Press Release

September 2026

For Immediate Release

Contact: Jen Goulden, Chair
Braille Authority of North America
613-552-4191; chair@brailleauthority.org

BANA to Hold 2026 Fall Meeting November 4-6 in Atlanta, GA

The Braille Authority of North America (BANA), which meets face-to-face semiannually, will hold its 2026 fall meeting November 4–6. The meeting will be hosted by the Center for Inclusive Design and Innovation (CIDI), a BANA member organization. The meeting will take place at CIDI, which is located at 512 Means St. NW #250, Atlanta, GA.

On Wednesday, November 4 and Thursday, November 5, the meeting will be held from 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM.  On Friday, November 6, BANA will meet from 9:00 AM till noon. 

Items on the Board’s fall agenda include a review of formal reports from BANA’s committees such as Braille Formats and Standardized Tests. The Board will act on recommendations and will issue committee charges when appropriate. While the virtual monthly meetings are effective to maintain momentum, bringing all member organization representatives together in person enables the deep deliberation and collaboration required to update guidelines, establish rulings, and advance our shared mission to assure literacy for tactile readers.  

This semi-annual face-to-face meeting follows BANA’s spring meeting, which was hosted by the American Foundation for the Blind (AFB) in Pittsburgh, PA.

Interested parties are invited to attend and observe the BANA Board’s face-to-face meetings. If you are interested in being an in-person observer, please contact BANA Chair Jen Goulden at 613-552-4191 or by email at chair@brailleauthority.org no later than October 19, 2026.

The mission of the Braille Authority of North America is to assure literacy for tactile readers through the standardization of braille and/or tactile graphics.