NABS Notes - June 2026
"Today you are You, that is truer than true. There is no one alive who is Youer than You." - Dr. Seuss
There’s something special about places that embrace what makes them different. The best communities aren’t built by everyone fitting into the same mold. They’re built by people bringing their unique perspectives, talents, and experiences to the table. Like a city known for celebrating individuality, creativity, and doing things its own way, the National Association of Blind Students thrives because of the diverse voices that make it what it is.
NABS has never been about blending in. It’s a place where blind students from every corner of the country come together to share ideas, challenge expectations, and build a stronger future. We are leaders, advocates, musicians, scientists, athletes, entrepreneurs, and innovators. We support one another through successes and setbacks, and we recognize that our differences are not obstacles to overcome, but strengths that make our community vibrant and resilient.
As we look ahead to gathering in Austin this summer, we're reminded that one of the greatest strengths of NABS is its ability to welcome every student exactly as they are. Whether you're attending your first convention, stepping into a leadership role, or simply looking for a place to belong, there's room for your voice, your ideas, and your unique contribution. After all, keeping NABS weird isn't about being strange. It's about celebrating the individuality, creativity, and passion that make this organization unlike any other.
Welcome to the June edition of NABS Notes, the official newsletter of the National Association of Blind Students! This month, we're embracing the spirit of "Keep NABS Weird" as we highlight the great work of our fabulous committees, spotlight a certain student division that is unlike any other, we'll recieve words of wisdom from our wonderful President Lauren, and much more! Buckle up, because things will only get weirder from there.
In this edition you will find:
- A message from NABS President Lauren Chaya Altmen
- Student Division Spotlight
- Committee Updates
- Resource of the month
A Message from NABS President Lauren Chaya Altman
It's hard to believe it's almost time for the National Convention again! Conclusion of business at the end of the banquet will mark the end of another year in NABS. The theme for this month's newsletter is "Keeping NABS Weird," which is probably exactly why the Content Creation Committee asked me to write this month's reflection. It happens to be that keeping things weird is exactly my skill-set!
We have done a lot of wild things this year in NABS. We hosted two regional seminars, a ton of informational calls and a lot of other things I'm not going to get into at the risk of spoiling my presidential report for next month!
This year in NABS really helped to show me the importance of community. We've been through a lot of change over the past 11 months. As students we tend to be experts at pivoting and thinking on our feet to adapt when the unexpected comes our way. I was lucky to be surrounded by lots of folks this year that did just that. Students that took on extra work and were quick to jump in and fill in the gaps when needed. Students that didn't back down from the challenge in front of them but went above and beyond and put their own unique twist on it to make their work extra meaningful.
On a personal note, this is also the conclusion of my third year on the board and I am getting ready to step down from my presidency. This feels very strange to me since in many ways I feel like it was just yesterday when I found out that I was being nominated. I have gained an incredible amount from my service in the National Student Division. I am very excited to see our next batch of leaders do the exact same and continue to make our organization better each year.
Weird people have been and always will be my favorite kind of people. Luckily we have many of them in NABS to keep making things great for many years to come. If you are weird, (or I guess, even if you aren't) and would like to get more involved in NABS, we would absolutely love to have you! Check out our networking event and our business meeting in Austin and come join the family!
Student Division Highlight: Utah Association of Blind student
The Utah Association of Blind Students is entering an exciting new chapter, and there is a lot happening here in the Beehive State!
Over the last month, UTABS welcomed an entirely new board, including two of our very own NFB of Utah scholarship winners. This new leadership team has hit the ground running and is already hard at work building on the strong foundation that has made UTABS such a fun and active student division.
With a mostly new board comes new opportunities for growth. We've spent a lot of time learning about the mission of the National Federation of the Blind, strengthening our understanding of Federation philosophy, and thinking creatively about how we can better serve blind students across Utah. Thanks to a growing membership and increased engagement, we're also exploring ways to expand beyond our traditional schedule of one or two in-person events each year by adding more opportunities for students to connect, both in person and through hybrid meetings.
Looking ahead, one of the most anticipated UTABS traditions is right around the corner: our annual UTABS Hike! Each August, students from across the state come together, proudly representing their schools, for a fun hike followed by lunch, ice cream, or another well-earned treat. It's the perfect way to kick off the academic year, reconnect with friends, meet new students, and get excited for everything UTABS has planned in the months ahead.
If there's one thing you should know about UTABS, it's this: we may be the saltiest student division in the Federation, but we definitely know how to have fun here in the 801.
The future is bright for UTABS, and we're just getting started.
Committee Updates!
Membership Committee
Membership hosted an exciting Game Night in May, offering a Jeopardy-style game centered on NFB and US history, Blind Bosses, and our favorite movies and facts. The NABS book club will no longer be an entity of the Membership Committee and will operate as a separate space, barring any objections. The only call in June will be the book club meeting, allowing everyone time to prepare for the national convention. Enjoy Austin, y’all!
Advocacy Committee
Greetings NABS and Happy Summer! Hopefully you are out of school at this point, enjoying a day at the beach and looking ahead to summer.
This month, Advocacy is working on our last DARE Call about accessible recreation activities ahead of many spending time outdoors in warm weather. The Interpersonal Task Force will host this call on 6/24 at 8 PM EST which is a Wednesday night. Mark your calendar and join us in the NABS Zoom Room.
We are also pleased with how much people learned about the Texas v. Kennedy case challenge on 5/31 at our call and stay tuned to learn about more resources to stay informed and give public comment. Also, look for our weekly questions in the What's App on Wednesdays to answer and join the conversation.
Happy Convention season and be well.
The Advocacy Committee
Fundraising Committee
Hello NABS! Your Fundraising Committee has been working diligently to raise funds for our vital mission. On April 26th, we hosted an impactful Finances 101 call featuring incredible panelists who shared essential resources and answered your amazing questions about becoming financially literate as a blind individual.Next up, we are gearing up for the annual National Convention Walkathon! To help you get involved, please join us this Sunday, May 31, at 6:00 PM ET via our usual Zoom Link for a quick info and live sign-up session where we will guide you through the RallyUp registration and donation setup. Finally, keep a lookout for our annual merchandise—we are designing some incredibly cool items to sell at the convention. We cannot wait to see you all in Austin, Texas!
Zoom link-
If you’d like to participate, please complete both of the following:
Google Form:
https://forms.gle/RDoA3FLaSnGxeMzL7n
NABS Rally Up:
https://go.rallyup.com/2026blindstudents
Content Creation Committee
Hello, NABS!
Just because the stress of finals is behind us and we’re all gearing up for whatever summer may bring doesn’t mean your Content Committee is taking a break!
Our monthly NABS Notes continue to be a smashing success thanks to everyone who reads, interacts, and especially those who work behind the scenes to make everything look and sound great.
A special shoutout to everyone who listened to, streamed, and supported our podcast episode on life after NABS! Be sure to keep an eye out for even more exciting episodes coming soon.
On the social media front, we’re always excited to spotlight everything happening across NABS. We’re especially looking forward to continuing to promote our Walkathon and our upcoming Southwest Seminar.
Be sure to keep an eye on our YouTube channel and stay tuned for all the exciting updates coming your way!
Stay connected with us on:
Resource of the month: YOU
This month, we're doing something a little different. Instead of highlighting a resource, I want to highlight someone even more important: you.
As we continue to celebrate the wonderful weirdness of NABS, I'm reminded that some of the best things about our organization are the unique personalities that make it what it is. NABS isn't built by people who all think alike. It's built by people who bring their own interests, talents, passions, and quirks to the table.
So this month's "resource" is YOU:
Y – Yield to your passions. Make time for the things that excite you and make you curious.
O – Own your story. Your experiences and perspective matter. Don't be afraid to share them.
U – Unleash your weirdness. The things that make you different are often the things that make you memorable.
As we continue keeping NABS weird, remember that the goal isn't to fit in, it's to show up as your authentic self. After all, there's only one you, and that's a pretty great resource to have.
Now, if you're looking for the ultimate weird gathering of blind students, leaders, advocates, innovators, and future world-changers, join us at the National Federation of the Blind National Convention in Austin, Texas, July 3–8. It truly is the largest gathering of blind people in the world, and there's nothing quite like experiencing it for yourself.
Can't make it to Austin? No problem. Virtual registration is available, making it possible to participate from wherever you are. You can learn more and register at: https://www.nfb.org/convention
And if you can't make it in person or virtually, that's okay too. Knowing you, I'm sure you'll find some other weird adventure to get yourself into.
Until next time, keep NABS weird and keep being YOU.