by employing the following language:
"I give, devise, and bequeath unto the California Council of the Blind, a nonprofit charitable organization in California, the sum of $____ (or ____) to be used for its worthy purposes on behalf of blind persons."
If your wishes are more complex, please contact the executive office for additional information. Thank you.
