Years in advance, our 2020 annual convention began to be discussed as a time to celebrate the 100 years since our founding in 1920. Although, ultimately, the global pandemic prevented a celebration where we could all gather together in person, our desire to celebrate this remarkable achievement remained irrepressible. Months ahead of the convention, with a great assist from the marvel of modern technology, a taste of what was to come was revealed on May 27, 2020—100 years to the day from the founding organizational meeting. An NFB of Minnesota History workgroup unveiled a 26-minute audio recording involving 80+ voices of current and former Minnesotans and reviewing the many ways the organization has made a difference throughout its history. Complete with an introductory letter to the 1920 founders, beautiful specially-created backing music, a written version supplemented with links to more detailed information, and a charming glimpse at the future, this work is available anytime, along with other historical information discussed later, at www.nfbmn.org/100years.

Throughout the summer and fall, plans for the 2020 convention continued to develop. While a group of Federationists were working on creating a memorable agenda that would be of interest both to long-time Federationists and to those attending for the very first time, others were busily putting together some unique touches to bring the virtual convention to life. In the weeks before the convention, a crew spent several days assembling boxes for mailing, folding print and braille copies of a letter, creating address labels, sorting out inventory, and putting together a cloth bag filled with swag to be mailed or delivered to each of the 115+ Federationists who registered for the convention before October 6. The busy convention elves stapled to the completed bags a card with a braille name and a print address label for each person and sorted them by geography; then, they handed off the groups of bags to another contingent of our car-driving members, who dropped them off at the homes of people all over the Twin Cities and surrounding suburbs. Other bags were sent by mail to members' homes in Greater Minnesota and other states where interested former Minnesotans currently reside.

Each bag contained a print and braille letter detailing its contents, which included candy popular in 1920 (an Abba Zabba Candy Bar, an Oh Henry Chocolate Bar, Jujyfruits, Pep-o-Mint lifesavers, and wax lips that could be worn for funny pictures or chewed like gum). In addition to the candy, a 100th Anniversary Commemorative Travel Mug was included in each bag; royal blue with silver lettering, it showed our NFB of Minnesota logo on one side, and on the other, the words "100 Years of Advocacy, and We're Not Done Yet!" A 100th Anniversary Commemorative T-Shirt was included for those who had purchased it from the Minnesota Association of Blind Students, bearing a similar design to the mug.

When November 6 finally arrived, convention attendees had a range of options to choose from in the afternoon beginning at 2:00, all via the Zoom platform. An employment track, a "Federation in Action" grouping, and various sessions on technology provided excellent information and a chance for all to give their own input.

After a break for dinner, those who arrived early to the Friday evening session of the convention were treated to a lively recording that mentioned just some of the many activities resources that the NFB has to offer, like free white canes, scholarships for blind students, resources for parents of blind children and for seniors, and many more.

After President Ryan Strunk gaveled the first general session to order, an invocation was delivered by an imam, followed by a moment of silence to recognize the Federationists who have passed away since the time of our previous annual convention. Next up was a brief video presentation from the Honorable Tim Walz, Governor of the State of Minnesota, congratulating us on 100 years and thanking the organization for helping blind people realize their power, turn dreams into reality, and make Minnesota a more equitable place for all.

After a description of the contents of the swag bag and a discussion of Zoom logistics (including a brief practice session on how we would vote during the convention), attendees listened to the first installment of "Celebrating 100 Years of History Of the National Federation of the Blind of Minnesota in Sound". A presentation of the NFB of Minnesota History workgroup, it consisted of audio recordings gathered by Tim Aune and Steve Jacobson, featuring Federationists past and present in their own words. This moving documentary, which was presented in four different sections at the convention and spans the early years up to the present, is available in full at www.nfbmn.org/100years.

Next came The NFB of Minnesota Players, a troupe who performed lively reenactments of key moments in our history throughout the convention; their mini plays covered topics like difficulties blind people faced in finding housing in the 1920s, low expectations for blind people at the ValleyFair amusement park, a session from our Saturday School for blind children, and more. These plays were the result of months of writing, rehearsal, and recording ahead of time by the cast, led by Jennifer Wenzel.

Peggy Chong, a long-time leader and historian of the Minnesota affiliate who now lives in Colorado, next took the virtual podium for a fascinating presentation about the individual lives of the founding members of our state affiliate, who came from varied walks of life but worked together to begin to make change in Minnesota for blind people.

Next, another recurring feature of the convention was introduced—short recordings of current members talking about their own memories and how the NFB of Minnesota had affected their lives and what made it special to them. Inspiring music punctuated the transitions between presentations. Ryan Strunk assembled these recordings, having spent hours interviewing many Federationists.

Door prizes were drawn throughout the convention by asking an Alexa device to pick a random number between 1 and 126 and then consulting a numbered list of Federationists in the order in which they had registered for the convention.

Attending the convention from the comfort of our own homes meant that opportunities to move around and be active were more important than ever. Kyle Hanneman then led those in attendance through his now-traditional Kylesthenics and did so several other times during the convention.

Kaden Colton then enthralled us by speaking about five lessons from STEAM (science, technology, engineering, arts, and mathematics) and about study of atmospheric science. Watch future issues of the Minnesota Bulletin for more details about this presentation.

After the close of the evening's general session, an auction took place; because of the pandemic, this was not the bake auction that has been held for decades at our annual conventions. However, thanks to the hard work of Charlotte Czarnecki, Tara Coyne, and others, it consisted of many quality items for bidding, and it raised more than $4,000 for our movement. Trivia questions about the affiliate's history were interspersed among the auction items. Even though the socializing had to occur at a distance, the evening was filled with laughter and offered something for everyone.

The well-attended Saturday morning session began with an invocation partly in the Ojibwe language, offered by Mark Erickson. Next was the national report from our national president, Mark Riccobono, who recounted our activities nationwide to connect blind people and protect our rights during this global pandemic. He spoke of the astonishing array of significant activities in which our mighty organization is engaged and pointed out that all our activities are infused with the core values of collective action, courage, respect, democracy, and love.

After another segment of the audio documentary of historical voices, we heard from Jennifer Kennedy, the executive director of our adjustment to blindness training center, BLIND, Inc. She told about the innovative ways that classes have been able to continue despite the pandemic and the need to use virtual methods to conduct some of the training. She also shared that Minnesota State Services for the Blind has accepted BLIND's proposal to provide employment-focused opportunities and training for English language learners in conjunction with the training that is already being provided. Jennifer and the team have done tremendous work both in front and behind the scenes to maintain our center in the midst of the many uncertainties brought about by the pandemic.

President Riccobono and President Strunk expressed, on behalf of all of us, strong support for our center and its leadership.

A motion was made by Jan Bailey and seconded by Corbb O'Connor that the National Federation of the Blind of Minnesota make a contribution in the amount of $50,000 to BLIND, Inc. to assist in working through the current financial challenges brought on by the pandemic. The affiliate has supported BLIND throughout its history, including contributing $50,000 toward the purchase of the Pillsbury mansion. The motion passed unanimously.

Natasha Jerde, the Director of Minnesota State Services for the Blind, presented an update on SSB and also discussed some of the 100 year history of the vocational rehabilitation program.

We then heard from Michele Gittens, a graduate of BLIND, Inc. a singer who has performed at such venues as the Guthrie and the State theater, a music teacher, and a mentor —about her journey. She started out "anti-cane" and ended up confidently navigating performance stages and even a pilgrimage from France to Spain.

Aaron Barnes, the Minnesota Department of Education's Supervisor for workforce and low-incidence disabilities, informed attendees about the many resources on the Department of Education's website and about the range of professional development activities that has been planned for Minnesota's teachers of the visually impaired during the coming year. The communities of practice have been sharing the innovative ways that teachers have been working with students remotely, from tilting a braille page to make it easier for the teacher to see on screen, to using go-pro cameras to film cane travel lessons, and many other creative solutions. Attendees asked questions and mentioned the resources that we offer for blind children such as our NFB-Bell Academy.

Principal John Davis and superintendent Terry Wilding presented the latest happenings at the Minnesota State Academy for the Blind. All students have been moved to distance learning since March, and they are finding innovative ways to continue their relationships with the students and ensure that they have all of the materials they need. Distance learning is working well for some students but not for others, so they are constantly making adjustments and offering support to help students get through the difficult time. They are moving toward a hybrid model of four days on campus and one day of distance instruction. They received funding in the most recent Minnesota legislative session for building projects such as a corridor between schools, improved roofing, better heating and cooling system, and more. 48 students are currently enrolled at the School for the Blind. The school board's two annual goals this year consist of 1) learning more about cultural competency and diversity to reduce racism and biases on the campuses, and 2) maintaining a high level of education, quality learning, and success for the students, no matter what that looks like, in any learning model used throughout the school year.

Catherine Durivage, Director of the Minnesota Braille and Talking Book Library, discussed the audio books on demand program, the testing of the new braille eReader, and their efforts to provide services despite the pandemic. She announced the imminent retirement of the National Library Services director, Karen Keninger and indicated that a nationwide search would be conducted for a new director. She encouraged applications to the library's five-member advisory committee.

After a luncheon program focused on happenings at our training center, BLIND, Inc., meetings took place of our seniors' division and students' division; blind parents had the opportunity to get together for discussion, and there was another general discussion space as well.

The afternoon session consisted of more of the history programming, presentations from the Minnesota Players, an interview with stalwart long-time leaders Joyce and Tom Scanlan, and more. The afternoon was capped off by a report from our state president, Ryan Strunk. Ryan discussed the importance of action to back up statements; our work to redouble our efforts to be ever more inclusive of all people; the introduction of our bill to strengthen the rights of blind parents; our success in gaining a measure of accessibility in absentee voting in Minnesota and the work there is yet to do on this issue; the creativity and passion that allowed us to put together a socially-distanced fund-raising walk that was one of the highest-grossing such walks in recent memory (complete with a Zoom component that brought together the walkers and other participants from all over the state); and more. He acknowledged the tremendous individual challenges that so many have faced since this past March, our support for one another, and our commitment to build beyond ourselves long into the future.

The Saturday evening banquet was again punctuated with touching stories from members about the way the Federation had intertwined with their own lives. Of particular note was Tim and Laura Aune's story about their courtship and marriage and adoption of their children, in all of which the organization was a backdrop.

Judy Sanders and Corbb O'Connor served as mistress and master of ceremonies, and, as all the attendees dined on the banquet meal of their choice at home (no banquet tickets required), Judy and Corbb regaled the crowd with fun anecdotes about the goings-on of the past ten decades in American history and popular culture.

The NFB of Minnesota scholarships were presented to two stellar students: Samantha Flax, a graduate student in the Humphrey School of Public Affairs working toward a master's degree in Human Rights; and Logan Stenzel, a freshman at the University of Minnesota majoring in computers and finance. The attendees were pleased to hear from each of these impressive scholars.

Mike Colbrunn won the Metro Chapter's essay contest prize of $75, and Judy Sanders's name was drawn from the remaining essay entries for a $50 prize.

The banquet address was delivered by our national president, Mark Riccobono, who spoke inspiringly about his own experiences with blindness and especially about the importance of mentoring others. He raised a glass from Baltimore in cheers for our 100 years and exhorted us to continue the work of building the future with space where it is normal for blind people.

After more banquet festivities, Ryan Strunk was introduced to give a special surprise presentation. The lifetime membership award was presented to Steve and Nadine Jacobson, two longtime members who have left an indelible mark on the organization with their wonderful writings, their patient teaching, their generous mentorship, and their love that has translated into decades of action. Virtually, with the help of one of their dinner guests, Ryan presented them with a beautiful plaque as well as a lifetime membership in the National Federation of the Blind of Minnesota.

An enthusiastic crowd was present, albeit virtually, as President Strunk gaveled the Sunday morning session to order. After an invocation offered by Kathy McGillivray and another installment from the Minnesota Players, Jennifer Dunnam, chair of the Resolutions Committee, took the virtual podium and thanked fellow committee members Corbb O'Connor, Samantha Flax, Jan Bailey, and Kotumu Kamara. The committee met twice during the convention to consider four resolutions, brought forward by Federationists of all ages and walks of life. Jennifer presented the three resolutions that were recommended by the resolutions committee for passage by the convention. These three resolutions, presented elsewhere in this issue, were adopted unanimously by the convention.

Next, Treasurer Jennifer Dunnam presented her report, year to date as of November 6, 2020, including the profit-and-loss statement and a balance sheet summary. A motion was made, seconded, and passed unanimously to approve the treasurer's report.

Members of the board of the National Federation of the Blind of Minnesota are elected for two-year terms. The following were elected at the convention: Steve Jacobson, Vice President; Jennifer Dunnam, Treasurer; Dave Andrews, Board Member; and Cody Beardslee, Board Member.

After a fitness break led by Kyle Hanneman, reports were presented by chapter and division presidents, Federation committee chairs, and Federation representatives serving on committees in the wider community. Chris Murphy said that the Riverbend chapter has been continuing to hold meetings by teleconference and has gained a new member with presentations about COVID-19, blind hockey, and more. In her Rochester Chapter President's hat, Jan Bailey mentioned that the Rochester chapter has also been meeting by Zoom and has had presentations on diversity, people talking about their lives, stress management, and more. Next, as chair of the membership committee, Jan indicated that they have been doing some calling and will have a meeting after the convention. Jan also serves on the governance board of the Minnesota State Academies for the Blind and the Deaf; these are two separate schools with one governance board but each with their own site councils. Jan's term will end in January, and a new member will be chosen in June. Students have been given the choice to stay at the school or to learn from home virtually. Many of the employees are working from home. Dave Andrews, president of the At Large chapter, joked that finally the other chapters have caught up with them as they have been using Zoom for about two and a half years now. One small silver lining of the pandemic is that the members of the At Large Chapter have been able to participate in things much more easily; for example, he conducted his own little Walk for Opportunity in Stillwater.

Deanna Langton, president of the Metro Chapter, also said there were people attending now that the meetings are on Zoom who are not usually able to attend. For Meet the Blind Month, they had a live Facebook Q&A with a panel of our members, fielding questions from the public, dispensing some accurate, factual information and dispelling some myths about what it is like to be blind. They conducted a modified, socially-distanced version of their Amazing Race, where people were to go to a business and get something to prove they had been there; it was more of a scavenger hunt this year. To help reduce the isolation of the pandemic, there is now a social committee that is forming a book club, doing virtual cooking class, etc. They are working with metro transit to make sure that riding on buses and trains is as safe as possible, with mask-wearing etc.

Judy Sanders serves as the liaison between the Statewide Independent Living Council (SILC) and the State Rehabilitation Council for the Blind (SRC-B). The SILC now has a new Facebook page, and a new independent living network to work cooperatively with the eight centers for independent living throughout the state and with the vocational rehab and State Services for the blind, which are also part of the network. There is a position on the SILC which will become vacant soon, a representative from SSB, but the governor's office is apparently not letting SSB choose that position. Judy has been able to bring to their attention some of the activities of the NFB. Judy is also the president of the Seniors' division of our affiliate, which had three statewide conference calls during the past year with various informational sessions. Their annual meeting will be next Saturday because a technical hiccup prevented it at this convention, so now that there is no competition from other agenda items, everyone is welcome to attend and bring ideas for the meetings in the coming year! Several Minnesotans participated in the national senior retreat last month; it was for the purpose of beginning to learn blindness skills.

President Strunk encouraged people to apply for committees of the SRC-B.

Sam Flax administers our social media along with Kayde Rieken. There have been many Facebook Live events, including this convention, and Corbb O'Connor was acknowledged for his help running that. Many people are viewing the videos after the fact.

Sam also is the president of the student division, which was responsible for the 100-year t-shirts available for purchase as a fund-raiser. They also held a trivia night earlier in the year, as well as a Superbowl fundraiser. The membership has been active. Sam thanked the outgoing board members Cody Beardslee and Matt Gip and introduced the new board for the coming year: Sam Flax, President; Hunter Kuester, Vice President; Elizabeth Schoen as Second vice president; Alycia Howard as Secretary, and Logan Stenzel as treasurer.

Corbb O'Connor, who chairs the technology committee, indicated that in the few months since they were formed in August, they have been doing research and writing documentation. They worked on possible solutions for voting at the convention as well as putting the convention agenda on the website and working out the logistics of the Zoom meetings. They also ran a help desk during the convention and will potentially make that available during the coming year if there are enough people to staff it. Steve Jacobson, Jennifer Dunnam, and Corbb have been working on the Web site which is one of the first to be moved to the new version of Drupal, in a platform that will be centrally managed nationally but run by the affiliates. The central management will be in terms of security updates, functionality, and look and feel, but it will still be very much individualized for each affiliate. They will also be looking at new ways to use technology to reach out to members in the coming year. Ideas are welcome.

Dave Andrews, who administers all the listservs for the national organization, mentioned that there are now over 380 public lists and perhaps another 100 private lists, including some Minnesota lists. Steve Jacobson is the primary one that takes care of Minnesota lists and has been a backup on other aspects for many years. Dave is also, as part of his day job, on the advisory committee for STAR, System to Achieve Results. It is federally funded and run state by state, and its job is to demo and loan technology to disabled people.

Jennifer Dunnam chairs the legal and policy committee of the National Federation of the Blind of Minnesota, which has helped with various efforts that were already discussed. The legislative season is coming up, so everyone should stay tuned for how their help will be needed.

Jennifer also chaired the history work group, which included Ryan Strunk, Matt Langland, Steve Jacobson, Eric Smith, Tim Aune, and Jennifer Wenzel. The group had been meeting once a week for the last six months, putting things together for this convention. Jennifer thanked Tara Coyne, who was a huge help as part of the crew who packed up all the convention bags people have received. The group thanks everyone who has made this such a special convention.

Kathy McGillivray, editor of the Minnesota Bulletin, highlighted the Fall 2020 issue of the Minnesota Bulletin which was put together by the students; they did a wonderful job. She thanked Jennifer Dunnam who manages the production end of the Bulletin, as well as all the people listed in the acknowledgments in the back of the Bulletin. Those who did presentations at the convention were encouraged to send them for inclusion in a future Bulletin.

Jennifer Wenzel was next asked to say some words about the plays that have been performed during the convention. She thanked Tim Aune and also Steve Jacobson who assisted with audio, as well as all who participated in the skits and helped write them. The skits were recorded ahead of time using Zoom. The process has been a fun way to bring some of this history back alive.

The final play depicted blind people being denied the right to ride the corkscrew unless accompanied by a responsible adult at the ValleyFair amusement park. After the skit, Scott LaBarre commented that the NFB did prevail in the ValleyFair case, so that now anyone can go ride any of the rides regardless of level of vision.

Remarks were then shared from the National Association of Blind Students and from Karen Anderson, NFB's Education Programs Coordinator,  about ensuring equal access to education for blind children.

After the last installment of the audio documentary, some closing words from President Riccobono, a photo being taken of President Strunk wearing his wax lips from the goody bag, and the final door prize of $100 being won by Joyce Scanlan, the convention was adjourned with excitement about what the next 100 years would bring, starting with 2021!