[Massachusetts-NFB] Why Are We Still Having A Rally?

[Justin Heard]

Good morning everyone!

Why are we still gathering on the State House steps today at noon? 
Didn't we get what we want? The commissioner resigned right?

Let's face facts. A new commissioner does not mean that MCB will 
improve. As pointed out by the article, a new commissioner came in 2018 
and things got worse. Beyond that, it takes more than one person to 
improve an organization. Certainly, a better commissioner could lead the 
transformation MCB needs, but he or she will not be able to do it alone. 
This is about more than one person. This is about fighting for the 
changes we need to receive services. This is about making sure that we 
will not be ignored.

What should we do? Should we wait and see if the new commissioner, once 
appointed, improves the organization, which will take lots of time? No! 
We have an opportunity to gather with MCB employees and other advocacy 
organizations to voice our concerns. Now is the time to speak. Now is 
the time to ensure that the new leadership and the new changes know who 
we are and what we need. Now is the time to stand together. Today, we 
speak for ourselves, for the blind we do not know yet, and for blind 
children. We speak for children who have not been born yet. We speak for 
people who, like many of us, will lose their sight, suddenly or 
gradually. We speak to create an atmosphere where residents of the 
commonwealth can live as independent blind people, where they are not 
held back because of bureaucratic failures. We speak with the employees 
at MCB who want to serve us, but are held back by institutional roadblocks.

Join us, the leaders you elected, as we stand together as the organized 
blind movement!