[MDABS] Thanks for a Great Convention

[Maryland President]

Fellow Federationists,

We have just returned from our 82nd NFB National Convention, and it was
epic.  I hope you felt as rejuvenated and energized by the convention as I
did.  It was so amazing to be with each of you in New Orleans, and I
honestly didn't realize how much I needed the in person connection for my
own mental health and morale.

 

For me, some of the highlights of the convention included the resolutions
process, which sets our policies as an organization, the passing of the
constitutional amendment that is trauma informed and ensures due process,
the presidential report that highlights our work the last year and brings
home how much our work influences the world, the banquet, the banquet
address which inspires and invigorates, the scholarship finalists who remind
us that our future is so bright, the roll call of states where we hear about
our sister affiliates and I get to brag about all of you, and so many more.
My favorite part of the convention is being able to connect with all of you
and thousands of Federationists from all over the world, and I am one of 52
lucky people who even have an assigned seat during the convention so it is
easy to find me.  I'd love to hear what your favorite moments were at
convention.

 

I'm very grateful to the Louisiana affiliate for putting on an incredible
convention.  As many of you doubtlessly remember from Maryland hosting the
convention in 2021, it is a ton of work, it is thankless, and it is
exhausting to be the host.  But the rewards and energy from hosting is
unparalleled.  If you think of it, please sent Pam Allen an email sharing
your gratitude and appreciation for all that she and the Louisiana Crew did
to make this convention amazing.

 

Relatedly, we are fortunate to have in our delegation most of the staff of
the National Center for the Blind.  I found myself once again in absolute
awe at how effortlessly they made running a convention appear.  Of course it
is far from effortless, and they too are doubtlessly exhausted.  Think about
it: they manage and implement our technology, from microphones to streaming
to video to music and so on; they coordinate registration, packet pick-up,
banquet sales, banquet ticket exchange; they handle room setup, assignments,
and logistics; they literally pack up the independence market and materials
center, transport them across the country, unpack them, and set them up in
the convention, and then they reverse the process; they design and implement
the agenda, the crowd compass app, the web presence, the social media, the
press engagement; they manage the exhibit hall, with hundreds of vendors and
sponsors; they solicit and engage sponsors so we can pay for it all; they
troubleshoot, they respond to emergencies, they pitch in wherever they are
needed.  This year, they administered oh so many COVID-19 tests, enforced
testing requirements and masking, and reacted to quickly isolate those who
were positive to limit the spread.  They did all of this and so much more
while actively participating in the convention as members.  

 

John Berggren and the staff are always amazing, but this convention, in my
view, they rose to truly heroic levels.  Please take the time to thank a
staff member when you get the opportunity.  They literally made this
convention possible and undertook thousands of tasks, big and small
throughout not just this week but in the year leading up to it - and in the
months following.

 

I'm also sorry to share that in spite of significant and effective
precautions, several of our members contracted COVID-19.  Everyone appears
to be doing well with mild or moderate symptoms.  I am keeping a list of
anyone from the Maryland delegation who contracted the virus and attempting
contact tracing to the extent possible.  If you are comfortable sharing,
please reach out to me privately to let me know if you contracted COVID-19.
You can text, call, or email me.

 

Now that we are home, and having absorbed all the amazing aspects of
convention, we turn to our next significant set of activities.  We are just
10 days away from the NFB BELL Academy in Baltimore.  We are three weeks
away from the 2022 Crab Feast.  We are less than a month away from the NABS
Mid-Atlantic Seminar, which we are cohosting with NABS.  We are just a few
short months away from Blind Equality Achievement Month, where our chapters
will be active in the community spreading positive philosophy on blindness.
And, we are 120 days away from our NFB of Maryland State Convention.  And,
we have so many other activities, events, and gatherings between now and
then at the chapter and division level.  

 

I am grateful to you all for your membership, your participation, your
support, and your love.  Let's go build the National Federation of the
Blind.

 

 

 

Yours,

Ronza

 

 

 

 

Ronza Othman, President

National Federation of the Blind of Maryland

443-426-4110

Pronouns: she, her, hers

 

The National Federation of the Blind of Maryland knows that blindness is not
the characteristic that defines you or your future. Every day we raise the
expectations of blind people, because low expectations create obstacles
between blind people and our dreams. You can live the life you want;
blindness is not what holds you back

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Ronza Othman, President

National Federation of the Blind of Maryland

443-426-4110

Pronouns: she, her, hers

 

The National Federation of the Blind of Maryland knows that blindness is not
the characteristic that defines you or your future. Every day we raise the
expectations of blind people, because low expectations create obstacles
between blind people and our dreams. You can live the life you want;
blindness is not what holds you back

 

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