[nabs-l] NABS Elections 2011-Briley Pollard for board member

[Briley Pollard]

Thanks so much for that. It looks like there is a nice pool of candidates this year. If I don't get on the board, I hope someone takes the idea and runs with it.

Best,
Briley
On Jun 29, 2011, at 11:41 AM, Kirt Manwaring wrote:

> Briley,
>  Well said.  That advocacy idea is, quite honestly, brilliant!  Good luck.
>  Best,
> Kirt
> 
> On 6/28/11, Briley Pollard <brileyp at gmail.com> wrote:
>> Hello all,
>> 
>> After wrestling with whether or not to run for the NABS board, I've decided
>> to give it a go. If I am fortunate enough to get the position, I can work to
>> make a difference. If not, that just means I'll contribute without a title.
>> 
>> Firstly, I suppose I should briefly introduce myself. I'm Briley Pollard, a
>> proud graduate of the Louisiana Center for the Blind as of May. I have a
>> bachelor's degree in music, and am pursuing my master's in Educational
>> Policy. Ultimately, I'd love to work at the Federal Department of Education
>> to write policy that affects blind children all over the country.
>> 
>> At the end of the day, maybe I'm not that different from any other Nabs
>> member. Maybe there are "millions" of other college graduates just figuring
>> out that maybe what they wanted when they were 18 isn't what they want now.
>> Maybe I'm not the only one waiting on the edge of the next phase of my life,
>> scared but simultaneously excited by the prospect that I might be able to
>> impact this world for good. Maybe I'm not alone in a search for my place in
>> the organization. And, maybe that is what makes me right for the board. I
>> want to speak for that average member who just wants one chance, who needs
>> one person to listen to their ideas, one person to pour into them and give
>> opportunities to showcase their abilities. I know that as one member of an
>> entire board, I can't do that alone. It is about a team effort, not one
>> super star with a lot of hard working backup singers. But, I'd love to see
>> the division spring into something member driven. This current board has
>> already taken great steps to achieve this and I just want to be a part of
>> continuing and improving upon this work.
>> 
>> One vision I have is setting up an advocacy resource for our members. I've
>> served as a disability advocate for several years, not only in high school
>> settings, but for adults working with voc rehab agencies to get funding for
>> education and rehabilitation training. I've found that so many students just
>> don't have the right information. Not everyone is crazy enough to spend
>> their Friday night reading through the federal rehabilitation services act.
>> That's where my knowledge and experience, (and the experiences of all other
>> board members), could be of great help to students. Whether its assisting in
>> writing justification letters for technology or training, or creating a
>> section of the website devoted to providing correct information to students
>> so they can fight for themselves, the collective knowledge we all share can
>> and should extend far beyond threads on the Nabs list. I believe in
>> empowering and equipping people with the knowledge that will lead to them
>> realizing their full potential. It is an unfortunate reality that blind
>> people are served up lies at every turn about what their rights are, about
>> what the "agencies" can or won't provide. Nabs, as a division of the most
>> influential blindness consumer organization in the country, can really be a
>> force for widespread change.
>> 
>> I'm pursuing a master's in Education Policy so I can one day be a part of
>> the change on a federal level. But I don't want to wait until then to help
>> as many people as I can. I know what it takes to get a job done and I'm
>> ready to take on this responsibility. I may not have a lot of "leadership"
>> experience within the organization, but I do have leadership abilities and
>> knowledge and resources that will only help the division grow and expand to
>> its full potential.
>> 
>> I have other ideas, but for brevity's sake I will leave you with these
>> thoughts to digest. What is most important to me is that everyone voting is
>> informed about their choice. Don't simply vote for someone because you've
>> heard their name a lot or they've been around for a long time. Ask questions
>> and put the person in office who you feel will meet your needs as a valued
>> member of the division.
>> 
>> Best,
>> Briley Pollard
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> 
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