White Canes Connect

08/10/2026

This week’s Federation Focus at https://youtu.be/h4vB-ZVhtIc is packed! College-bound blind or low vision students have until August 31 to apply for a $1,500 NFB of PA scholarship. We also have seven meetings this week, a recap of the Keystone Chapter’s very hot Philly Fun Walk, upcoming fundraisers, and opportunities to run or volunteer during Philadelphia Marathon weekend.
Plus, hear the latest on our 2026 State Convention, November 5–8 at the Hershey Lodge, including the search for sponsors and exhibitors. And now there’s an easy way to get our weekly newsletter, and where you can sign up.
There’s a lot happening across the affiliate—watch this week’s Federation Focus!

Federation Focus is on for the week of August 10, 2026! This week, ...

08/03/2026

Watch at https://youtu.be/-Ta68Kn93wU and learn about Philly Fun Walk Week in the National Federation of the Blind of Pennsylvania! In this week’s Federation Focus, I share details on five upcoming meetings, including Coffee with the President live from Lancaster, Saturday chapter meetings, and PABS’s Pre-Semester Power Hour.
I also preview Keystone’s Philly Fun Walk from the Penn Museum to Cira Green, our new Pampered Chef fundraiser, Philadelphia Marathon opportunities for runners and volunteers, and registration for the 2026 State Convention at the Hershey Lodge.
There are plenty of ways to connect, participate, and support our movement this week. Watch now, join us, and help us keep building the NFB of Pennsylvania.

It’s Philly Fun Walk Week! In this episode of Federation Focus, I h...

07/31/2026

Are people who wear smart glasses creeps—or are critics overlooking accessibility?�Listen: https://www.iCantCU.com/300
In episode 300 of iCantCU, I explain why my Ray-Ban Meta glasses are an assistive tool, not a surveillance gimmick. For blind and low-vision people, smart glasses can help us read signs, identify objects, locate exits and restrooms, and navigate unfamiliar places.
I also recap the National Federation of the Blind National Convention in Austin—from chocolate-covered pretzels and Texas barbecue to a bat bridge with no bats—and share a candid update on Ziggy as he nears the end of chemotherapy.

07/27/2026

Federation Focus is on for the week of July 27 at https://youtu.be/biGo3Nkiuxg ! The Jigsaw Chapter meets Saturday, August 1, at 10:00 AM Eastern, and everyone is welcome. We are also less than two weeks away from the Keystone Chapter’s Philly Fun Walk on August 8. Join us after the meeting as we walk from the Penn Museum to Cira Green, climb the 12 flights of stairs, circle the park, and enjoy our summer picnic.
I also share updates on the 2026 State Convention at the Hershey Lodge, sponsorship opportunities, and episode 156 of White Canes Connect, featuring practical blind travel tips from author Lynn Jensen.
Watch now, and help us build the National Federation of the Blind of Pennsylvania.

Federation Focus is on for the week of July 27, 2026!This week, I ...

07/27/2026

🎧 Episode 156 of White Canes Connect is ready for takeoff! Listen here: https://www.whitecanesconnect.com/156/
Host Simon Bonenfant talks with Lynn Jensen, author of Best Kept Secrets for Travelers with Sight Loss, about planning, packing, self-advocacy, guide dogs, white canes, accessible technology, and navigating unfamiliar places with confidence.
Lynn explains why preparation matters, shares her journey from resisting mobility tools to embracing the freedom they provide, and previews her upcoming virtual independent-living workshops. Her message is simple: blindness or low vision does not have to stop you from traveling.

07/21/2026

This week on Federation Focus at https://youtu.be/74Af0X-NT7U , I’m highlighting two upcoming meetings and several ways to get moving for the National Federation of the Blind.
The Seniors Group meets Wednesday, July 22, at 7:30 PM, followed by the 2026 State Convention Planning Meeting on Thursday, July 23, at 7:00 PM.
I also share details about the Keystone Chapter’s Philly Fun Walk on August 8—from the Penn Museum to Cira Green, including 12 flights of stairs and a lap 12 stories above the Schuylkill River. Plus, learn how to join the Coast to Coast Movement Challenge and run or volunteer during Philadelphia Marathon Weekend.
Watch and help us build the National Federation of the Blind of Pennsylvania: [YouTube link]

This week on Federation Focus, I’m sharing two important meetings a...

07/15/2026

Federation Focus is on from Austin at https://youtu.be/PWEL_otz3WA ! The 2026 National Convention has wrapped up, and I’m sharing highlights, attendance numbers, and an early reminder that we return to the JW Marriott Austin in July 2027.
Back in Pennsylvania, the calendar is filling with ways to participate and support the movement: Dancing in the Dark on October 10, Greater Philadelphia’s cabaret on October 30, Keystone’s Coast to Coast Movement Challenge walk on August 8, and Philadelphia Marathon Weekend in November.
State Convention registration and hotel reservations are also open for November 5–8 at Hershey Lodge. The all-inclusive package is $225, and rooms are $149 per night.

Federation Focus is on from Austin, Texas, following the close of t...

07/10/2026

This week’s Federation Focus at https://youtu.be/duUslpqYTak is coming to you from Cira Green, 12 stories above the Schuylkill River!
David shares details about the Keystone Chapter meeting on Saturday, July 11, at 10:15 AM at the Penn Museum and via Zoom. He also previews Keystone’s Coast-to-Coast Movement Challenge event on August 8, when members and friends will walk from the Penn Museum to Cira Green, climb the stairs, and continue moving together above the city.
Please support the Keystone Chapter by making a donation.
And to every chapter and division across Pennsylvania: get signed up, get creative, and get moving. Let’s build the National Federation of the Blind of Pennsylvania together.

First, the Keystone Chapter meets on Saturday, July 11, at 10:15 AM...

07/02/2026

Episode 299 of iCantCU is up at https://youtu.be/cytlfV94GWE, and this one has a little bit of everything: smart glasses frustration, convention prep, a rooftop walk in Philly, and Ziggy absolutely losing his mind in the Dairy Queen drive-thru.
I give the Rokid Style smart glasses one more chance after several real-world failures and some strange iPhone issues that may be part of the problem. I also talk about heading to Austin for the National Federation of the Blind National Convention and why people should not be afraid to use the word “blind.”
Plus, you’ll see b-roll from Cira Green as we get ready for the Keystone Chapter’s Coast to Coast Movement Challenge walk, along with one very excited golden retriever waiting for ice cream.

Rokid Style smart glasses are getting one more chance. After severa...

06/29/2026

It’s convention week on Federation Focus for June 29, 2026, at https://youtu.be/66VuDOkcYtE ! David Goldstein shares important NFB of PA updates before heading to Austin, including a reminder that there will be no Coffee with the President this month and details on the Pennsylvania caucus during National Convention. He also covers upcoming fundraisers, the Coast to Coast Movement Challenge, Philadelphia Marathon opportunities, virtual convention registration, and state convention reminders. Then, stay tuned for Convention 101, a special PABS webinar with Noor Khraisat, Leen Khraisat, Daud Yasar, Lynn Heitz, David Goldstein, and Harriet Danner sharing tips for first-time convention attendees.

It’s convention week, and Federation Focus for June 29, 2026, has e...