[MN-at-Large] Creating a Climate of Safety in the National Federation of the Blind of Minnesota

[David Andrews]

>
>Federation Family,
>
>Nothing is more important to me, as the president and a member of 
>our organization, than the bonds of friendship and trust that we 
>share together. We are members of this organization because we want 
>to change lives for the better, but for many of us, we also stay 
>involved because of the friendships we have built. Over the past ten 
>years, I have celebrated nearly as many holidays with you as I have 
>with my own family. I care about all of you.
>
>The conversations taking place across the country over the past few 
>weeks, however, show me that we have more work to do to ensure 
>people feel safe and welcome in our organization. Our bonds can only 
>stay strong if we cultivate an environment where people feel 
>comfortable reporting misconduct and believe they will be heard. As 
>the president of our Minnesota affiliate, I am committed to doing 
>that work, and I offer my apologies to those who feel our current 
>environment or process have felt insufficient to serve you properly. 
>We must do more to promote a sense of safety and belonging, and I 
>welcome your suggestions and advice on how to do so.
>
>The National Federation of the Blind of Minnesota has no tolerance 
>for sexual misconduct and abuse. We have no tolerance for predatory 
>behavior, and we will make no excuses for it. We stand with 
>survivors and victims, and we will protect their rights. Nothing 
>will detract from that.
>
>In the coming weeks and months, we will be working in partnership 
>with both a third-party organization and our national office to 
>fully audit our procedures and learn what we can do to build an 
>environment where everyone feels safe, and where they can feel 
>comfortable reporting incidents of misconduct with the understanding 
>that their report will be taken seriously and handled appropriately. 
>I know that President Riccobono and our national board of directors 
>is taking this work seriously, and I support their leadership and 
>guidance in making these changes. I am also confident in the 
>leadership of BLIND Inc., and I know that Jennifer Kennedy, its 
>executive director, as well as BLIND Inc.'s board, is committed to growth.
>
>As we undertake this work, I want you to be aware of three immediate things:
>    * President Riccobono has written an 
> <https://www.nfb.org/blog/open-letter-apology-president-riccobono>Open 
> Letter of Apology, detailing where our organization has fallen 
> short and where we must improve, along with a list of steps we will 
> be taking. If you have not yet read it, I encourage you to do so.
>    * If you are ever the victim of sexual assault or harassment at 
> any of our events or programs, you are well within your rights to 
> report that misconduct to law enforcement. No one should ever 
> discourage you from that course of action.
>    * Our 
> <https://www.nfb.org/about-us/history-and-governance/code-conduct>Code 
> of Conduct outlines our policies for appropriate conduct and the 
> standards to which our members will be held. In particular, I draw 
> your attention to section III (Non-Discrimination and 
> Anti-Harassment Policy), section VI (Policy While Interacting with 
> Minors), and section VII (Alcohol and Drug Policy). If you choose 
> to lodge a complaint, section IX (Violations and Complaint 
> Procedure) details our current process for doing so, though it is 
> my understanding that this process is under revision by our 
> national board of directors. Please know that, should you reach out 
> to me to file a complaint, I will keep your report confidential, 
> and I will only share information with your express consent or if 
> the complaint requires intervention from law enforcement. You may 
> also lodge an anonymous complaint or have an advocate present with 
> you if you choose.
>
>On behalf of the board of directors, I once again commit to building 
>an organization where everyone feels safe. I look forward to working 
>with our members, our national office, and third-party experts in 
>the field of sexual misconduct to make that happen. To truly be a 
>family, we must protect one another.
>
>Warmly,
>
>Ryan
>
>
>
>
>
>Ryan Strunk, President
>
>Pronouns: he, him, his
>
><http://www.nfb.org>www.nfb.org
>
>www.nfbmn.org
>
>(612) 872-9363
>
>Live the life you Want.
-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: <http://nfbnet.org/pipermail/mn-at-large_nfbnet.org/attachments/20201229/1389ecb2/attachment.html>