Back at work after a week away for #NFB23. It feels weird to say but I'm glad to be back. Apparently, I actually like my job. Go figure. Happy Monday, y'all.

@JonathanMosen So glad you made it home safely! But even more than that, I'm so glad you came and spoke at #NFB23! Powerful words!

Do you think the new term "Vision Industrial Complex," coined by NFB President Mark Riccobono, will catch on? #NFB23

At the airport reflecting on an amazing #nfb23. The convention was wonderful in a lot of ways, but what I am most grateful for as I reflect today is how many longtime friends I was able to see and catch up with. Can’t wait until next year!

Many of us are heading home from #NFB23 today, so safe travels to those doing said thing. As for me, I'm not done just yet. I'll soon be packing up my laptop and other goodies to prepare to go into my own room here at the Hilton, as I'm sticking around for the Astros game tonight, and I'll be around this hotel until Monday morning. This convention overall has been a blast, and if anyone is sticking around, I'll still be able to meet if anyone wants. Everyone take care.

I wonder what happend to General session number five? Youtube says video is no longer available. #NFB23

***yawns*** it’s time to wake up and get ready to head home and see my lovely little boys! This has been a great visit with family and meeting new friends and seeing old ones. #HoustonTx #NFB23

Sitting in the Houston airport now with very little sleep, I can’t wait to get home to see the wife and kids. This year’s #NFB convention was great, especially for the members of our group. Looking forward to what next year holds. #NFB23 #NFB24

Well it's a bitter sweet moment. The #NFB23 convention is officially over, the banquet having just concluded. I've had a blast meeting up with everyone I was able to during the convention, even if I at times wanted to have a few words with the hotel elevators, :) I'm still around through the weekend, and will be attending the Astros game tomorrow, so if anyone wants to meet up that's sticking around a bit longer, just reach out and I'll for sure make stuff happen.

@MayAnderson2022 Have safe travels, and it was a pleasure to finally meet up, and thanks for the pizza place recommendation. As I'm here through the weekend, I will have to enjoy them at least once more. This trip has been awesome. #NFB23

Oh gosh, the speech from the Jernigan Scholarship winner was incredibly moving. I’m sitting here in tears at the banquet. What a wonderful speech from the heart. #NFB23

My last night here in Houston and it has been a blast. Got to hang out with family today and meet a couple of the awesome #VenomFM staff. Now to rest and then pack for the trip home tomorrow. #NFB23

My wife and I are having the virtual banquet experience this evening. There’s only one problem, there’s no crowd. What’s the solution? Another device with a crowd background to make it feel like we are actually there. :-) the funny part is this. While we were eating, when Pam Allen asked for the crowds attention, our crowd never shut up. Lol. @ShariRockz #NFB23

In an attempt to be helpful, I’ll explain why the Missouri affiliate is so enthusiastic about being at the banquet. Missouri loves company you see. #NFB23

Does anyone out here have a zoom link to tune in to the banquet? I’m having trouble with the YouTube link for some reason. #NFB23

Thanks for the incredible amount of feedback I have received regarding the vital issues I raised in my address to #NFB23. I have made the text and audio available for those who missed it or wish to review it. I hope this is only the start of a conversation about how we tackle the issues I outlined. https://mosen.org/nfb23/

Well crap. Here I was thinking I'd found my people, and then I was reminded about the NFB's sexual abuse stuff. But the whole radical thing? I thought I was radical before. Then @JonathanMosen spoke words on @podcast that I'd thought so many times but thought were too radical to say. The whole blind movement thing? I need that. I've felt so alone throughout my life. The way I care about technology, about user interfaces, about Braille, about beauty and audio and image descriptions. But how could I be in a movement that allowed sexual abuse? I wonder how this year went? If things were better? Then again, what if it happens again?

The blind community is spread thin. There's still an element of those who want to just wait on big corporations to do what needs doing. And we see how, within the last ten years at Google, in both Android and ChromeOS, that's working out. Waiting on them isn't working.

It's complicated, and I wrestle with the work the NFB does, versus the moral character of their leadership. But I'm so tired of feeling like I'm the only one writing about accessibility, trying to convey what I need from companies, foundations, and people. Tired of feeling powerless. Tired of not knowing how to explain why a PDF should be made accessible and why using OCR isn't good enough, tired of being the only one. The idea of having a Federationist at my back is so, so nice. But what will that cost to me? What would it mean if I acquiesce to an organization with such a dark stain on it. I don't know. I've never been to either NFB or ACB's conventions. But knowing people that have my back, that can help me? Hell, I need it. And maybe Mastodon is where the blind community can begin to band together more. Here, I don't feel so lowly. I see programmers fight with the same things I do. I feel more level with everyone else. No algos to shroud us away from each other. I don't know. I don't think there is a good answer.

#nfb23 #acb23 #nfb #acb #blind

@y_sotomayor It truly was a wonderful presentation, and highlighted many points which diserve to be discussed and put into action. #NFB23

What worthy recipients of the Jacob Bolotin award. I’m particularly delighted for Peggy Chong. When we chronicle and understand our history, it helps us to appreciate that we are on a continuum, and fosters #BlindPride. #NFB23

In some ways I’m disappointed that I haven’t won a door prize, but then I think, how would we have managed to take a door all the way back to New Zealand? #NFB23