National Federation of the Blind of Nevada

09/16/2026

Have You Face Barriers Because Using Smart Glasses That has Artificial Inteligence?

08/15/2026

Blindness is not better understood

"Blindness is not best understood by closing one’s eyes and trying to cross a room," Gary Wunder wrote.

"It is understood by listening to people who live with blindness every day. It is understood by learning from blind people who work, raise families, travel, read, cook, teach, lead, worship, vote, love, argue, build, and contribute. It is understood by recognizing that we are not symbols of tragedy, courage, helplessness, or inspiration. We are human beings."

Read more of "The Golden Rule, the Platinum Rule, and the Right to Speak for Ourselves," in the Braille Monitor: https://buff.ly/ApyvLAn

07/29/2026

RESOLUTION 2026-01 Regarding an Immediate Motion to Dismiss Texas v. Kennedy
WHEREAS, Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 is a landmark civil rights statute for people with disabilities, protecting us from discrimination by federal agencies and recipients of federal funding in public education, work readiness programs, healthcare, elections, the court system, and more; and

WHEREAS, in 2024, seventeen states’ attorneys general filed a lawsuit known as Texas v. Kennedy alleging that Section 504 is unconstitutional and should be entirely or partially enjoined, limiting it only to those programs, services, and activities directly funded by and through the Rehabilitation Act of 1973; and

WHEREAS, on January 23, 2026, the states of Texas, Alaska, Florida, Indiana, Kansas, Louisiana, Missouri, Montana, and South Dakota, in an amended complaint, renewed their attack on Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 and the integration mandate stemming from the United States Supreme Court’s interpretation of that law in the landmark case of Olmstead v. l.C.; and

WHEREAS, in the updated lawsuit, the nine states asked the court to: declare Section 504 as unlawful, stop the Department of Health and Human Services from enforcing Section 504, and stop the Department of Health and Human Services from enforcing the integration mandate; and

WHEREAS, on February 12, to defend the rights of all blind Americans, the presidents of the National Federation of the Blind affiliates in each of the nine plaintiff states in the lawsuit sent a joint letter to each of their attorneys general to advocate for the withdrawal of the states from the suit; and

WHEREAS, on March 19, the National Federation of the Blind issued an advocacy alert to all members of the Federation to contact the attorneys general in each of the nine plaintiff states to advocate for the withdrawal of the states from the suit; and

WHEREAS, due to the advocacy of the National Federation of the Blind, on May 4, the attorney general of Indiana withdrew the Hoosier State as a plaintiff in the suit, bringing the total number of plaintiff states down to eight; and

WHEREAS, due to the advocacy of the National Federation of the Blind, on May 12, the attorney general of South Dakota withdrew the Mount Rushmore State as a plaintiff in the suit, bringing the total number of plaintiff states down to seven; and

WHEREAS, due to the advocacy of the National Federation of the Blind, on June 10, the attorney general of Kansas withdrew the Sunflower State as a plaintiff in the suit, bringing the total number of plaintiff states down to six; and

WHEREAS, if the remaining plaintiffs’ demands are granted, it will have a devastating effect on blind Americans’ rights to effective communication and reasonable accommodation in connection with government programs, services, and activities, including but not limited to education, employment, housing, healthcare, and other forms of civic life; and

WHEREAS, a separate but equally devastating effect of the lawsuit would be the threat of forced institutionalization for blind and other disabled Americans into sheltered workshops, nursing homes, and other institutions: Now, therefore,

BE IT RESOLVED by the National Federation of the Blind in Convention assembled this seventh day of July, 2026, in the city of Austin, Texas, that this organization condemn and deplore Texas and the five remaining plaintiff states for their role in persevering with the Texas v. Kennedy lawsuit; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that this organization immediately call upon Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton to move to dismiss the Texas v. Kennedy lawsuit because of the far-reaching and harmful effects the lawsuit could have on the lives of blind and other disabled Americans; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that this organization call upon the attorneys general of Alaska, Florida, Louisiana, Missouri, and Montana to immediately withdraw from the Texas v. Kennedy lawsuit; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that this organization commend Todd Rokita, Marty Jackley, and Kris Kobach, the attorneys general of Indiana, South Dakota, and Kansas, respectively, for withdrawing their states from the Texas v. Kennedy lawsuit.

07/29/2026

And then there were three.

An update on Texas v. Kennedy, a lawsuit challenging federal regulations implementing Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973.

06/19/2026

A New Chapter for NNCIL
This month, we say goodbye to Executive Director Lisa Bonie, who has led NNCIL for the past 15 years.

During that time she expanded resources, services, and community connections throughout NNCIL’s service area, which covers the entire state except for Clark County. Among her many accomplishments was the creation of NNCIL’s Blind & Low Vision Program, which has helped countless individuals gain skills, confidence, and independence. She also raised funds to build NNCIL’s fully accessible teaching kitchen, providing consumers with a welcoming space to learn cooking techniques and independent living skills.

Perhaps one of Lisa’s most memorable achievements was the creation of PumpkinPalooza, a beloved community celebration and fundraiser that ran for five years and attracted tens of thousands of visitors to downtown Sparks. Beyond the festivities, the event created meaningful opportunities for people with disabilities to volunteer, participate, and connect with the broader community.

While Lisa’s leadership will be greatly missed, NNCIL is pleased to announce that Associate Director Mark Tadder will step into the role of Executive Director.

Mark brings years of experience and a deep commitment to the Independent Living philosophy. For the past two years, he has served as NNCIL’s Associate Director while continuing to oversee the Blind & Low Vision Program, a role he held for five years prior. In that capacity, he helped expand services and strengthen partnerships across the 16 Nevada counties served by NNCIL.

“Following someone like Lisa will be challenging, but she has set everything in place for us to continue to build and be more successful in providing resources for our consumers to live independently,” Mark said.

Working alongside the NNCIL team, Mark plans to continue expanding services into underserved areas of Nevada while strengthening and growing existing programs. He also hopes to continue improving NNCIL’s facility, making it an even more welcoming and accessible space for consumers, staff, and community members.

About Mark
Mark’s journey with disability and independent living began after he was diagnosed in early adulthood with an unknown form of retinitis pigmentosa (RP), a progressive eye disease. Rather than slowing down, he accelerated his pursuits, including rock climbing, skiing, and filmmaking.

As his vision loss progressed, Mark transitioned to operating a web consulting company to working from home while serving as the primary caregiver for his young son. Eventually, his vision declined to the point that he sought services through Nevada’s vocational rehabilitation system, where he received orientation and mobility training, Braille instruction, and screen-reader technology training.

Around the same time, he helped create the Sierra Nevada Transportation Coalition, which worked to research and develop transportation solutions for people with disabilities, older adults, and individuals experiencing poverty throughout Northern Nevada.

A pivotal moment came in 2015 when Mark attended his first National Federation of the Blind convention. There, he embraced the organization’s philosophy that blindness does not define a person’s potential and that low expectations are often a greater barrier than blindness itself. After serving for five years as President of the NFB of Nevada’s Northern Chapter and First Vice President of the Nevada Affiliate, he was elected President of the National Federation of the Blind of Nevada in 2022. Mark concluded his leadership role with the Nevada NFB on May 31, 2026, to focus on his new responsibilities and to support the expansion of NNCIL’s programs and services.

Mark earned a bachelor’s degree in Intercultural Communications and Anthropology and pursued graduate studies in Archaeology at Arizona State University.

As NNCIL begins this next chapter, we're grateful for Lisa’s years of leadership and look forward to continuing our mission under Mark’s guidance:

06/04/2026

Nevada State Convention of the National Federation of the Blind, May 30th, 2026

06/03/2026

01/04/2026

Happy Birthday Louis Braillel