THE BLIND CALIFORNIAN
Quarterly Magazine of the
CALIFORNIA COUNCIL OF THE BLIND
Fall 2026
Volume 70, No. 4
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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Ardis Bazyn and Joshua Saunders, Co-Chairs
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Mike Keithley, Editor
650-691-8735
editor@ccbnet.org
Susan Glass, Associate Editor
408-257-1034
editor@ccbnet.org

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Andrea DeKlotz, CCB Courier Editor
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***
Table of Contents

Editor's Corner, Mike Keithley

They Grew Up with Disability Rights. Now They're Fighting to Keep Them

My Remarks at the Day of Action Rally, Guillermo Robles

Using Gemini to Get Help with Trip Planning, Deborah Armstrong

State-Wide Priorities, Warren Cushman

Governmental Affairs Updates

Meta Taps Disability Groups to Explore Uses for AI Glasses

Independent Visually Impaired Entrepreneurs Online Business Expo, Ardis Bazyn

The Privacy Price of Accessibility: What is real, hype and the practical things you need to know, Anthony Corona's Substack

Spotlight On Linda Samulski, Christy Crespin

Lorise Diamond's Journey to a Doctorate, Christy Crespin

CCB Board Activity

CCB Officers and Board Members

Donations

***
Editor's Corner
by Mike Keithley

Welcome to the Fall Blind Californian. For me it's been an eventful year, and it's not over yet! I broke my ankle in 4 places last November and spent 2 months recovering, first in a post op facility in Mountain View, CA and then in a senior living facility called Belmont Village in Sunnyvale. The family admitted Star, my 93-year wife into Belmont, and I managed to live with her until she passed last April. Now I'm back in our old home, alone but happy, and I consider myself lucky to have managed to do this. For one thing, those senior living centers are quite expensive, and though the caregivers were friendly and helpful, I felt restricted. And when Star passed, I flew that coup! Now I have a caregiver visiting twice a week to make sure I'm OK and to satisfy the county. And he's also an IHSS worker.

So, the first part of your BC is about threats to disabled people and what's being done about it, like the Capitol Day Rally last May and the effort to defend the Olmstead Decision.

Deborah Armstrong gives us a demonstration on using AI to start your first Waymo adventure. And you'll find a common-sense article on understanding the privacy issues you might have with your technology.

And of course, there's more! So, when you start feeling that autumn chill, read your BC in a dry, warm place, and look forward to Christmas.

***

They Grew Up with Disability Rights. Now They're Fighting to Keep Them
by Jonaki Mehta

{Editor's note: The Original article is at:
www.npr.org/people/842041232/jonaki-mehta

It has picture descriptions that are enclosed in brackets. They jar somewhat with the flow but add color. There are also URLs you can access, listed at the end of the article.}

[Kaleigh and Cody Brendle spend time together at their parents' New Jersey home before Kaleigh's move across the country for law school. They say they have helped each other navigate life as two blind people.]

Cody and Kaleigh Brendle grew up near the Jersey Shore, going out on their grandfather's boat on weekends, learning to swim and riding bikes together.

"I was the annoying little sister like, 'Wait for me, wait for me!'" said Kaleigh. She remembered standing by in awe at summer camp as her fearless older brother scaled rock-climbing walls and went down waterslides. "I was like, 'Wow, he's doing all this, maybe I can try.'"

The siblings said they've always relied on each other for support navigating life as two blind kids, now adults. Cody, 27, lives at home with his parents, and Kaleigh, 23, is starting law school across the country.

Both say there were, without question, many challenges growing up with disabilities. But the two of them are also part of the "ADA generation", people who came of age under the safeguards of the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990.

And in 1999, the year Cody was born, the Supreme Court handed down the Olmstead decision. It reinforced the ADA's integration mandate, which says people with disabilities should get to learn, live and work in their communities rather than in institutions. The government made that promise after people with disabilities fought against segregation in institutions, which have a long history of abuse and neglect.

[Cody Brendle's community-based program, Next Steps, drives him to activities in the community, including grocery shopping, dance classes and job training.]

"That affects everything", said Kaleigh. "The integrated setting affects school. It affects where you can work. It affects community-based programs like what my brother uses."

Now, the integration mandate and an entire system of community-based disability services that more than 8 million Americans rely on are being challenged.

"The integration mandate is why I'm here"

Kaleigh says the right to integration has shaped her life and her brother's life in countless ways. "The integration mandate is why I'm here at all and why I get to go to law school." When the time comes for her to become a parent, she said, it will "make sure that my kid's not taken because I'm disabled."

In practice, the integration mandate requires that states provide people with disabilities the services they need to thrive in their homes or communities—in other words, in the most integrated setting possible. For someone with intellectual or developmental disabilities, that could mean a personal care worker helping them to get dressed or eat, or a case manager helping them find a job or housing, among other services.

Now, a lawsuit brought by several Republican-led states, Texas v. Kennedy, is working its way through the courts. The plaintiffs argue that the federal government cannot require states to provide disability services in the community rather than in institutions. Then, in June, the Department of Justice (DOJ), which enforces the integration mandate, issued a legal opinion taking a similar position essentially aligning itself with the plaintiffs in the case. "Congress has not imposed an integration mandate on states", the memo reads. It goes on to say the Olmstead decision "held only that a state cannot institutionalize such patients without justification. What counts as adequate justification remains an open question." In July, the DOJ also clarified that it would no longer enforce Olmstead in the same way it had in the past.

[Kaleigh Brendle sits in a rocking chair she inherited from her grandmother. Here, she often makes TikToks for Judy's League, a disability rights organization she started last year.]

The law itself hasn't changed, but these actions worry Kaleigh and other disability rights activists like her. "Because laws are great, but laws have to have systems in place that make sure they're enforced", she said. "Now the DOJ has essentially said, 'We're not gonna do that anymore.' And that matters quite a bit."

The Justice Department did not respond to multiple requests from NPR asking that it explain why it is changing course after decades of legal and bipartisan support for community-based services.

"I can't really overstate how significant this change in position is", said Alison Barkoff, a health law and policy professor at George Washington University who worked on Olmstead enforcement in the Justice Department during the Obama administration. "It is now the position of the United States government that people with disabilities don't have a right to be part of their communities."

The June DOJ memo acknowledges that the agency's legal opinion is a departure: "We recognize that this view of Olmstead's import is out of step with the common understanding of that decision within the federal courts."

[Cody navigates a grocery store to do some shopping with the help of Next Steps support staff member Christine Gaven.]

Barkoff noted that it took disabled Americans decades of activism and advocacy to win the civil rights protections that the Trump administration is now challenging. "Olmstead is really about this huge cultural and societal change that has happened over the years", she said. "We now have people with all types of disabilities who are living in our communities, who grow up with their families, who are side by side in classrooms with students without disabilities, who are in our workplaces."

Being a part of the community rather than living in an institution means having the ability to make choices—from when you want to eat or go outside, to where you work.

Just 45 years ago, Barkoff said, about 99% of disability services paid for by Medicaid were provided in an institutional setting—restrictive environments similar to hospitals. While some institutions still exist, now more than 80% of people with disabilities receive services in the community instead.

[Jim, Kaleigh, Cody and Heather Brendle gather at their home in Brick, N.J., in their final days living together before Kaleigh's move across the country for law school in California.]

More than 8 million adults rely on home- and community-based support through Medicaid. Cody, who is blind and has autism, is one of those people.

Cody left high school at 21, and in that transition, he lost the structure and protection of a school setting, along with a fulfilling social life. While Kaleigh always knew she wanted to go to college, Cody likes working with his hands. He had job-training stints as a runner at a courthouse and cleaning tables at a café, but Cody struggled to get a paying job. So he was in limbo, according to his family. "He was just lost", said Heather Brendle, Cody's mom, with tears in her eyes. "He wasn't the vibrant Cody that he used to be."

Then, Heather said, she learned about programs that Cody was eligible for and that are funded by Medicaid. After months of compiling paperwork and going through the application process, he was accepted into a community-based program nearby called Next Steps.

"It's a night-and-day change", said Kaleigh. "He lights up when he talks about Next Steps." Heather nodded in agreement. "He's just so much happier. "He's more excited about himself, that he's meeting friends, like he's not stuck here at home."

At Next Steps, Cody starts his day with a community meeting with more than two dozen other adults who have disabilities. Everyone shares what they've been up to outside the program, practicing their public speaking and social skills. With the help of support staff, Cody also practices other life skills: making grocery lists, shopping for food and managing his money. While grocery shopping is one of his least favorite activities, he acknowledges that "it's an important skill. Everyone has to buy food, or else you'd be hungry."

[Cody bops lettuce at Jersey Mike's Subs with the help of his Next Steps job coach, Colin Sabia. This extraction of the lettuce core and removal of spoiled leaves is part of his job training.]

The program also includes activities that Cody actually enjoys: exercising at a local gym, dance classes, boat rides along the Jersey Shore and job training at Jersey Mike's Subs, which is a highlight of his week. "Bopping lettuce is my favorite job at Jersey Mike's", he said. Using his cane, he navigated to the back kitchen, where he demonstrated the task: "You have to take the whole head of lettuce and bang it down a couple times to loosen the core." After doing so, he deftly extracted the core and peeled away spoiled leaves, preparing the lettuce for the front of house, where sandwiches are made.

[One of Cody's many hobbies is exercising at the gym. Health and wellness coordinator Brian Prendergast (left) instructs Cody and another Next Steps client.]

One goal of community-based programs like these is to help disabled adults become more independent. Cody said this work experience will help him prepare for a dream job at either Papa John's (his favorite pizza place) or in appliance store. "I love laundry machines. I like the vibration. … I can tell from the sounds my mom's machine is making what's wrong with it, like if it's off-balance."

On top of the legal threats to community-based care, Congress cut roughly $1 trillion from Medicaid in last year's One Big Beautiful Bill Act. States were already trimming community-based services, and now advocates worry that Medicaid cuts could add pressure to pare back such services even more.

[Another Next Steps participant works alongside Cody at Jersey Mike's for job training. Here, he high-fives another employee as they start their shifts at the sub shop.]

Jennifer Mathis, a disability rights lawyer at the Bazelon Center for Mental Health Law, called cuts to community-based programs shortsighted and a "great irony" because it costs states and the federal government far less than institutional care. "If you cut community services in this era where budgets are tighter than they have ever been, that will mean expanding institutional care. It would be crazy to expand institutional care in this fiscal environment, because states are going to be able to serve only a fraction of the number of people that they can serve in the community at the same cost. … So why?"

Planning for an Uncertain Future

Cody's family said planning for the future is incredibly difficult in the current landscape. Cody is also on a yearslong waiting list for a Medicaid waiver that could give him access to housing one day if his parents are no longer able to support him. Thanks to his community-based program and family help, Cody isn't at risk of institutionalization now. But his family worries about what could happen if threats to the integration of disabled Americans continue, especially in the long run.

"What's five years from now? What's 10 years from now?" said Cody and Kaleigh's dad, Jim Brendle. "What's here when we're not here?" He said these questions remind him of how important it is for his children to get the services they need now to build independence for whatever the future holds.

And Kaleigh isn't just thinking about her and Cody's future—she is thinking about what life will be like for her own children one day. "I also want to be a mom and raise children in a world that has these protections in place", she said. "I don't want them to grow up in a future where they have less rights than I do."

The threats to the integration mandate are what led Kaleigh to start a disability rights organization called Judy's League, named for the activist Judy Heumann. She has been traveling the country to meet with lawmakers to raise awareness about threats to the integration mandate. She's also spreading the word on social media about her community's fight.

[Next Steps staff members take participants on a boat ride around the Barnegat Bay as part of their enrichment at the program.]

While Kaleigh is afraid that the dark past for disabled Americans could become the future, she is more resolute than ever about her career path as a disability rights lawyer. She's in her first weeks as a law student at the University of California, Berkeley. "It feels like what I'm about to do is more needed than it has been in a long time."

Other Articles

https://www.npr.org/2010/12/03/131789387/justice-increases-efforts-to-en...

https://archive.ada.gov/olmstead/olmstead_about.htm

https://bipartisanpolicy.org/article/a-look-at-medicaid-home-and-communi...

https://www.npr.org/2026/06/20/nx-s1-5865100/doj-memo-trump-disability-c...

https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2026/07/20/2026-14566/clarific...?

https://www.npr.org/2022/11/05/1134426128/lois-curtis-who-won-a-landmark...

https://www.npr.org/sections/obituaries/

https://www.npr.org/sections/shots-health-news/2025/07/02/nx-s1-5453870/...

https://www.npr.org/2023/03/04/1161169017/disability-activist-judy-heuma...

https://www.tiktok.com/@judysleague?_r=1&_t=ZT-97enoGvZkek

***
My Remarks at the Day of Action Rally
by Guillermo Robles

Hello All,

I was asked if there was any audio or video of the rally at the Capitol. To my knowledge, I am not aware of any such video. However, for those that were not able to make it, I am sharing it here for your convenience.

Good morning, everyone!

My name is Guillermo Robles, and I'm proud to serve as President of the California Council of the Blind.

It is an honor to stand here today with so many advocates, allies, organizations, and community leaders from across California. I want to thank the California Disability Leadership Alliance for bringing us together for this important Day of Action.

And I also want to recognize our partners and friends across the disability community, including the National Federation of the Blind of California and so many other organizations represented here today. While we may have different approaches at times, we are united in the belief that disabled people deserve equality, dignity, and full access to society.

When you look around today, you see something powerful. You see people who understand that disability rights are civil rights. You see people who are tired of barriers, tired of being overlooked, and tired of accessibility being treated like an afterthought.

And most importantly, you see a community that knows how to organize, advocate, and push for change.

The California Council of the Blind has been advocating for blind and low vision Californians for more than 90 years.

For more than nine decades, we have worked to advance independence, accessibility, equal opportunity, and dignity for blind Californians in every part of this state.

And today, CCB is more than just one organization. We are a statewide movement made up of more than 25 local chapters and statewide special interest affiliates across California.

Our members are seniors adjusting to vision loss later in life. They are students preparing for college and careers. They are parents, workers, veterans, guide dog users, Braille readers, technology users, and people from every background and community imaginable.

What brings us together is the belief that blind people deserve full and equal participation in society.

That means fighting for accessible transportation. It means fighting for accessible technology and digital access. It means fighting for employment opportunities. It means protecting braille literacy. And it means making sure people with disabilities are treated with dignity and respect at every stage of life.

That is why AB 2135 matters.

AB 2135 would help ensure that residents in long-term care facilities receive critical notices—including eviction and discharge notices, in accessible and translated formats when needed. And honestly, this is about something very basic: human dignity.

No one should receive a notice, that impacts their housing, care, or future in a format they cannot independently read or understand.

As blind people, we know what it feels like to be handed information that everyone else can access except us. We know what it feels like when accessibility is treated like an afterthought. And when that information involves your housing, your healthcare, or your ability to remain in the place you call home, the consequences become very real.

That is why our voices matter so much.

Because real stories from real people touch legislators and their staff in ways that paid lobbyists never can. Our lived experiences matter. Our stories matter. And during times of uncertainty like these, our voices are more important than ever.

Every person standing here today brings a story. A story about barriers. A story about perseverance. A story about fighting to be treated equally.

And those stories have power.

They have the power to change minds. They have the power to influence policy. And they have the power to remind lawmakers that the decisions made in this building affect real people and real lives every single day.

So today, I want to encourage everyone here: keep speaking up. Keep telling your story. Keep showing lawmakers how these issues affect your employment, your health, your housing, your independence, and your future.

Because your voice is important. We need all hands-on deck.

The disability community is strong, organized, and paying attention.

And as long as barriers continue to exist, organizations like the California Council of the Blind will continue showing up, speaking out, and fighting for change.

Thank you.

***
Using Gemini to Get Help with Trip Planning
by Deborah Armstrong

Many of the examples we see of folks using AI involve drafting or summarizing documents, or answering questions and doing research. Blind folks can ask for picture descriptions or live information about an area they are traveling through.

I like also to use AI for help planning a trip, especially since I cannot read maps, and, though I can read bus schedules, the ability for an AI to summarize and consolidate information makes travel much more predictable.

Below is a conversation I had with Google's Gemini regarding Waymo. For each item, Gemini lists its sources, so if I wanted to see where that information came from, I'd just need to activate those links. I've removed them from this transcript of the conversation to make reading easier. It's my hope you will find it as helpful as I did. Try for yourself, asking your favorite AI for help planning your next trip, whether it is just across town or across country.

Conversation with Gemini

You said:
I am blind, live in Milpitas, and want to ride Waymo for fun and to ensure I know how to use it. I cannot read the Waymo map, so help me by telling what the closest place to Milpitas is where I can ride Waymo. A shopping area with restaurants would be good because I could take Lyft or Uber there, eat something, and ride Waymo to another shopping district. Please offer several suggestions with destination addresses to the areas where I can easily hop on a Waymo.

Gemini said:
Waymo's Bay Area service area extends down into the South Bay, covering parts of San José (including Mineta San José International Airport, Diridon Station, and the West San José/Rose Garden areas). However, it does not yet operate directly in Milpitas. To bridge the gap, you can take a traditional ride-share (like Uber or Lyft) from Milpitas to a nearby shopping and dining destination that sits squarely inside the active Waymo zone. Once there, you can enjoy a meal and then use the Waymo app to hail your first autonomous ride to another spot within the coverage zone.

Suggested Destinations in the Waymo Zone:

1. Santana Row
Address: 3777 Stevens Creek Blvd, San José, CA 95117
Why it's great: This is an upscale outdoor shopping, dining, and residential district. It features a high concentration of popular restaurants, cafes, and retail shops all within a very walkable, pedestrian-friendly main street layout.
Waymo Experience: Because Santana Row is a primary hub for Waymo in the South Bay, it is an ideal location to find plenty of pickup and drop-off spots right by major dining areas.

2. Westfield Valley Fair
Address: 2855 Stevens Creek Blvd, Santa Clara, CA 95050 (Directly adjacent to Santana Row)
Why it's great: A massive, premier shopping mall featuring extensive indoor shopping alongside a massive array of high-end dining options and outdoor eateries.
Waymo Experience: Valley Fair shares the bustling commercial hub with Santana Row, making it simple to request a Waymo right from the mall property to transition to another neighborhood or transit hub like Diridon Station.

3. San José Mineta International Airport (SJC)
Address: 1701 Airport Blvd, San José, CA 95110
Why it's great: While it isn't a traditional shopping district, SJC is fully integrated into the Waymo network, with dedicated pickup zones at Terminals A and B. If you want a unique test run, you can take an Uber to the airport terminal, grab a bite at one of the airport restaurants, and then explicitly book a Waymo to take you out into the city.

Tips for Your Trip

Before You Go: Download the Waymo app ahead of time while you are at home to set up your account, payment method, and accessibility preferences. Accessibility Note: Waymo vehicles announce their approach and unlock via the app. For blind and low-vision travelers, the app provides features to honk the car's horn remotely to help identify which vehicle is yours when it arrives.

Chaining Rides: Once you finish eating at Santana Row or Valley Fair, open your Waymo app and set a destination within the active zone (such as Diridon Station or another spot in the West San José/Rose Garden area) to experience your first driverless ride.

Would you like advice on how to configure accessibility settings in the Waymo app before you head out?

You said:
Sure, give me more tips, including configuring accessibility.

Gemini said:
Preparing your technology and customizing your settings beforehand will make your first autonomous trip smooth and stress-free.

1. Configuring Accessibility in the Waymo App

The Waymo One app is fully compatible with mobile screen readers like iOS VoiceOver and Android TalkBack. To tailor your ride preferences:

Navigate to Accessibility Settings: Open the Waymo app, go to your Account menu, and select Accessibility.

Minimize Walking Time: Turn on the Minimize walking time option. This instructs the vehicle to pull up as close to your precise location as possible, and ensures it stops on the same side of the street, minimizing complex street crossings.

In-Car Announcements: Choose your preferred audio detail level. You can set it to Descriptive (full narration of the journey and surroundings), All (standard updates), or reduced. This feature lets you hear audio announcements regarding what street the car is on and when intersections are clear.

2. Wayfinding and Finding Your Car at Pickup

Locating a vehicle without visual cues can be challenging, but Waymo built specific tools into the app specifically for blind and low-vision riders:

"Find My Pickup" (While waiting): If your car is on the way, tap the Find my pickup button in the app. Your screen reader will give you spatial, turn-by-turn guidance (such as distance and directional cues like "100 feet to your right").

Play Melody: When the car arrives, tap Play melody in the app. Instead of a standard car horn, the vehicle will play a distinct, high-pitched electronic chime or melody to help you aurally home in on the correct vehicle among a busy strip like Santana Row.

"Find My Destination": The app provides turn-by-turn haptic, audio, and visual cues from the moment you exit the vehicle to guide you safely to your final destination.

3. Step-by-Step Plan for Your Practice Day

1. At Home in Milpitas: Download the Waymo app, complete your account profile, and set your preferences under the Accessibility menu.

2. The First Leg: Take an Uber or Lyft from Milpitas directly to Santana Row (3777 Stevens Creek Blvd) or Westfield Valley Fair to grab a bite to eat.

3. The Waymo Test Run: Once you are finished eating, open your Waymo app, set a short destination within the coverage zone (such as a nearby spot in West San José or Diridon Station), and request your ride. Use the Find My Pickup and Play Melody features to seamlessly locate your car, and enjoy your first independent ride!

***
State-Wide Priorities
by Warren Cushman

I want to let people in the council know what I am thinking about as we move on to planning for next year's advocacy priorities! We have a lot to do next year in both the blindness and cross disability spaces! I am going to list 5 priorities in each space that I am going to concentrate on!

In the blindness space, I think the top priority for us is web access! This priority is critical for our access to information, and it is, with the right coalition, eminently doable!

The second priority in the blindness space is paratransit reform. This also takes a coalition but, with planning is also doable!

The third priority is to create a more solid relationship with the department of rehabilitation! This priority is controversial because I believe the combative way the leadership of the blindness community has approached our rehab challenges hasn't done us any favors. I hope cooler heads will prevail and we will enjoy a positive relationship with the department in future!

The fourth priority is housing. I would love us to get in to housing more assertively in our community! The housing committee has done a great job in this space and it would be great to coalition build state wide in this space.

The 5th priority is something that Regina is doing a great job with, engaging in a coalition in the long-term services and supports space. We have some successes here, and next year, with the upcoming state budget challenges, we will need to work with coalition partners even more closely!

In the cross-disability space, the number one priority for me is defending our civil rights! In my view, this priority trumps all other priorities either above or below! Without our civil rights we are less than, we can't hope to be considered equal by government institutions, business interests or even our fellows in the able-bodied community! These rights are central to our core mission and we need to defend them with everything we have!

The first matter in this space is Kennedy vs. Texas! This potential supreme court case could take away 504 itself and must be avoided using all available resources! The idea of losing 504 is anathema to me but it is actually possible in this current time.

The second priority in this category is defending Olmstead! Again, being forced to abandon life in the community and move in to an institutional setting is terrifying, but we are actually moving closer to that kind of reality with the federal memo that declines to enforce the Olmstead decision!

The third priority is fully funding IDEA, we need to reorient more of our national resources to special education and support students with disabilities.

The fourth cross-disability priority is looking at more fully funding independent living centers! At present, the total allocation for all independent living centers across the country is just over 100 million. This is far too limiting and doesn't begin to get at the need of our programs and services that we deliver!

The final priority for me is more fully funding our transportation infrastructure! This is something that will take national coalition building and is desperately needed. There many facets to this priority and I do think the ACB leaders on this topic are doing a good job!

In conclusion, I hope that our CCB will take this missive seriously and I hope to see progress in all these areas next year!

Take care all! Warren Cushman

***
Governmental Affairs Updates for August 2026
from the CCB Courier for August 14, 2026

AB 2135, Nursing Homes Accessible Discharge Notices has encountered a snag concerning amendments. It is currently on hold.

Web Accessibility: AB2190 is gone for this year but may come back next year. One harmful bill by Nielo has been defeated and a bill by Lowenthal concerning physical sites that have implications for websites has been amended to be harmful. We are partnering with the California Disability Leadership Alliance (CDLA) to protest its passage.

Olmstead Decision: We signed onto a letter generated by Disability Rights and Education Defense Fund (DREDF) to ask Governor Newsom and Attorney General Rob Bonta to send a letter supporting the Olmstead decision and pledging to uphold it.

LTSS4All/Hand in Hand: We continue to partner with them to take action supporting In-Home Support Services, Medi-Cal community-based services, including fighting the asset limit for long-term care, and supporting caregiving workers and clients. At their last meeting, they voted to adopt our OIB (Older Individuals Who Are Blind) action and sign onto our budget "ask".

OIB Budget Ask: A letter was sent from CCB, NFBC, CABVI (California Agencies for the Blind and Visually Impaired), and DRC (Disability Rights California) to legislators to advance our $5 million budget request. Another organizational sign-on will be sent out to increase support. Four regional teams have been formed to work with CCB members to visit lawmakers and advocate for OIB funding in person or virtually.

Rehab: We continue to work with NFBC and CABVI on Order of Selection, the work group to implement AB3193 concerning expediting purchases for clients, and other Department of Rehabilitation (DOR) issues.

***
Meta Taps Disability Groups to Explore Uses for AI Glasses
Disability Scoop - Monday, August 17
[https://www.disabilityscoop.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/ds260818_meta...

With a series of grants, Meta is backing efforts to learn how its AI glasses can increase independence and provide other benefits to people with disabilities.

The parent company of Facebook and Instagram said it is putting up nearly $2 million for groups to "solve problems in their communities and industries" using AI glasses. The smart glasses allow users to take pictures and video, accept calls, listen to music and chat with an AI assistant hands-free.

The funds will be shared among 30 organizations across 18 states, a dozen of which focus on the needs of people with disabilities.

"We selected recipients based on demonstrated impact, scalability, and relevance to areas where hands-free technology can make the biggest difference—including accessibility, workforce safety, education, agriculture and economic opportunity", Meta said in announcing the award recipients.

The projects funded will focus on a wide array of needs.

United Spinal Association in New York said it plans to outfit wheelchair users with AI glasses, which they will use to document accessibility barriers they encounter at parks and in other public spaces. The nonprofit will then share any issues identified with parks departments and other officials to promote accessibility improvements.

A separate initiative from the Illinois Assistive Technology Program will focus on helping people with intellectual and developmental disabilities access employment using AI glasses by providing "hands-free on-the-job support, task guidance and workplace readiness tools that build confidence and competence".

Meanwhile, The Arc Davidson County & Greater Nashville will use AI glasses as a voice-first assistive technology to help individuals with developmental disabilities increase independence. And, the University of North Texas plans to provide AI glasses to students with disabilities to "support classroom access and independent campus participation".

Other disability groups slated to receive funds from Meta include Easter Seals Greater Houston, the American Council of the Blind, the Braille Institute of America, The Carroll Center for the Blind, VisionCorps, Easterseals Iowa, PACER Center Inc. and Deaf Equality.

While many see potential in Meta's AI glasses for those with disabilities, there are also privacy concerns with some dubbing the devices "pervert glasses" after incidents where people have used the glasses to covertly film encounters that they subsequently posted online.

***
Independent Visually Impaired Entrepreneurs Online Business Expo, November 14, 2026

IVIE is offering a great opportunity to blind or visually impaired business owners/entrepreneurs. When you join in our Online Business Expo shopping experience, you can tell the audience about your business, describe your products and services, pass on contact information, and allow participants to ask questions. For IVIE members, the fee for presenting for fifteen minutes is $10, for a half hour is $20, or for an hour is $30. Not an IVIE member? Then, the fee for presenting is an additional $15—$25 for fifteen minutes, $35 for a half hour session, or $45 for an hour session. Nonmembers have the option of having $15 of the payment used to pay IVIE dues for 2027.

All those participating in the call, whether presenting or not, will use the same Zoom information to connect. The date and time are November 14, 2026, from 11:30 am to 6 pm Eastern, 8:30 am to 3 pm Pacific.

The deadline for purchasing a time slot to give a presentation is October 31, 2026. To purchase a time slot or ask questions, send an email to info@ivie-acb.org with your request to exhibit. You will be sent an online business expo registration form which will include a link for payment and additional information. If you wish to attend the IVIE Online Business Expo and listen to this unique shopping experience, there is no cost. However, if you are not on the IVIE email list or the ACB-conversation email list or leadership list, please send an email to register so we can send you the Zoom call details. Send the request to:
info@ivie-acb.org
Ardis Bazyn, MAT/MBA Certificate
C: 818-209-8684 Preferred
303-963-5153

***
What Is Real, What Is Hype, and What Blind Users Need to Know About the Data Behind Our Independence
by Anthony Corona, Founder of the Sunday Edition Family of Podcasts

{As seen on the tech-vi email list. The appendices in the original article are not included here. For the complete piece, access:
https://theanthonycorona.substack.com/p/the-privacy-price-of-accessibility

Technology has changed what independence can look like for people who are blind or have low vision. I can point a camera at something and have artificial intelligence describe it. I can share my screen when I need assistance. I can use GPS to navigate through a city. I can ask an app to read a document that would otherwise be inaccessible. I can connect with a human being who can see through my camera and help me understand what is around me.

Those are extraordinary tools. They also raise a question that I do not think we talk about nearly enough. What are we giving away in order to receive that access?

Recently, I came across a post warning blind users about the privacy dangers of accessibility applications. It mentioned cameras, microphones, location information, screen readers, screen sharing, and the possibility of our information reaching outside companies. Some of the warnings were absolutely legitimate. Some were exaggerated. And one of them, the warning about screen readers, mixed together several very different technologies in a way that could unnecessarily frighten people.

So, for this Sunday Edition Tech Spotlight, I wanted to separate fact from fear. There are things we should be conscious of. There are things we should probably be more careful about. There are things that deserve serious scrutiny. And there are other things that simply are not happening in the way some social media posts suggest.

The Camera Knows What It Sees

Let's begin with one of the easiest privacy issues to understand. If you use an artificial intelligence application to describe something through your camera, or if you connect your camera to a human visual interpreter, something outside of your own eyes is receiving that image. That sounds obvious, but think about what your camera may actually see: a prescription bottle, a piece of mail, your television, your computer monitor, a credit card sitting on the kitchen counter, someone walking through your home, a family photograph, a medical document, your address, a bank statement, The contents of your refrigerator, and the people sitting across from you at a restaurant.

Technology does not necessarily understand which parts of that image you consider private unless someone has specifically designed it to recognize and protect that information. That does not mean visual assistance applications are spying on us. It means we need to understand what we are deliberately showing them. When we point a camera at something and ask another person or an artificial intelligence system to interpret it, there is potentially another party in that information chain.

The question we should ask is not simply, can this app see through my camera? The better questions are these.

Where does the image go? Is it processed on my device or somewhere else? Is it stored? For how long? Can a human review it? Can it be used to improve or train a system? Is it connected to my account? Can I delete it?

Those questions matter.

The Microphone Is Not Necessarily Listening All Day

Another common warning involves microphones. This one needs some perspective. Giving an application microphone permission does not automatically mean the company behind that application is secretly recording everything happening around you twenty-four hours a day. Modern mobile operating systems place restrictions around microphone access, and users are generally given indicators when applications are actively accessing the microphone.

But microphone privacy is still important.

Voice assistants, artificial intelligence conversations, human assistance services, transcription applications, and other accessibility tools may transmit or process audio when we intentionally use those features.

Again, we need to ask what happens next. Is the recording temporary? Is it stored? Is a transcript created? Can that transcript be connected with my account? Can it be reviewed? Can it be used for training?

The danger is not necessarily that your phone is secretly sitting on your nightstand recording your life. The more realistic concern is that we sometimes forget how much personal information we intentionally put into our conversations with technology.

Location Is More Personal Than We Think

Navigation is one of the great independence tools available to blind travelers. GPS allows us to find businesses, identify intersections, follow walking directions, use public transportation, locate entrances, and understand the environment around us. But location information can also tell an incredibly detailed story about a person: where you live, where you work, where you worship, where you receive medical treatment, where you shop, where you spend your evenings, where you travel every Saturday afternoon.

One individual location point may tell someone very little. Hundreds or thousands of them can reveal a pattern. That is why I think location permissions deserve more attention. If an application only needs your location while you are actively navigating, ask whether it really needs permission all the time.

That does not mean we should stop using navigation applications. It means we should understand the difference between giving an application what it needs to perform a function and giving it permanent access because we clicked a button without thinking about it.

Now Let's Talk About Screen Readers

This is where some of the original warnings I encountered became misleading. A screen reader obviously has access to information on your screen. It has to. Otherwise, it could not tell us what is there. But that does not mean that every application on your phone receives a transcript of everything your screen reader says. It also does not mean that VoiceOver is quietly sending everything you read to every company whose application you happen to have installed. That is simply not how it works.

The screen reader is interpreting information that applications make available through the operating system's accessibility framework. Sometimes that information is visible text. Sometimes it is additional accessibility information that a sighted person may never see.

For example, you might visually see a button labeled Submit. The accessibility information associated with it might tell your screen reader something more useful, such as Submit Payment, Button. That distinction becomes very important when we start talking about privacy.

The visual screen and the accessibility information behind the screen are not necessarily identical.

VoiceOver Versus TalkBack

There is another important distinction between Apple's VoiceOver and Google's TalkBack, particularly when people start discussing applications gaining accessibility permissions. VoiceOver is Apple's built in screen reader for iPhone, iPad, Mac, Apple Watch, and other Apple products. Applications provide accessibility information through Apple's accessibility framework, and VoiceOver uses that information to communicate the interface to the user. Turning on VoiceOver does not suddenly give every other application installed on your iPhone permission to read everything VoiceOver reads.

That is an important myth to put to rest.

Android approaches accessibility somewhat differently. TalkBack is Google's screen reader and is part of the Android Accessibility Suite. Android also has something called the Accessibility Service framework. That framework allows accessibility services to receive information about what is happening in the user interface. Depending on the permissions and capabilities granted to a particular service, it can potentially retrieve information about active windows and elements on the screen.

That capability exists for legitimate reasons. Accessibility tools need information in order to provide accessibility. But powerful permissions can also become powerful security risks when they are granted to the wrong application. A malicious or poorly designed application that convinces an Android user to enable it as an accessibility service may potentially gain access to considerably more interface information than the user realizes. That is why Android users should pay particular attention when an application asks to be enabled as an accessibility service.

The important distinction here is this. TalkBack itself should not be confused with a malicious accessibility service. The concern is not that using TalkBack automatically sends your private information somewhere. The concern is that Android's accessibility framework can provide broad capabilities to other accessibility services when a user specifically grants those permissions.

Google recognizes this sensitivity and places policy requirements around applications using the Accessibility Service API, including disclosure and consent requirements in many circumstances.

So, VoiceOver versus TalkBack is not a simple contest of one being safe and the other being unsafe. That would be unfair and technically inaccurate. They exist within different accessibility architectures.

What matters for users is understanding what additional accessibility services have been authorized on a device and why.

Screen Curtain Is Privacy, But Privacy from Whom?

Now we arrive at something that I think is especially interesting for blind users: Screen Curtain.

Many VoiceOver users turn on Screen Curtain so that the physical display becomes black while the phone remains completely usable through VoiceOver. Apple specifically presents Screen Curtain as a privacy feature. And it is.

If I am sitting in an airport checking my bank account with VoiceOver, Screen Curtain can prevent the person sitting next to me from simply looking over and reading my balance. That is valuable privacy.

But we need to understand what kind of privacy it provides. The phone itself has not stopped processing the information. VoiceOver has not stopped navigating the interface. The underlying screen contents remain active even though the physical display appears black.

Screen Curtain primarily protects us from someone physically looking at our display. That is very different from controlling what happens when we intentionally begin sharing, recording, or broadcasting a screen. And this is where things become much more interesting.

When We Share Our Screen

Blind people increasingly use screen sharing. We may use it for technical assistance. We may use it to show a problem to a sighted friend. We may use remote assistance. We may eventually use artificial intelligence systems capable of watching and interpreting what is happening on our screens.

Once you deliberately authorize a screen sharing or screen broadcasting function, you are potentially creating an entirely different information stream.

What could appear during that session? Email? Text messages? Bank balances? Medical portals? Contacts? Photographs? Calendar appointments? Addresses? Documents? Notifications? Verification codes. Private conversations.

Anything that appears while the screen is being shared deserves consideration.

The important lesson is that Screen Curtain and screen sharing solve two different problems.

Screen Curtain helps prevent someone physically near you from seeing your display. Screen sharing intentionally allows screen information to travel somewhere else.

We should never assume that because our physical screen looks black, no information can possibly be available through another authorized sharing or accessibility mechanism. Before sharing a screen, know exactly what application or person is receiving it and end the session when the assistance is complete.

What About Passwords?

One of the scariest claims circulating in discussions like this is that accessibility technology can steal passwords. Again, there is a real security concern buried underneath an exaggerated statement.

Operating systems and applications can take special measures around sensitive fields such as passwords, authentication information, and protected content. But we should never assume that every piece of sensitive information is magically protected from every form of screen sharing, malicious software, camera capture, accessibility service, or social engineering attack.

The most useful advice is not to fear your screen reader. It is to be cautious about what other applications and services you authorize to interact with your device.

The Privacy Price of Accessibility

And this brings me to the part of this conversation I find most important.

A sighted person can pick up a bank statement and read it. A blind person may take a photograph of that statement and send it to an artificial intelligence system to have it read.

A sighted person can look at an unfamiliar intersection. A blind traveler may use an application that combines camera information and precise GPS location to understand that same environment.

A sighted person can glance at a medication bottle. A blind person may photograph it and ask an artificial intelligence service to identify it.

A sighted person helping another sighted person with a computer problem can simply look over their shoulder. A blind person may need to share an entire screen with someone.

That does not make accessibility technology dangerous. It raises a much bigger question.

Are disabled people sometimes required to surrender more privacy in order to receive the same information other people can access privately? That is the conversation I think technology companies, accessibility developers, advocates, and all of us as consumers need to have.

Independence should not automatically require unnecessary surveillance. Accessibility should not automatically mean surrendering privacy. At the same time, fear should not convince us to abandon extraordinary tools that have expanded independence in ways many of us could barely imagine a decade ago.

The answer is informed choice. What Should We Actually Do?

Start with permissions. Look at which applications can access your camera, microphone, location, photos, Bluetooth, contacts, and other information. Ask whether those permissions still make sense. When possible, give an application access only when you are using the feature that requires it.

Pay particular attention when an Android application asks you to enable it as an accessibility service. Know why it needs that access before granting it.

When sharing your screen, treat everything that may appear during that session as potentially visible to whoever or whatever is receiving the stream. End visual assistance, camera, microphone, and screen sharing sessions when you are finished with them. Do not assume that merely closing your eyes to a technology problem makes it disappear.

But do not assume that every permission is evidence of spying either. There is an enormous difference between access that is necessary to provide a service and access that is unnecessarily collected, retained, shared, or sold.

Those distinctions matter.

Ask companies questions. How long do you retain my information? Is my information used to train artificial intelligence? Is it reviewed by humans? Who are your third-party processing partners? Can I delete my history? Can I use the service without allowing permanent location access? What happens to photographs after they are analyzed? What happens to video after my visual assistance session ends? Those are not paranoid questions. They are consumer questions.

Accessibility Without Fear

I do not want blind people frightened away from technology. Quite the opposite.

I want us using every tool that gives us greater information, mobility, independence, opportunity, and connection. But empowerment also means understanding what happens after we tap Allow. We should know the difference between VoiceOver reading information and another application receiving it. We should understand that TalkBack itself is not some privacy threat simply because Android has a powerful Accessibility Service framework. We should understand the difference between Screen Curtain and screen sharing. We should know that our camera may reveal more than the single object we are trying to identify. We should recognize that location information can become a portrait of our lives. And we should ask whether the technology companies building accessibility into an artificial intelligence future are treating privacy as an accessibility issue too. Because that may be the most important point of all.

Accessibility and privacy should not be competing rights. I should not have to choose between knowing what is in front of me and protecting my personal information. I should not have to choose between navigating independently and controlling who knows everywhere I travel. I should not have to choose between reading something privately and making it accessible.

The next generation of accessible technology should be measured not only by how much information it can give us. It should also be measured by how little information it needs to take from us to do it. That is not fear of technology. That is expecting better technology.

And that is a conversation worth having before we tap Allow.

***
Spotlight On Linda Samulski
by Christy Crespin

Linda was born in Omaha, Nebraska, as an only child. At the age of four, she went to the School for the Blind in Nebraska City, where she learned braille. The school was about 200 miles from her parents, so "they would visit me every other week. They picked me up on Friday and brought me back on Sunday, but after a while they got sick of that." At age seven Linda's family moved to San Diego, CA, and she was mainstreamed for the rest of her education and graduated from Crawford High.

Because Linda felt well-rounded due to her friendships with sighted and blind, she had a lot of confidence. She described herself as "rebellious", and after attending the program at the Orientation Center for the Blind in Albany, CA, she moved into her own place. Her first husband had muscular dystrophy, and sadly, he died when they had been married for only two years. She learned a lot from him and said he was a wonderful man.

Linda was employed as a translator with the Health Department in Chula Vista. After her husband died, she did a lot more work for them, including translating for several clinics and in people's homes. "That was a real learning experience and I relish and cherish that time", she said.

Finding a notice in a newsletter, Linda applied for a cooking teacher position even though she had no experience teaching cooking. She got the job with the Blind Recreation Center and wondered how she would teach blind people how to cook but made a successful transition. The Blind Recreation Center split, and her workplace became the San Diego Center for the Blind. She worked for a time and then transitioned to the position of rehabilitation instructor. "I really did become a rehabilitation teacher and taught skills that educated people about safety and how to cook." While in that job "I taught English as a Second Language along with life skills." She loved her time as an instructor.

At age fifty, Linda attended a campus located in her area that was a branch of Springfield College in Massachusetts. She had no assistance from the Department of Rehabilitation, and "it was hard". She received her master's degrees in human services and community psychology.

In 2005 Linda became the Community Transition Counselor at the Center for the Blind in San Diego where she helped people transition back into the community after they completed their program. She was given permission by the executive director to take students on field trips, which allowed her to do cool things and influence the students while giving them confidence that showed how independent they could be, based on Linda's impact. In 2008 Linda applied for her third guide dog from Guide Dogs of the Desert. While there, she was offered the job of Graduate Services Coordinator. When she discussed the decision with her husband he spoke with the trainer and encouraged her to take the position which she did, and they moved to Palm Springs where she worked with Guide Dogs of the Desert for eleven years.

Upon retiring, she wondered what she could do, and since she likes advocacy and working with peers, she became more involved in the CCB. She stated, "If I was born into this community, I need to support and give back to this community. My real focus is to help the blindness community wherever I can, and that right now seems to be through CCB."

Linda was blind at birth from retinopathy of prematurity or what we all used to call "RLF." She has a slight hearing loss in her right ear.

When asked about involvement in the blindness movement, Linda said she knew about the organizations in the 70s but did not get involved. In the 90s she became somewhat involved, but by the early 2000s she was in school, and raising her family. In 2019 she retired from her employment with Guide Dogs of the Desert. She and her husband and staunch supporter, Tom, have been married for twenty years in April.

Her involvement with California Diabetics in Action began as a result of interest in diabetes. She was diagnosed two years ago with type II diabetes. She admitted that it is difficult, even though she is not currently taking medication for it, and she knows this could change. She has her A1C checked every three months. Her mother was a brittle, type I diabetic. She recognizes that there is a tremendous amount of blindness/low vision population who live with diabetes. As well, people living with diabetes become a part of the blind/low vision population because of effects of diabetes. "Diabetes has always been in my life, and caregiving has always been in my life." It very much interests Linda to read the various articles, "and it's doing the simple things, like eating your vegetables first, and doing things like making a bigger portion on your plate full of vegetables—different substitutes that you can use that makes things taste good. All those things are interesting and they're important. Any little thing that you can do to make a lifestyle change will make you healthier and help you feel better."

As vice president of CDA, "I think that peer support is really important. It's not just learning about it but helping people to reach their goals by encouraging them, so that's what I would like to see more of, and just overall help the organization grow and continue to come out with things that are helpful. It's the thing we can do to help acknowledge what's out there and use it and to be healthier." Regarding diabetes management, she is exploring options for management with her team.

When asked about feeling stigmatized having diabetes and blindness, she first thought not, but said, "I feel stigmatized every time I go to the lab—there's two things—you can get door to door with Access, but the labs and offices are located deep in big buildings and you can't get up to the lab on your own." Aside from being too early or late, "you walk in and there's a kiosk that is totally inaccessible", and the staff is rude, which feels demeaning and degrading.

Her parting words are, "Knowledge is power. I want to serve with knowledge and in a humble way."

Linda is involved in CCB as board member, secretary of Active Blind Inland Valleys, secretary of Inclusive Diversity of CA, and vice president of CA Diabetics in Action. She is also involved with CA Alliance on Aging and Vision Loss.

***
Lorise Diamond's Journey to a Doctorate
by Christy Crespin

On May 16, 2026, Lorise "Rise" Diamond graduated from Claremont Graduate University with a doctorate in Cultural Studies. She also earned certificates in Women's and Gender Studies and Africana Studies.

The achievement was the culmination of a remarkable journey through nursing, vision loss, a life-threatening medical crisis, rehabilitation, international study, blindness advocacy, and more than a decade of higher education. For Rise, however, the degree represents more than academic success. It marks the restoration of a connection among mind, body, and spirit.

"At least I'm put back together now, so my rehabilitation program worked", she said with characteristic humor. "And I also got a doctorate degree out of the process."

A Life's Work

Rise describes her dissertation as a compilation of work that began in childhood and continues today. Its title is (R)Evolutionary Cultural Literacy: Pauli Murray's Boundary-Crossing Tripartite Pedagogy.

The parenthetical "R" joins two related concepts: evolution and revolution. Rise sees cultural evolution as the gradual unfolding and transmission of what is already present in society. Revolution, meanwhile, can overturn society's "prestige economies" - the systems that determine whose knowledge, life, and example receive the greatest respect.

Her framework centers the cultural knowledge of people who routinely cross social boundaries and navigate hostile spaces, particularly those whose composite identities resist easy classification.

"We can analyze anyone's life through this lens", she explained. "We can see how people are moving across different, often hostile, yet very fertile spaces."

Her understanding of literacy began with the slave narratives she read as a child. Learning that enslaved people had been forbidden to read led her to see literacy as a source of freedom and power. Eventually, she began to understand literacy not only as reading words, but also as "reading the world".

Her framework draws on three interconnected practices:

Reading worlds, influenced by Brazilian educator Paulo Freire, means recognizing and interpreting the social and cultural forces shaping everyday life.

Traveling worlds, adapted from philosopher Maria Lugones, means entering another person's world with loving perception and humility rather than an "arrogant eye".

Growing worlds, inspired by scholar Ruha Benjamin, means using what we learn to build more humane communities and new ways of living together.

"Once we have learned to read the world, we then travel the worlds", Rise said. "After we've traveled them, we begin to grow new worlds. We begin to design new ways of doing things."

Finding Pauli Murray

Ms. Diamond applied her framework to the life and work of Pauli Murray, the civil rights attorney, poet, writer, activist, educator, and Episcopal priest whose thinking anticipated later theories of intersectionality.

Murray's life spoke to Rise personally. Murray crossed boundaries of race, gender, profession, geography, and faith while living in a society determined to place people into rigid categories. Ms. Diamond recognized echoes of her own childhood questions about gender and her experience of feeling drawn to characteristics society labeled masculine.

At age 11, Diamond told her grandmother, "I don't know if I want to be a boy or a girl." Her grandmother returned to her cooking and replied, "You're a girl." The conversation ended there, leaving her to search libraries for language that might help her understand what she was feeling.

"When I read about Murray's journey, that resonated with me", Ms. Diamond said. "I began to see her as someone like me."

She found other striking connections. Murray's family had roots in Chester County, Pennsylvania, where Diamond's family also originated. Both families had ties to the Underground Railroad. Diamond said her great-great-great-grandfather purchased a church for one dollar and helped make it part of that network.

"I was like, wow, we have so much in common", she recalled. "I couldn't even believe how I found this woman out of nowhere, it seems."

A Long Road Back to School

Rise graduated from high school in 1984. In 1989, she took communication and sociology courses at Regis University and immediately recognized both fields as central to her interests.

Communication had fascinated her since childhood. Her mother was a television and radio journalist, and Diamond loved accompanying her to work. She remembers listening to her mother's voice on the radio and watching her transform a blank sheet of paper into an evening news story.

"The way she would take a blank page of paper and fill it with meaning just felt like magic to me", Rise said.

Her path did not proceed directly into communications, however. As a young mother needing a dependable income, Rise entered nursing school and earned a practical nursing certificate in Denver in 1994. She worked as a nurse for approximately 13 years. After a car accident made nursing more difficult, she completed a central supply program at the Community College of Denver, but found that work unfulfilling.

Around 2009 or 2010, after her son was grown and established in his own life, Ms. Diamond returned to California intending to pursue degrees in communication and sociology. She used her nursing license to work as a live-in caregiver for an older man while establishing residency.

During that period, she discovered how severely her vision had declined.

While driving a friend home, Rise could not read the highway signs well enough to identify her exit. The car nearly struck the median. An eye doctor told her the next day that no prescription could correct the problem and referred her to a specialist. She was eventually diagnosed with optic neuropathy and solar retinopathy.

The news sent her into depression. She believed her plans for higher education were over because she could no longer read books or see a computer screen.

Then her life changed even more dramatically.

"As Long as Her Heart Is Beating"

In May 2012, Ms. Diamond fell and struck her head on a wooden table. The following day, she collapsed at a doctor's office and was taken to a hospital, where she fell into a coma.

Her organs stopped functioning except for her heart. Doctors told her family that, even if she regained consciousness, she would likely remain in a permanent vegetative state. They recommended ending life support.

Ms. Diamond's son refused.

"As long as her heart is beating, leave her on life support", he told them.

Rise was unconscious or semi-conscious for approximately two months and later transferred to a nursing facility. Her memories returned in fragments. One of her first clear recollections is being wheeled through the facility's doors with protective mittens restraining her hands.

Her first mission was simple: remove the mittens.

She worked at the fastenings until she freed herself. In her mind, she was announcing, "I'm back, everyone. I'm here!"

By September 2012, she had been discharged. A serious foot infection later returned her to the hospital, after which she moved in with her mother. The experience helped heal a long-standing rift between them.

"We ended up reconnecting", Rise said. "I think we're even stronger for it."

Education as Rehabilitation

Diamond still wanted one thing: to attend school.

A discharge planner referred her to the San Diego Center for the Blind, where she learned assistive technology and connected with other blind people. When she completed the program, she received a certificate naming her "Most Likely to Succeed".

She approached college as a form of cognitive rehabilitation. She enrolled at Southwestern College and began with two courses, uncertain how much she could manage after the coma.

"I made it through", she said. "I knew I was here, and I could do this."

She earned an associate degree in communication studies in 2016. She then transferred to San Diego State University, majoring in communication and minoring in sociology and interdisciplinary studies through the Weber Honors College.

She credits the California Department of Rehabilitation with providing crucial support throughout her education. The department paid for books, a laptop, low-vision services, optical devices, and assistive technology such as ZoomText. It later contributed toward doctoral tuition and purchased many of the books required for her qualifying examinations.

The Department of Rehabilitation's support continued far beyond what either Diamond or her counselor initially expected.

"It was a journey for both of us", Ms. Diamond said. "Neither she nor I had ever done DOR for a doctoral student. It's quite unusual."

Scholarships also helped sustain her studies. She received support from the American Council of the Blind and the California Council of the Blind, as well as scholarships for blind and low-vision students and other university awards.

Crossing Borders and Reclaiming Courage

As part of the Weber Honors College, Rise studied in the Dominican Republic in 2018. It was her first trip abroad and her first international journey as a blind person.

The experience was difficult. After repeated warnings about crime, she became afraid to use her white cane and worried constantly about losing contact with her group. When she returned home, she reflected on the fear that had limited her experience.

"I said, 'I've got to do it again, and I'm going to do it again fearlessly'", she recalled.

In 2019, Rise received support for an international internship and traveled to Cape Town, South Africa. For two months, she worked 40 hours a week with the Commission for Gender Equality. She researched disability legislation related to communication, conducted stakeholder focus groups, attended legislative meetings, and visited Parliament.

This time, the experience restored her confidence.

"I had my humanity back", she said. "I had my spirit back. I had my courage back."

She graduated from San Diego State University in August 2019. She later completed a master's program in Rhetoric and Writing Studies and taught within the program. During this period, she was also selected as a Sally Casanova Scholar, receiving faculty mentorship to prepare for doctoral study.

Her first doctoral applications were unsuccessful. She kept searching and discovered Cultural Studies at Claremont Graduate University. The discipline brought together the questions and scholars that had shaped her previous work.

"This is my thing", she remembered thinking. "This feels right."

She began the doctoral program in 2021.

Reconnecting Mind, Body, and Spirit

After completing her coursework, Ms. Diamond prepared for qualifying examinations by reading approximately 110 books in cultural studies, Black and transnational feminism, and what she called "queer humanism".

The process did more than prepare her academically. It helped her recognize what remained missing after her medical crisis.

Although the cognitive fog had lifted, she had long felt disconnected from other people and from herself. She noticed it most clearly while singing in a gospel choir. She could sing the words and notes, but she could not feel them.

"Where's my soul?" she wondered.

As she read, walked, reflected, and began writing about embodied pedagogy, she came to understand the researcher as the vessel through which interpretation and knowledge emerge. That meant her body could not be treated merely as a machine carrying her brain from one academic task to another.

She began what she calls "re-inspiriting" her body. She walked, communed with nature, and made her small apartment into a sacred space. Washing her hands became an opportunity to feel the water. Cooking became an expression of joy rather than a chore required for survival.

"Everything shifted in that space", Ms. Diamond said. "All of a sudden, I am reconnected."

That transformation entered her scholarship. Her dissertation chair, a philosopher not known for casual praise, called the finished work "magnificent".

"You can feel the joy in it", Diamond said of the dissertation. "You can feel me in it."

Serving the Blind and Low-Vision Community

Rise's connection to the blindness community began with the scholarships she received during college and grew into years of volunteer leadership.

She has served on the California Council of the Blind's Membership Committee and held leadership roles in student and low-vision organizations. In 2023, she was elected to leadership roles with ACB Students and the California Council of Citizens with Low Vision. She has also been involved with the Active Blind Inland Valleys chapter of CCB.

"Those experiences profoundly impacted my personal and professional growth", she said. "They reinforced my belief in the power of community and the importance of advocating for historically pushed-aside groups."

In 2019, Ms. Diamond founded the Linguistic Communication Development Center, which is being renamed the Cultural Literacy Center. As executive director, she works to serve historically underserved communities through education and practical communication support.

The organization helps people develop digital skills, prepare professional documents, respond to landlords and public agencies, write petitions and business plans, and navigate other communication challenges. It has also helped a community member establish a nonprofit organization. One developing program focuses on adult digital media literacy for seniors.

Growing the Next World

With her doctorate complete, Rise plans to expand the Cultural Literacy Center while pursuing postdoctoral research and part-time teaching opportunities. She is considering positions in California and elsewhere, but wants work that uses the full range of her abilities while remaining true to her vision.

"I want something that's going to make sure I'm using all the gifts that I have to share", she said, "while also staying true to my vision of cultural literacy and being the embodied teacher that I am."

Her message to women, mothers, and grandmothers is direct: returning to school can be joyful. She encourages those experiencing an empty nest to try at least one class, whether at a university or community college.

"Follow your passion", she said.

For anyone considering a doctorate or another long course of study, she offers equally direct advice:

"Make sure you're having fun. If you're not having fun, you're not doing it right."

The journey, she acknowledged, was sometimes a harrowing roller coaster. But it also fulfilled the curiosity of an adult who still loves puzzles, exploration, and a challenge.

"I emerged feeling triumphant and proud", Rise said. "And I have something that no one can take away from me."

For a copy of her dissertation go to https://scholarship.claremont.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=2116&conte...

***
CCB Board Activity

Resolution Recognizing Juneteenth

WHEREAS, Juneteenth, observed annually on June 19, commemorates the day in 1865 when news of emancipation finally reached enslaved African Americans in Galveston, Texas, more than two years after the issuance of the Emancipation Proclamation; and

WHEREAS, Juneteenth stands as a powerful reminder of the ongoing pursuit of freedom, equality, justice, and opportunity for all people; and

WHEREAS, the California Council of the Blind recognizes that diversity strengthens our organization and that meaningful inclusion requires us to honor the experiences, contributions, and histories of all communities; and

WHEREAS, the struggle for civil rights and equal access has been advanced through the collective efforts of individuals and organizations working to remove barriers and expand opportunities for people who have historically faced discrimination and exclusion; and

WHEREAS, the California Council of the Blind remains committed to advancing equity, accessibility, and full participation for blind and low vision individuals from all backgrounds;

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, that the Board of Directors of the California Council of the Blind joins communities across the nation in recognizing Juneteenth and its significance as a celebration of freedom and a reflection on our shared responsibility to promote equality, dignity, and justice; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that the California Council of the Blind reaffirms its commitment to fostering a welcoming and inclusive organization where all members are respected, valued, and empowered to contribute fully to our mission; and

BE IT FINALLY RESOLVED, that this resolution be entered into the official minutes of the June 18, 2026 meeting of the Board of Directors of the California Council of the Blind.

Adopted this 18th day of June, 2026.

Minutes: California Council of the Blind
Board of Directors Meeting
April 29, 2026

The meeting was called to order by President Guillermo Robles at 7:02 PM. Officers and Board members in attendance were:

President: Guillermo Robles
1st Vice-President: Regina Brink
2nd Vice President: Rob Turner
Secretary: Steve Bauer
Treasurer: Lisa Presley-Thomas
Immediate Past President: Gabe Griffith

Directors
Andrea DeKlotz
Nelly Emerson
Larry Gassman
Joe Green
Pamela Metz
Phill Obregon
Joshua Saunders
Linda Samulski
Alice Turner

27 additional members were present.

BDM2026-14 Pam moved and Josh seconded approval of the agenda. The motion carried.

BDMB2026-15 Nelly moved and Josh seconded approval of the March meeting minutes. The motion carried.

Guillermo introduced Kenneth Semien Sr., who will be our Board liaison from ACB. Kenneth spoke to us about ACB's affiliate scorecard. He will guide the Board through this exercise on June 6. He'll conduct a session on fundamentals of Board service to be scheduled soon.

In Board announcements, as he steps down as chair, Joe thanked membership committee members for their support over the past three years.

Andrea is stepping down as co-chair of the convention committee.

Nelly announced the California Diabetics in Action support call at 3 PM on the second Tuesday in May.

In member announcements, Penny spoke of the California Council of Citizens with Low Vision meeting at 4 o'clock May 3 with Dan Kysor speaking about his new book.

Roger said Dawn Wilcox celebrated her 90th birthday on April 21.

Shana announced Claire Stanley will speak to the San Francisco chapter on May 16.

Debee announced the technology committee will hold a session May 19 on free training resources available on the web.

In her treasurer's report for April and May, Lisa reported a balance of $386,482.261 with roughly $16,874.59 in accounts payable.

BDM2026-16 Joe moved and Regina seconded approval of the treasurer's report. The motion carried.

Lisa indicated no change in our 501C3 status

The 501C3 committee is contacting other organizations that have lost their non-profit status, to perhaps work in coalition with them.

Concerning our web site, Vita reported that CCB has hired Jeremy Johansen to take over the rebuilding project. She also talked about a possible transition to a different URL for our site, www.californiacounciloftheblind.net.

Next, discussing educational opportunities, Regina asked Board members to share outreach activities they'd had for their chapter or for CCB. Linda spoke of the relationship between the Inland Valleys chapter and their local area agency on aging. Joe spoke of the Capitol chapter and their booth at a Kaiser 5K walk.

Alice talked about the Silicon Valley relationship with local traffic engineers.

Andrea mentioned the League of Women Voters speaking regularly to the Orange County chapter.

Penny mentioned Greater Bakersfield's advocacy for audible traffic signals.

Aisha announced the NFB Pathfinder chapter resource fair on May 15.

In his president's report, Guillermo again mentioned the Board retreat on June 6.

He said some restructuring of some committees will be taking place after convention.

BDM2026-17 Andrea moved and Regina seconded CCB participation in the Brenda Dillon Memorial Walk. The motion carried.

Guillermo called for members to submit suggestions for a name for our walk team by May 15.

Capitol day on May 26 was discussed. NFB is chartering a bus to transport their members & CCB members to Sacramento.

BDM2026-18 Linda moved and Andrea seconded allocating up to $1500 to subsidize $10 lunches for CCB and NFBC members. The motion carried.

In member announcements, Megan spoke of the ACB Next Generation auction on June 15.

Andrea announced that the late Bonnie Rennie's husband is getting remarried on Saturday.

The meeting was adjourned at 9:15PM.

Respectfully submitted
Steve Bauer, Secretary

Minutes: California Council of the Blind
Board of Directors Meeting
June 18, 2026

The meeting was called to order by President Guillermo Robles at 7:33 PM

Officers and Board members present were:

President: Guillermo Robles
1st Vice-President: Regina Brink
2nd Vice President: Rob Turner
Secretary: Steve Bauer
Treasurer: Lisa Presley-Thomas
Immediate Past President: Gabe Griffith

Directors
Andrea DeKlotz
Nelly Emerson
Joe Green
Pamela Metz
Phill Obregon
Joshua Saunders
Linda Samulski
Alice Turner

An additional twelve members were present.

BDM2026-19 Linda moved and Alice seconded approval of the agenda. The motion carried.

BDM2026-20 Nelly moved and Joe seconded approval of the April Board minutes. The motion carried.

In her treasurer's report Lisa indicated a general fund balance of $372,248.65, including the quarterly MMS payment of $825. We have $11,287.94 in accounts payable through the end of the month.

BDM2026-21 Andrea moved and Regina seconded approval of the June report. The motion carried.

Mitch indicated a Newell Perry Trust balance of $239,045.07 as of May 31.

Lisa reported that repeated wire transfers to pay back this fund had failed, so she will send a check by overnight mail. Mitch requested that charges for failed wire transfers be deducted from the repayment.

Going forward, reports will be given quarterly for the Newell Perry and Elen Murphy funds.

Next Jason Sullivan-Halpern from the California Long-term Care Ombudsman Association addressed the Board, explaining their work as part of the department of aging. It includes advocating for residents, unannounced visits to facilities, and a class action lawsuit over under-staffing. He also spoke of AB2135, co-sponsored by CCB, strengthening protections for nursing home residents facing evictions. It includes Braille and large print eviction notices when required.

In Board announcements Linda reported the ABIV chapter meeting this Saturday on paratransit with guest speaker Ron Brooks.

Joe encouraged members looking for technology training on specific topics to email the technology committee.

Josh announced the San Francisco chapter meeting on Saturday concerning BART funding.

Regina and Pam spoke of the multi-cultural affairs committee Juneteenth celebration.

Jeff announced he and Tim Elder will participate in a June 25 advocacy day at the San Francisco Lighthouse.

Guillermo recognized, and Board members spoke to thank Andrea, Larry, Phill and Rob who are all leaving the Board.

On behalf of the governmental affairs committee, Regina spoke of the sixty percent cut in funding for the older individuals who are blind, and younger individuals who are blind programs. CCB, in coalition with NFBC and others are asking the state legislature for five million dollars to backfill these cuts. A speak4 campaign would urge legislators for this funding, as part of supplementary budget bills in August.

BDM2026-22 Rob moved and there were numerous seconds to approve a $75 expenditure for the Speak4 campaign. The motion carried.

Next Pam spoke for a CCB resolution in support of the Juneteenth holiday. The resolution was read.

BDM2026-23 Nelly moved and Andrea seconded approval of this resolution. The motion carried.

The resolution will be sent out to members by email and posted on our website.

In his president's report Guillermo urged Board Members to complete the confidentiality and conflict of interest agreement sent out via Docusign by June 30th.

He updated members on the Board retreat discussing the ACB scorecard, including the need for onboarding new Board Members and succession planning. A subsequent meeting dealt with financial health and the need for fundraising after our 501C3 is reinstated. Guillermo will be appointing a budget and finance committee to be chaired by Lisa. The organization's mission and purpose were also discussed and how best to communicate that to members along with the need for a long-term strategic plan.

Our team's name for this year's Brenda Dillon Walk will be The California Cruisers, as suggested by Rob. A link to the donation page will be available tomorrow.

The CCB delegate to the ACB convention will be Megan Meigs, with Regina Brink as alternate. Guillermo will represent us on the nominating committee.

Guillermo urged committee chairs to provide a list of their members as soon as possible.

He announced that beginning in August, Board meetings will be held on the third Wednesday of the month, starting at 7:00 PM.

Regina thanked members for their participation in the Day of Action in Sacramento. An evaluation meeting will be held next Thursday.

In her legislative report, Regina said CCB and others have written to RSA concerning order of selection and the need to keep employment retention as a goal. She also spoke of the Medi-Cal asset limit, and possible legislation next year allowing state-wide paratransit eligibility. Updates will be in the courier.

The convention report to members will be postponed until August.

In public comment Jan Carmiachel was thankful for the award she received at convention.

The meeting was adjourned at 9:39 Pm.

Respectfully submitted,
Steve Bauer, Secretary

Minutes: California Council of the Blind
Board of Directors Executive Session
August 6, 2026

The executive session was called to order by President Guillermo Robles on August 6 at 6:00 PM. Officers and Board members present were:

President: Guillermo Robles
1st Vice President: Regina Brink
2nd Vice President: Alice Turner
Secretary: Steve Bauer
Treasurer: Lisa Presley-Thomas
Immediate Past President: Gabe Griffith

Directors
David Alvarado
Diana Fonseca
Nelly Emerson
Joe Green
Pamela Metz
Mitch Pomerantz
Linda Samulski
Joshua Saunders
Jeff Thom

The Board discussed legal matters.

BDM2026-25 Mitch moved and Jeff seconded that the California Council of the Blind Board of Directors authorize the expenditure of up to $20,000 to hire an attorney at the discretion of the President and Treasurer to assist in restoring the Council's 501(c3) status with the option of allocating additional funds should the process not be successfully concluded. The motion carried.

The meeting was adjourned at 7:00 PM.

Respectfully submitted,
Steve Bauer, Secretary

501C3 Ad-hoc Committee Report
August 5, 2026

This ad-hoc committee was appointed by President Guillermo Robles to assist in addressing the suspension of the California Council of the Blind's 501C3 nonprofit status. The members of the committee are Lisa Presley Thomas (treasurer), Jeff Thom (Director), Frank Welte (CCB member), Linda Samulski (Director), Linda MacLeod (CCB member), and Robert Wendt (CCB member), with Joshua Saunders (Director) and Regina Brink (First Vice-president) as co-chairs. The committee decided to advance this project with three approaches: researching similar organizations to appeal to Congressional representatives collectively, seeking legislative action through letters from CCB constituents, and contacting tax attorneys. Some of these actions would be performed by the committee itself and others would also end in recommendations to the Board or its officers.

A student with current course credits requirements completed the initial research, satisfying their volunteer hours. Two committee members agreed to follow up on this research, contacting similar nonprofit organizations to coordinate a group approach to Congress to request assistance from key representatives. There were challenges in researching suspended nonprofit organizations in California, including difficulties finding accurate contact information and current status updates. When contact was successfully made, these organizations did not respond to our inquiries. Despite the efforts of the committee members, the labor-intensive nature of the research proved to be unsustainable. They noted that some organizations may had dissolved or merged, with contact now requiring inaccessible email forms rather than standard email addresses or phone calls. As a group, it was decided this collective approach is not viable due to dissolution of some agencies and the significant labor involved to contact those that still exist.

The committee members discussed plans to send a letter to congressional representatives regarding reinstatement. They identified potential targets including Latifah Simons and Pete Aguilar, with plans to deliver the letter in person to district offices during congressional breaks or to the Washington offices if Congress is in session. The group also considered reaching out to state senators and representatives, though they noted these would likely be sent to office mailboxes rather than delivered in person and it was acknowledged these letters might be much less effective. It was decided to confine our efforts to national representatives. Committee members also raised concerns about sending these letters without first consulting tax attorneys to ensure this approach wouldn't create roadblocks or confusion. The legislative letter template is ready but currently on hold until the Board can obtain legal advice to determine how and when to proceed.

Lastly, tax attorney interviews are in progress with President Guillermo Robles and Lisa Presley Thomas, our Treasurer. This includes an application for pro bono assistance from a firm specializing in reinstating 501C3 status to nonprofits like the California Council of the Blind. We were informed there have been delays in meeting with attorneys, with some not able to schedule meetings until August. We were assured they will continue and the committee's recommendations will be considered moving forward.

We thank the President and the Board for this opportunity to serve. This concludes the committee's work at this time. However, we are willing to meet again if our assistance is requested in the future by the President or the CCB Board.

Respectfully:
Regina Brink

***
CCB Officers and Board Members
July 1, 2026

Officers

President: Guillermo Robles (2025-2026, partial term), Culver City, CA
310-896-8525, president@ccbnet.org

1st Vice President: Regina Brink (2025-2027 1st 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 (2025-2027, 2nd 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 (2025-2027, 2nd 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 (2025-2027, 2nd 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

Linda Samulski (2025-2027, 1st term), Menefie, CA
760-702-0879, lindahoney050@gmail.com

Joshua Saunders (2025-2027, 1st term), El Cerrito, CA
510-685-3371, JoshuaESaunders@gmail.com

Publications Committee
Mike Keithley, BC Editor, 650-714-5971, editor@ccbnet.org

Susan Glass, Associate BC Editor, editor@ccbnet.org
Susan Glass and Andrea DeKlotz co-chairs
Lynne Nishihara
Daveed Mandell
Steve Bauer

***
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.