The following audio files were recorded at the 2016 FCB convention. Just click or press Enter on one of the links below to open a file in your respective media player, or, right click with your mouse to save a file to your computer.
Awards and Scholarship Dinner
Listen to the Friday evening celebration where FCB leaders and deserving students were recognized at a special Dinner hosted in their honor by William Benjamin and Sheila Young. Select advocates and leaders were recognized with prestigious awards and deserving students were presented with valuable scholarships.
Opening Ceremonies, Voting Access
Saturday morning's general session focused on current and future issues and concerns with voting access in Florida. Panelists included blind advocates, supervisors of elections, representatives of the Florida association of election supervisors, and vendors of accessible voting equipment.
Disability in the Workplace: Kicking & Keeping the Door Open
From a management scholarly perspective, this presentation focuses on disability research in the workplace. A review of the past research, current statistics, and practical implications are examined.
Employment Committee Workshop
The 2016 FCB Employment Workshop Presenters invite you to hear stories from a panel of visually impaired and blind employed individuals who have had a variety of positions. They share their experiences from the beginning in searching for employment with all of its possible frustrations, overcoming barriers throughout the entire process of securing employment, what some needed to do to maintain their employment, and why the path they traveled was worth it all. This panel provides valuable information from the beginning to the completion of the journey to employment, highlights which may assist you in your search as well as pleasant and humorous events along the way.
Guide Dog Users of Florida
Travel these days can often be trying under the very best of circumstances. Sometimes, traveling with our guide dogs, those wonderful beings whose presence in our lives bring us enhanced mobility and freedom, can often be even more stressful for us and for them. Join GDUF for a panel presentation and audience driven discussion regarding traveling with a guide dog. Some of the issues that will be covered are: packing for the dog, where to put the dog when traveling, finding areas to relieve the dog, changes in water and eating, dealing with a different climate, moving about with more independence and less stress and uncertainty, dealing with the often intrusive, and annoying reactions of others as well as finding ways to make interactions with others more positive and important and travel issues that attendees wished to bring forward.
Annual FCB Legislative Seminar
The annual FCB Legislative Seminar, is one of the most popular, interesting and informative annual events of the Convention! The knowledgeable and dynamic 2016 FCB legislative team share their Capitol Hill experiences, updating us on the crucially important imperatives brought before every member of the Florida Congressional Delegation. Topics under discussion include: web access, the coverage of low vision aids as durable medical equipment under Medicare, the opportunity to participate in multicountry digital book sharing and ensuring that our children who are deaf, deaf-blind, blind and visually impaired receive comprehensive education that will equip them for their life journeys. During this event, attendees receive a surprise visit from someone who is one of our true champions in Washington, DC.
Coalition for the Concerns of the Totally Blind (CCTB)
CCTB had a special program of two components that we think you will find interesting and fun. A representative from the Temple Sisterhood Group talked about the Braille transcription service they offer, and the process by which someone may request something transcribed into braille. The other component was a "What to do When You Meet a Sighted Person." We've all had our experiences with the sighted folks in one way or another, whether its talking to the empty chair when someone has moved without telling us, or talking to a third party about what we want for dinner when we are right there listening.
Membership Workshop
Sara Conrad, current ACB Board Member American Council of the Blind and law student from the University of Wisconsin, will share with us how to get new young members. Cassandra Jessie, President of Halifax Council of the Blind and FCB Membership Committee Chair, share how to keep new members. Listen to these two ladies as they teach us how to grow our chapters.
Technology Committee Workshop
Do you sometimes struggle to find help with personal banking tasks that need to get done? Are you able to pay your bills without assistance? Can you check the balance in your checking or savings accounts independently? What about transferring money from one bank account to another? Listen to this year's Technology workshop where you can learn how to do these very personal banking tasks easily, efficiently, and independently without any assistance from anyone, keeping your personal information personal and private. Representatives from two national banks discuss accessibility and answer questions pertaining to online banking and more. You just might be surprised to learn how easy it is to take control of your banking needs — keeping this very personal information private — and never worrying about having to get assistance again.
FCB Town Hall Meeting
Featured was a presentation and discussion regarding the current status of the Division of Blind Services (DBS): with Jim Kracht, and the Division's Director Robert Doyle.
Saturday Silent Auction Annual Banquet
FCB'S Annual Banquet: hosted by FCB President James Kracht. Sara Conrad, current ACB Board Member American Council of the Blind and law student from the University of Wisconsin, will share with us personal remarks and a message from her heart on how to bring in and retain new and young members. Of course the Spoones will once again keep the night's electricity flowing with _ the exciting and bargain filled 2016 FCB Silent Auction.
FCB Annual Business Meeting
Listen to the election of officers, and hear from leaders about progress made and work yet needing to be done. Discover what important role you can play in advocacy.