ACB Events American Council of the Blind

Bay State Council of the Blind
2024 Spring Conference and Convention Agenda
Grousbeck Center, Perkins School for the Blind, Watertown, MA

Morning Session


Welcome From Our Host, Perkins School for the Blind

Opening Remarks
David Kingsbury, President, BSCB



Overview of Massachusetts Commission for the Blind Activities
John Oliveira , Commissioner, MCB



Participant Introductions



State Government Initiatives to Improve Accessibility
Ashley Bloom, Chief Information Technology Accessibility Officer, Executive Office of Technology Services and Security



Updates from Two of Our Committees
Ambassador Program: Pam Loch, Membership Committee chair
Healthcare Resources web page: Nona Haroyan and Jerry Berrier, Advocacy Committee co-chairs



First Reading of Proposed BSCB Code of Conduct Policy
Brian Charlson and Jennifer Harnish



lection of BSCB Officers
Brian Charlson (to explain voting procedures)
Mary Haroyan( to announce slate of nominees recommended by the Nominations Committee)
Sharon Strzalkowski to chair election of President
David Kingsbury to chair election of other officers



Afternoon Session



Announcement of Election Results
David Kingsbury
Short comments by newly elected Officers



Debate and Adoption of Proposed Code of Conduct Policy
Brian Charlson



Experience as a Book Author
Andrew Leland, author of “The Country of the Blind,” interviewed by Kim Charlson



Announcement of BSCB Awards
Awards Committee: Kim Charlson (chair), Pam Loch, and Jerry Berrier



Tips for Getting a Handle on Your Personal Finances
Moe Carpenter, Penny Forward



News from the Tech World
Jeff Bishop, ACB Blind Information Technology Specialists affiliate President: Overview of BITS training activities and other member benefits
David Kingsbury, Demo of the new JAWS PictureSmart with Generative AI feature for describing digital images



Overview of Recent Perkins Library Activities
Kim Charlson



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Re-experience the April 8, 2024 total eclipse of the sun through sound.

Harvard University’s Astronomy Department welcomes those who are blind or have low vision to experience the total eclipse of the sun, through use of the LightSound device which uses a technique called sonification, the process of converting data, in this case light intensity into sound.

The American Council of the Blind and ACB Media are proud to partner with Harvard to broadcast this amazing event where you experience and track through sound the eclipse as it reaches totality at different times from Texas through Vermont. Folks from many different organizations around the country connected their LightSound devices to Zoom as the eclipse reached totality at their location.

The podcast opens with an interview of Allyson Bieryla, Science Center Astronomy Lab and Telescope Manager, Harvard University Astronomer, Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory who describes the LightSound Project, and demonstrates and explains the LighhtSound device.

For more information about the LightSound Project, go to The LightSound Project (harvard.edu)

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20240407-1 Illinois Council of the Blind
20240407-1 Morning Sessions


ICB Business
o Elections
o Treasurer's Update
o Resolutions
o Affiliate Reports
o Convention 2025 Discussion
o Old Business & New Business

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20240406-3 Illinois Council of the Blind
20240406-3 Banquet


ICB Banquet:
o guest speaker Kolby Garrison
o Presentation of Awards & 50/50 Raffle Winner Presented
o Memorial Service - Remembering ICB members, friends and guide dogs who have passed since our last convention.
Note: Memorial service started shortly after the conclusion of banquet

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20240406-2 Illinois Council of the Blind
20240406-2 Afternoon Sessions



Railroad Relocation Project History:
o Kevin Seal - Hansen Engineering



Accessible Pharmacy:
o Andy Burstein



Audio Description Project:
o Samantha Gould



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20240406-1 Morning Sessions



BBS Update:
o Kim Borowicz



ACB Report



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