ABL Welcomes Spring!

Affiliated Blind of Louisiana Newsletter - April 2026

As we step into a new season, Affiliated Blind of Louisiana invites you to embrace the power of a spring reset. Forward movement doesn’t require perfection, just intention. This season offers an opportunity to realign, refocus, and move ahead with clarity. As you step into a season built on fresh starts, take a moment to ask yourself: what will you choose to carry forward, and what will you leave behind?

We hope that you enjoy the information in this quarterly newsletter and that the articles give you a boost to start this spring season with amazing intentions and goals!

Connected by Touch: Get Ready for DeafBlind Awareness Week 2026!

Exciting news! The Helen Keller National Center has officially announced the theme for 2026 DeafBlind Awareness Week:

Connected by Touch: Breaking Barriers, Building Bridges

This year’s theme celebrates the power of connection, communication, and community. It highlights how people who are DeafBlind build meaningful relationships and navigate the world—often through touch—while breaking down barriers and creating new opportunities.

DeafBlind Awareness Week 2026 runs June 25 through July 1, in honor of Helen Keller’s birthday on June 27.

What’s Coming This Spring? A variety of helpful and engaging resources designed to educate, inspire, and bring people together:

• Official Awareness Poster – Perfect for sharing in your community
• Professional Fact Sheets – Easy-to-understand information you can trust
• Interactive Webinars – Learn directly from experts and advocates
• Proclamation Templates – Make it easy for your city or organization to show support

Get Involved - Now is the perfect time to start planning how you, your organization, or your community can participate. Whether you’re raising awareness, hosting an event, or simply learning more, every effort helps build a more inclusive world.

Together, we can stay Connected by Touch: breaking barriers and building bridges every step of the way.

For more information and templates visit: https://www.helenkeller.org/dbaw2026/

Keep Cooking with Confidence

Join Hadley’s Cooking Series!

At Hadley Institute for the Blind and Visually Impaired, we believe the kitchen should be a place of joy, independence, and creativity no matter your level of vision.

Our Cooking Series workshops are designed especially for people who are blind, low vision, or DeafBlind. Whether you’re a beginner or already love to cook, these workshops will help you discover safe, practical, and effective ways to handle everyday kitchen tasks.

Let’s Get Cooking! Cooking is more than preparing meals, it’s about independence, creativity, and connection. With Hadley’s Cooking Series, you can continue building skills, trying new recipes, and enjoying your time in the kitchen with confidence.

What You’ll Learn

• New techniques for preparing meals safely
• Tips for measuring, cutting, and organizing ingredients
• Ways to adapt your kitchen to fit your needs
• Confidence to keep doing what you love or try something new

We understand that not everyone uses a computer. Hadley offers workshop materials in formats that meet your needs:

• Large Print
• Braille
• Digital Talking Book (Audio)

If you or someone you know would like materials mailed directly, Hadley is happy to help:

Phone: 1-800-323-4238
Hours: Monday – Friday, 8:00 AM – 6:00 PM (Central Time)
Email: Info@HadleyHelps.org

America250 Book Club with Utah State Library for the Blind

As we continue celebrating opportunities to learn, connect, and grow, the Utah State Library for the Blind invites you to be part of something special in 2026. In honor of America250, they are launching an exciting year-long Book Club designed for readers who are blind, low vision, or DeafBlind.

This engaging program will feature one book each month, with quarterly Zoom discussions where participants can come together for meaningful and lively conversations. Dates for discussions will be shared at a later time. You can sign up anytime, making it easy to join when it works best for you. To join the book club, simply reach out using one of the options:

Email: ffischer@utah.gov
Phone: 801-715-6789
Toll Free: 800-662-5540

Participants from all service states are welcome, creating a diverse and engaging reading community from across the country. While Zoom discussions are encouraged, they are not required, so you can participate in a way that feels comfortable for you. Everyone who completes the program will receive a special memento at the end of the year. This thoughtfully curated reading list explores important moments, people, and stories that helped shape the United States:

• April: Pox American: The Great Smallpox Epidemic by Elizabeth Fenn
• May: Ladies of Liberty: The Women Who Shaped Our Nation by Cokie Roberts
• June: Escalante’s Dream: On the Trail of the Spanish Discovery of the Southwest by David Roberts
• July: Founding Brothers: The Revolutionary Generation by Joseph Ellis

Consider joining and making this spring a season of reading, learning, and connection.

Out of Touch with Braille? Create a braille design for spring!

Row 1: Space 9 times, make “in”, make “en”

Row 2: Space 8 times, make cell (4, 6), Space 2 times, make “k”

Row 3: Space 5 times, make “in”, make “c”, make “en”, Space 1 time,

make “e”, make “i”, Space 1 time, make “in”, make “c”, make “en”

Row 4: Space 4 times, make cell (4, 6), Space 3 times, make “o”, make

2 full cells, make “ow”, Space 3 times, make “k”

Row 5: Space 5 times, make “e”, make hyphen, make “i”, Space 1 time, make “i”, make “e”, Space 1 time, make “e”, make hyphen, make “i”

Row 6: Space 8 times, make cell (4, 6), Space 2 times, make “k”

Row 7: Space 9 times, make “wh”, make “s”

Row 8: Space 9 times, make cell (4, 5, 6), make letter “l”

Row 9: Space 4 times, make 12 full cells

Row 10: Space 5 times, make 10 full cells

Row 11: Space 6 times, make 8 full cells

Row 12: Space 6 times, make 8 full cells

Row 13: Make 18 full cells

Here is what your flower in a pot should look like:

For more Braille Designs visit: https://www.pathstoliteracy.org/just-fun-braille-designs/

Expand Your Skills This April with Braille Institute

Looking for new ways to build independence, confidence, and everyday skills from the comfort of home? This April, the Braille Institute is offering a variety of free, fully accessible virtual workshops and classes designed specifically for individuals who are blind, visually impaired, or DeafBlind. Whether you are exploring something new or strengthening daily routines, there is something for you.

Braille Basics
Monday, April 13
1:00 to 2:00 PM PT

Discover the fundamentals of braille in a beginner-friendly workshop designed for those with little or no experience. Participants will explore the basics through engaging, hands-on learning.

Register online: https://bit.ly/416MbF1

Explore New Features with Alexa Plus
Wednesday, April 29
12:00 to 1:00 PM PT

Learn about the latest features of Alexa Plus, an upgraded AI-powered assistant. This session will demonstrate how voice technology can support independence with smarter and more conversational interactions.

Register online: https://bit.ly/4dSdOsX

Intro to JAWS (Job Access With Speech)
Tuesdays, April 7 through April 28
10:00 to 11:00 AM PT

Build confidence using a computer with JAWS, a popular screen reader. This class covers essential navigation commands, internet browsing, and document reading, helping participants increase independence in digital environments.

Home Organization Made Easy
Fridays, April 10 through May 15
11:00 AM to 12:00 PM PT

This six-week class provides practical strategies for organizing your home using tactile labeling and adaptive techniques. Participants will learn how to create systems that make spaces easier to navigate and daily routines more efficient.

Why Participate? These free programs provide an opportunity to learn valuable skills, increase independence, and connect with a supportive community all from home. Instruction is designed to be accessible, practical, and empowering for individuals who are blind, visually impaired, or DeafBlind. Take the next step by registering for a workshop or call 1-800-BRAILLE to enroll in a class today.

Feeling The Big Easy
2026 ABL State Convention

Sight Optional, Vision Required!

Get ready to experience the rhythm, culture, and connection of Affiliated Blind of Louisiana’s 2026 State Convention. This year’s theme, “Feeling the Big Easy,” invites you to immerse yourself in the spirit of New Orleans where music, community, and opportunity come together. Our slogan says it best: “Sight Optional, Vision Required.”

Join us September 18–20, 2026, at the beautiful InterContinental New Orleans, where room rates are just $139.00 per night. Throughout the weekend, attendees will enjoy a lively mix of New Orleans themed entertainment, delicious food, and engaging activities. The convention will also feature instructional and educational sessions, inspiring speakers, and important updates during the ABL State Board meeting, including elections.

Registration is $80.00 for participants ages 12 and older, making this an accessible and valuable experience for all who attend. Be on the lookout for more details coming your way soon. Convention packets and registration materials will be sent out late April 2026 via email and mail.

Come ready to learn, connect, and celebrate because in New Orleans, you don’t just see the magic… you feel it!

LSBVI Alumni Reunion

The LSBVI Alumni Reunion will be held from June 12-14, 2026 in Baton Rouge at the Embassy Suites. Any graduates or students who have attended the school for any reason are invited. If you are interested, registration is $25 until May 22, 2026. The reservation link, as well as the Google form are listed below.

https://www.hilton.com/en/attend-my-event/btrcses-lsb-1c828e2c-bf94-40db-a4fc-5e09269c772d/

https://www.facebook.com/share/p/17tRHY5gYA/?

ABL’s Telephone Support Group

We launched a new ABL Conference Call Support Group to help bring our community closer together. This group provides a safe and accessible space to share experiences, discuss challenges, celebrate victories, and learn from guest speakers. Most importantly, we want your input on topics and resources that matter to you.

Sessions are held on the last Tuesday of every month at 1:30 PM.

To join in call 1-877-332-6617 then enter guest code 483000.

For more information, call the Project COPE office at 337-234-6492.

A Vision for the Future: ABL President Chyvonne Blanchard Selected for Groundbreaking ICVP Brain Implant Project

Affiliated Blind of Louisiana is proud to announce a historic milestone for our organization and the blind community at large. Our State President, Chyvonne W. Blanchard, has been officially accepted as a participant in the Intracortical Visual Prosthesis (ICVP) project, a pioneering clinical trial that stands at the forefront of neural engineering and vision rehabilitation.

What is the ICVP Project? The ICVP is a research study led by the Illinois Institute of Technology in collaboration with The Chicago Lighthouse and several leading medical institutions. Unlike other current studies that require an intact retina or optic nerve, the ICVP system bypasses the eyes entirely. The technology utilizes a series of tiny, wireless stimulators called Wireless Floating Microelectrode Arrays (WFMAs). These are surgically implanted directly into the brain’s visual cortex. By sending wireless signals to these arrays, researchers aim to create "phosphenes" (perceived spots of light) that can potentially help a person who is totally blind navigate their environment and perform visually guided tasks using their brain and not their eyes.

The Journey Ahead - Chyvonne is scheduled to undergo brain surgery soon to have the device implanted. Following a recovery period, she will begin the research phase of the project. This commitment will involve traveling to Chicago for one week every month to work directly with the scientific team. As a blind participant, her role is vital; she will provide the real-world feedback necessary to map how these wireless stimulations translate into meaningful "vision" for the user.

In Her Own Words - For Chyvonne, this is more than just a scientific trial, it is a deeply personal mission. "I truly feel like this move is the next step I need to take in my journey of life," Chyvonne shared. "Knowing that I am contributing to the future of the rehabilitation field makes me feel amazing. It is an honor to be selected for the ICVP team and to represent our community in such a significant way. Woo-hoo!"

A Call for Support - As she prepares for this "adventure", as she calls it, Chyvonne is eager to keep the ABL membership informed of her progress. She will be sharing updates on her experiences and the research milestones reached in Chicago. During this time, she asks her ABL family and friends for their prayers and good vibes. Your support means the world to her as she takes this courageous leap to help pave the way for future generations of the blind and visually impaired.

Thank you for reading The Buzz. Together we connect, grow, and champion independence.