Carl Augusto

I am still applauding Stevie Wonder’s call for accessibility at last night’s Grammys; it was fabulous. First, he made everyone laugh when he teased the audience with a “na na nana na…y’all can’t read this huh?” referring to the fact that the Song of the Year winner was written in braille. And then right before he announced “Thinking Out Loud” as Song of the Year, he said, "We need to make every single thing accessible to every single person with a disability." And in the seconds after that,…

It is with a heavy heart that I share that Phil Hatlen, AFB trustee emeritus and a preeminent leader in the blindness field, passed away earlier this week after an extended illness. Phil was an incredible mentor and dear friend to many, including myself. He was loved and admired by this field. A true visionary, Phil is widely recognized as the person who coined the phrase, “expanded core curriculum” and detailed its importance to the education of the blind and visually impaired. Because of…

Struggles to achieve equality are never completely won. Allegations of bias and the tragic stain of racist violence dominate headlines decades after the Civil Rights Act was signed. American women strive—still—for equal pay in the workplace. And even as LGBT Americans celebrate the U.S. Supreme Court’s affirmation of same-sex marriage, the response in some sectors of the country signals that their fight for acceptance is far from over. The lesson, always, is that no law or court decision…

On September 13, we lost a brilliant leader and I lost a dear friend, Richard "Rick" L. Welsh, Ph.D. Rick was a driving force in the blindness field and a huge advocate for quality services for people with vision loss. He had the ability to identify challenges and rally the field around critical issues. His professional experience spanned university preparation programs, schools for the blind, and adult agencies; he excelled in every endeavor. He was the first president of the Association for…

The American Council of the Blind has just announced its new leadership, and it is my honor to congratulate Kim Charlson on her election as the new ACB President. Kim has been actively involved in ACB’s work for 30 years. Kim is also the first female president of a blindness consumer organization in the U.S., so this is quite an achievement. I’d also like to congratulate Jeff Thom on his new role as first vice president of ACB. Jeff, of course, is on our board of trustees so I know he’s a…

It was with great sadness that I learned Stephen Marriott, former member of the American Foundation for the Blind Board of Trustees, passed away over the weekend after a long battle with a degenerative mitochondrial disease. Stephen was a gifted trainer—when he was on our board, he frequently gave great advice on marketing and communications issues. He became a staunch advocate for people who are blind, and people who are totally blind in particular. Stephen was a role model for anyone facing…

On May 1, I'll be attending the Reading and Literacy Summit hosted by our good friends, Lions Club International. This event presents a promising opportunity to share vital information on topics such as accelerating global literacy, improved reading material distribution, expanding inclusion, and overcoming illiteracy through technology. AFB has been working with the Lions over the past year to expand braille and technology literacy through the Reading Action Program. For the millions of…

It is with a heavy heart that I announce Arthur Weisberg, member of the American Foundation for the Blind Board of Trustees, passed away on November 24, 2012. Art was a dear friend and supporter of AFB and a huge champion of our work in Huntington, West Virginia. Personally, Art was a mentor to me. Every time we spoke, I picked up on some new, unexpected life lesson. I often say that Art's book, the wonderfully unpretentious "Call Me Art," should be required reading. From his humble…

Since its inception, the American Foundation for the Blind has been dedicated to promoting the use of braille. We have championed braille literacy, the use of technology to facilitate access to information in braille, the development of effective codes to allow for efficient production of braille material, and even for sharing of braille material across international borders. We continue this work by stating our strong endorsement of the Unified English Braille Code (UEBC) and call upon the…