[nabs-l] Why Did I Join Nabs?

Wed May 25 19:11:16 UTC 2011

Well said Mary!
Rania,

-----Original Message-----
From: nabs-l-bounces at nfbnet.org [mailto:nabs-l-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf
Of Mary Fernandez
Sent: Wednesday, May 25, 2011 1:50 PM
To: National Association of Blind Students mailing list
Subject: Re: [nabs-l] Why Did I Join Nabs?

Hi All,
At the risk of repeating what everyone else said, and at the even
bigger risk of sounding like I'm giving a bit of a beauty pageant
speech, I'll try to answer this question.
I think that for many of us we can draw clear distinctions between our
life before the NFB and or meeting a successful blind person, and our
lives after. I can clearly remember the first blind mentors I met and
how impressed I was to see that they had lives and families and that
what I wanted out of life was actually possible and not completely
unheard of. and so, joining a student division, just seemed like the
logical and beneficial thing to do. to be able to connect with others
who are not only blind but who are going through many of the same
experiences as myself just helps. Just being able to post on this list
knowing that someone had problems with SPSS before me and having NABS
as a resource makes life a lot easier. After all why reinvent the
wheel?
But more than that, I truly value the NFB and the work this
organization does. Whether I agree or disagree with everything the NFB
does sometimes seems beside the point for me. Up until the age of 7 I
was not allowed to attend school because I was blind. And I truly
belief that if there's any place to be blind, it is in the United
states. Although blindness can still be pretty sucky, because of the
various reasons we all know, at the end of the day we do have it a lot
better than in many other places, where going to school, much less
getting a job is not even a possibility. Those opportunities we have
are to a great extent thanks to the work of the Federation in the past
70 years. while it is true that Braille literacy is abismal, that %70
of blind people are unemployed, that we cannot independently use
Kiosks, etc. the beautiful thing that we take for granted, is that we
can raise hell about it and make a change. And that is because
although blind people may not be the majority, the few of us that
there are can and do come together to fight for what we want, and as
cliched as it may sound, that is powerful.  Thus, NABS members are the
future leaders of the Federation, it is up to us to make the lives of
future generations filled with more opportunities for equality. And so
it seems to be that being an active member of this organization is the
only way that I can bring my views, experiences and ideas into play so
that I can help shape our society, if even in a small way, to truly
view blindness as a characteristic, which although may be slightly
more significant than curly hair, does not define me and my abilities
as an individual. though in some ways I think my curly hair has
affected my life more than my blindness. lol.
Mary F

On 5/25/11, Marsha Drenth <marsha.drenth at gmail.com> wrote:
> I am a part of the students division not only because I'm a student, but
> because of the wealth of information that is provided on this list and in
> the division.
>
> Granted, I am not nearly as young as some of you, which some regards I
feel
> a bit on the outside. This is the most likely the best place for the stage
> of life I'm in right now.
>
> Marsha
>
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: nabs-l-bounces at nfbnet.org [mailto:nabs-l-bounces at nfbnet.org] On
Behalf
> Of Darian Smith
> Sent: Tuesday, May 24, 2011 9:31 PM
> To: National Association of Blind Students mailing list
> Subject: [nabs-l] Why Did I Join Nabs?
>
> Hey all,
>    I am just wondering, what made you  want to be a part of  nabs?
> Yes,  This is  a large Division, made of a network of divisions and
> more  to the point lots of us students.  So what made you want to be
> involved with nabs? This could be  anything from why do you post
> messages on the list? why you go to conference calls? meetings at
> Washington Seminar or National Convention?  Or...Why do you contribute
>  to the student slate,  read the student slate, are a part of your
> state division.
>  If I didn't cover it all then feel free to point out what I missed.
>   Thanks!
>   Darian
>
> p.s. I am seriously curious :)
>
> --
> Darian Smith
> Skype: The_Blind_Truth
> Windows Live: Lightningrod2010 at live.com
> Follow me on twitter: http://twitter.com/goldengateace
>
> "The purpose of life is a life of purpose.
>
> - Robert Byrne
>
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-- 
Mary Fernandez
President: Georgia Association of Blind Students
Emory University 2012
P.O. Box 123056
Atlanta Ga.
30322
Phone: 732-857-7004

"It's not worth doing something unless someone, somewhere, would much
rather you weren't doing it."
Terry Pratchett

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