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Federation Family,<br><br>
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.<br><br>
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.<br><br>
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.<br><br>
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.<br><br>
As we undertake this work, I want you to be aware of three immediate
things:
<ol>
<li>President Riccobono has written an
<a href="https://www.nfb.org/blog/open-letter-apology-president-riccobono">
Open Letter of Apology</a>, 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.
<li>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.
<li>Our
<a href="https://www.nfb.org/about-us/history-and-governance/code-conduct">
Code of Conduct</a> 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.
</ol><br>
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.<br><br>
Warmly,<br><br>
Ryan<br><br>
<br><br>
<br><br>
Ryan Strunk, President<br><br>
Pronouns: he, him, his<br><br>
<a href="http://www.nfb.org">www.nfb.org</a><br><br>
<a href="http://www.nfbmn.org/" eudora="autourl">www.nfbmn.org</a><br><br>
(612) 872-9363<br><br>
Live the life you Want.<br>
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