[nabs-l] Washington Seminar Experiences

Fri Dec 16 01:36:09 UTC 2011

Hi all,
Cindy gave a great summary of what happens at Washington Seminar. I
have attended several, and really enjoyed it too. In some ways
Washington Seminar is more exciting than convention. The group is
smaller, so you are working together with a dedicated crowd of
Federationists, and your work will directly impact the legislation
that affects our future.
One thing to add is that I know it is difficult for many of us to miss
a week of school for the entire Washington Seminar. I did it once, but
usually leave early. Depending on how your state affiliate has
appointments set up, you might not need to stay until Thursday-many
people leave on Wednesday, for example. Another compromise, which I
think is still very worthwhile, is to fly out to D.C. on Saturday,
attend the NABS stuff on Sunday and then fly back on Monday or
Tuesday. I did this several times including one year when seminar fell
right before I was leaving for Australia. You will miss the
legislative action, but you will still be able to enjoy and learn from
the all-day NABS gathering on Sunday and network with other blind
students during the NABS social if there is one. The NABS winter
gathering is longer and more in-depth than the convention meeting, and
it includes breakout sessions, where you can ask questions to
experienced blind students in person. Going for just three nights is
also much cheaper if you are on a budget, and you would potentially
only miss one day of school.
If you are thinking of going, I'd suggest talking to your NFB state
president about who else is going, when your appointments are and
whether they have financial assistance available to help cover your
expenses.
Best,
Arielle

On 12/13/11, Cindy Bennett <clb5590 at gmail.com> wrote:
> Ian:
>
> I am happy to talk about my Washington Seminar experiences, because
> this year will be my 5th, and it is my favorite NFB event.
>
> I hope you can come to seminar on Saturday, Feb. 4, because on Sunday,
> Feb. 5, there will be a NABS seminar, and it will be a great
> networking opportunity for you to have with students from all over the
> country.
>
> Monday is a lighter day. There are no legislative appointments this
> day since several congressmen are not in their offices on Mondays.
> However, I believe NABS will have some vendors available to speak
> with, and some other divisions might have meetings. Several people use
> Monday as a day to do fun things around D.C. Monday evening however is
> the great gathering in when everyone assembles, and the legislative
> issues for the years as well as other NFB current happenings are
> discussed. Typically, about 500 NFB members attend Washington seminar.
> So, it is definitely smaller than a national convention, but I have
> found that the participants are energetic people who care about
> proactively improving the lives of blind people.
>
> Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday are appointment days which I will
> explain below.
>
> Basically, someone from your state will make appointments with all of
> your state's congressmen. The NFB will release 3 legislative issues
> which we talk to our legislators about during these appointments.
> Typically, states will divide into groups of 3 people or so and attend
> these appointments. So, you won't meet with all of your congressmen,
> but some, and probably the congressman who represents the area in
> which you live. The appointments are not long. In my experience, each
> group member has versed themselves especially well on one issue and
> discusses their issue with the legislator or a legislative assistant.
> States do things differently though, but you'll want to discuss your
> issues and then leave.
>
> As people from your state attend seminars repeatedly, relationships
> can build between NFB members and legislative offices. Although it is
> more common to meet with a legislative assistant than the congressman,
> building relationships with these employees can build the influence
> you have with the legislator.
>
> So, to answer your question about whether seminar makes a difference
> shortly, yes. Some examples I can think of are the Louis Braille coin
> initiative which was advocated for at Washington Seminar and passed,
> and a lot of money was raised for braille literacy. Also, the
> Pedestrian Safety Enhancement Act which passed just last year was a
> seminar issue for a few years. Some issues take years to pass, but our
> presence in D.C. does make a difference. This does not downplay the
> integral part everyone can play by emailing and calling their
> congressmens' offices, but there is something about actually visiting
> that alerts congressmen and lets them know that you are serious about
> the changes you want to see in government.
>
> I hope that you receive the opportunity to go, and that other students
> shed light on their experiences. Mine have been overwhelmingly
> positive, but Washington Seminar is not for everyone. It is a bit
> expensive, so I feel that it has to be something that is important for
> you to go, but giving it a try to see if it is something that is
> important to you is a good idea.
>
> Cindy
>
>
> On 12/13/11, Ian Perrault <iperrault at hotmail.com> wrote:
>> Hi
>> I’m wondering if any of you could give me your experiences if you’ve
>> attended a Washington Seminar? I may go for the first time this year and
>> am
>> wondering what happens, what it’s like, and if it has helped us as blind
>> people get equal access to stuff.
>> Ian
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>
>
> --
> Cindy Bennett
> B.A. Psychology, UNC Wilmington
>
> clb5590 at gmail.com
> 828.989.5383
>
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