Visionary Solutions Newsletter #3
- michaelbeattie8
- Jul 15
- 2 min read
2026 Resolutions (National Federation of the Blind of New Jersey, July 9th 2026)
The National Federation for the Blind of New Jersey (or NFB of NJ for short) is a non-profit organization in New Jersey dedicated to spread awareness, advocate rights, and give resources for those who are visually impaired. Once every year, the organization hosts a State Convention that gives out support and education for visually impaired people and numerous resources to those curious about helping out. The State Convention is also a place for the organization's resolution committee to go over or adjust resolutions for their cause, as well as potentially adopt new ones to follow and understand.
This year, the committee proposed their fourteen resolutions for them to commit to. These resolutions are related to how the National Federation works for all members, disapproval for Department changes and discrimination, demands, and reassurances on its goals and values. Our very own Michael Beattie has assisted with writing the second resolution; which related to the legal and moral obligation for the National Federation to provide resources and services for any visually impaired individual who request either of those things.
Read all resolutions here: https://nfbnj.org/resolutions/2026-resolutions
Disability rights advocates rally at Texas Capitol, urge state to drop out of lawsuit (KVUE ABC, July 3rd, 2026)
Back in September 2024, Texas Attorney Ken Paxton filed a lawsuit against the Biden Administration, asking to remove gender dysphoria from the definition of disabilities in the Section 504 Rehabilitation Act. Section 504 was established in 1973 to protect disabled individuals from discrimination in schools, housing, healthcare, and federal funding. Paxton claims that expanding the definition too much would take resources away from those with quote “genuine disabilities.”
This not only seems to be an attack against transgender people (as gender dysphoria describes the insecurity/distress of gender not aligning with sex), but disability activists argue that this lawsuit could do more harm than good, by causing a domino effect against other disorders and disabilities. Said activists rallied around the Texas Capitol Friday July 3rd urging Paxton to drop the lawsuit. State Representative Donna Howard stated that “If this goes through and makes it to the Supreme Court, it could mean that every state would have the ability through the law not to give access to people with disabilities.” In other words, states would be able to cut funding for any kind of disability and disorder they want solely based off bias or opinion, risking institutionalization and loss of programs.
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