[nabs-l] Why is it important to join an organization of the blind?

[Amy Sabo]

Hello Arielle and all,

After reading your post on this thread I want to address my views
on this topic!

Yes, we are a cross-sectional part of society in basis we have
many views and reasons on why join the nfb and, on how we as
blind people have many different characteristics to them besides
blindness in that's why we come to join blindness organizations.

The nfb has shaped my life in soooo may ways personally and
professionally. I have engaged in my personal relationships and
also endured intimacy with some of them too. But, the nfb has
given me sooo much and, in addressing them I'm going to do that
in resprosect.

The nfb has given me the willingness to travel independtally
across the country, being a published writer and motivational
speaker, running and cofounding the lmbbs national network,
attending college in 2 states, moving from Michigan to Colorado,
and sooo much more.

So, that's what the nfb has given me and, that's why I'm involved
and, also involved with other blindness organizations with the
same capabilities. Thanks for sharing and, I will talk to you
soon.




Hugs,
amy

-----Original Message-----
From: nabs-l-bounces at nfbnet.org
[mailto:nabs-l-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Arielle Silverman
Sent: Tuesday, January 17, 2012 10:24 PM
To: National Association of Blind Students mailing list
Subject: Re: [nabs-l] Why is it important to join an organization
of the blind?

Hi Chris and all,
This is a good topic. Like others have said, it's important to
respect
the range of preferences people have with regard to joining
organizations and giving up their time toward causes. Some
people,
sighted and blind alike, are not joiners at all. Some join a few
social groups, some join one or two advocacy efforts, some juggle
several organizational memberships and some seek leadership roles
in
one or more of these groups. Some people who join our Federation
choose to participate only in the social and networking aspects,
some
do fund-raising, others work primarily on legislation, and some
are
able to give their time to all aspects of the organization. In
other
words, there is no one best or right way to become affiliated
with the
blind community.
I think it's clear that we need to form advocacy groups because
we
have not yet achieved full equality with the sighted. We have the
potential to be equal but that potential has not yet been
realized. As
a group we are underemployed, undereducated, we miss out on
social and
recreational opportunities and there are whole classes of work
and
play activities that are still not accessible to us. This comes
largely from psychological, societal and environmental barriers
that
can be changed, so our task as a collective is to figure out how
to
bring these barriers down.
Yet I don't think the only reason to organize is for advocacy.
There
is also something very affirming and empowering about having
social
connections with other blind folks. As individuals we are often
inundated with messages from others telling us we aren't as good
or as
competent as sighted people. Support from a group of blind
friends can
help us recognize our own capacity and worth even when important
people in society do not. When someone pats me on the arm as I'm
walking down the street and tells me I'm doing a nice job, or
when the
airline attendant wants to herd me into a wheelchair, it's really
great to know I can laugh about it with other blind people, that
I'm
not the only person who has experienced this and that the
stranger's
condescension doesn't actually mean anything about my
capabilities.
Most of the time when we go through school and work we are
visibly
different from everyone else around us, and are usually quite
aware of
this fact. There is something special about being one of many who
are
like us and who don't treat us differently or like we are
inferior
because we are blind. I believe this is a large part of the
"magic"
that many of us describe happening during NFB conventions. We
feel the
excitement of the advocacy cause, of knowing what we can do to
change
what it means to be blind, but we also feel the joy of being in a
situation where we are in the majority and where the community
around
us doesn't make assumptions about us just because we are blind.
There are also concrete, practical benefits each of us can get
from
joining an organization of the blind, whether it be NFB, ACB or
another group. As others have pointed out, we learn a lot from
other
blind people who have been in similar situations. We also benefit
when
other blind people advocate on our behalf. I think most
Federationists
I know could list at least one concrete opportunity they gained
as a
result of joining the NFB. Some people gain jobs they didn't know
a
blind person could do before they joined up. Others gain access
to
tests or licenses, or get their babies back from Social Services.
I
could list two specific opportunities I got as a direct result of
joining the NFB. First, I gained the opportunity to attend the
graduate school of my choice in a state I had never lived in
before.
Prior to joining NFB, I thought that for a blind person, learning
one's way around a new city was an arduous task requiring years
of O&M
lessons. I doubt I would have attempted it if I had not met
Federationists who did it with no problems, and if I had not
attended
LCB, which I learned about from Federationists. Second, I have to
say,
I went through high school and most of college without
experiencing
any, um, romantic opportunities. True, there are things I could
have
done differently in those days to get some action, but I know I'm
not
the only blind person who has had this difficulty. After hanging
out
in NFB for a few years I met a few blind guys who didn't
immediately
write me off as a romantic partner because I was blind, and so I
was
able to experience the joys of dating and intimacy. Even though I
am
now dating someone sighted (whom, by the way, I met at my
aforementioned grad school) I am very appreciative of those
experiences and all that I learned from them. (And of course we
can't
forget all the happy couples out there whose meeting would be
impossible without NFB).
So, in short, organizations of the blind help us attain equal
opportunities. They help us collectively through legislation,
education and other means, but they also help us as individuals,
by
enabling us to share experiences and by acting as a forum for
emotional support and empowerment. The question remains, If we
reach
the day where the blind are truly equal in every way-when none of
us
ever experience discrimination, when everything is nonvisually
accessible and when people never use blindness as a basis for
judging
our abilities-will we need organizations of the blind? I suspect
probably not, though we might still enjoy hanging out with others
who
use Braille and canes just for the heck of it. I think anyone can
benefit from joining an organization of the blind, but some don't
feel
drawn to do so and I would respect their preferences on that. We
also
don't have to be at the top of the organization or putting in
tremendous amounts of time to make a difference in the lives of
other
blind people. We can make a difference just by sharing our
experiences, by listening to and supporting one another.
Best,
Arielle

On 1/17/12, Bridgit Pollpeter <bpollpeter at hotmail.com> wrote:
> Chris,
>
> You pose very interesting and valid questions. Most of us have
met
> people who are blind and adopt a similar attitude as the people
you
> describe. There are many reasons why people do and do not join
an
> organization, but we must look at what the purpose of these
> organizations are.
>
> First, sighted people do develop, promote and advocate for many
issues.
> Now, most of these groups have a blend of people with plenty of
> diversity, but many ethnic and racial groups have organizations
> dedicated to serving minorities and the issues and causes
important to
> them. As a type 1 diabetic, I've been involved in diabetic
groups
> advocating for better care, encouraging research and providing
> education; I did this sighted. There are other health-related
groups
> doing similar work. And the list goes on and on. We often fail
to see
> the other perspective especially with blindness. People focus
on this,
> forgetting many organizations exist doing similar work. The
Federation
> is not unique in terms of an advocacy group promoting causes
and
> initiatives.
>
> Now, the initial goals of the Federation were to promote
independence,
> work towards changing attitudes and serving as a political
platform for
> blind causes led by those with the experience of being blind.
So, first
> and foremost, a group like the NFB is dedicated to political
activism
> and advocacy. Despite the growing number of divisions within
the
> Federation catering to various interests, the priority of the
Federation
> has always been to promote and advocate the ideas and causes
important
> to Federation members.
>
> That we meet other blind people, having opportunities to
network, is
> essential to the growth and success of the Federation because
we need
> each generation to adopt healthy, positive mindsets about
blindness. The
> social aspect, however, is secondary to the political element.
Not
> everyone joins to be politically active. In my experience, a
majority of
> people join the Federation purely for social reasons, though
many
> eventually come to understand the importance of an active voice
> advocating for equal rights and fair treatment of the blind.
This has
> been debated again and again, but at the fundamental level, an
> organization like the NFB is similar to those groups fighting
for
> equality among other minority groups. We've been labeled
second-class
> citizens for years, not always given opportunities and our
abilities are
> questioned and doubted. So we stand up and demand equality.
>
> That we have a chance to network and ask questions of those
with
> experience, is a benefit to joining the Federation. You have a
support
> system backing you, ready to help in any way. For example,
we've heard a
> lot about law students denied bar exams in an accessible mode
they
> prefer. The Federation has stepped in to take legal action,
assisting
> those law students and others to come. The couple in Missouri
whose
> newborn was taken by CPS a couple of years ago for no reason
other than
> both parents were blind. The Federation also stepped in to help
take
> legal action along with the couple. As technology grows, we
struggle
> more and more as blind consumers to use current technology due
to the
> lack of accessibility. Again, the NFB is fighting to change
this,
> demanding equal access for all consumers. As well as taking
legal
> action, the Federation provides advocacy and education.
>
> Many feel Federationist are Nazi-like in their fervor about
> independence. True, many are more combative which does not lead
to a
> nurturing environment allowing others to adopt independent
ideals. The
> truth is, though, that the NFB supports independence in any way
> providing you with efficiency. Unfortunately, many of us could
benefit
> from alternative techniques, which many refuse to learn or use
on a
> regular basis. In my experience, and having once been a
"partial," often
> the alternative skills truly do make one more efficient than
using
> useable vision, and this is why the Federation seems, at times,
to be
> against sight, but it's actually the contrary. If you're being
> independent, living your life, not caving into stereotypes and
negative
> attitudes, the Federation supports this way of life. The
Federation
> expects us to grow and challenge ourselves as ours peers
challenge us
> likewise. This is one of the huge differences I see between the
NFB and
> other organizations of the blind; we're not expected to stay
where we
> are; we're urged to move forward, carving a path before us,
challenging
> ourselves to strive for new and greater heights.
>
> So why am I a Federationist? Because I'm not content to sit
idly by
> letting others make decisions for me. I'm not content to feel
entitled
> to services, legislation and technology that I had no say in,
no
> contribution to changes. I don't want to watch a chef cook, I
want to
> roll my sleeves up and get my hands in the mix. Networking with
fellow
> blind people and learning what we are all doing is great, but I
want to
> affect change, and I want to be a part of that change. It's not
about
> isolating ourselves from society and forming an elite group
made up of
> people who are blind; it's in fact about encouraging and
fostering
> integration. We are people with dreams, desires and interests;
that we
> are blind is but one attribute of our being. I wasn't always
blind, and
> when I lost my sight, I didn't change who I am. My interest and
goals
> are the same; I now just accomplish certain things with
different
> methods and tools at times.
>
> We all have to decide what we believe in and why. I believe
it's
> important to analyze and question beliefs and ideas in order to
truly
> digest it. Only then can we form decisions based on our own
ideas and
> opinions rather than any thoughts and opinions thrust on us
whether
> unwillingly or not. I think we all need to understand that the
> Federation's priority is advocacy and education; when we know
this, it
> can make it easier to explain the Federation and its purpose.
Despite
> the plethora of members affiliated predominantly for social
reasons ,
> this does not change the goals and direction of the collective
group, of
> the heart. We've not been accepted as equals, as people just as
capable,
> so we created an organization dedicated to breaking barriers
and
> demanding equality just like many other groups. Anyone curious
about the
> Federation, wanting to join, should understand that first and
foremost,
> the Federation is a political group determined to use advocacy,
> legislation and education to change what it means to be blind,
and fight
> for our equality.
>
> Sincerely,
> Bridgit Kuenning-Pollpeter
> Read my blog at:
> http://blogs.livewellnebraska.com/author/bpollpeter/
>
> "History is not what happened; history is what was written
down."
> The Expected One- Kathleen McGowan
>
> Message: 6
> Date: Mon, 16 Jan 2012 20:36:38 -0500
> From: Chris Nusbaum <dotkid.nusbaum at gmail.com>
> To: NFB Talk List <nfb-talk at nfbnet.org>,	NFB Blind Talk
list
> 	<blindtlk at nfbnet.org>,	NFB NABS list <nabs-l at nfbnet.org>
> Subject: [nabs-l] why is it important to join an organization
of the
> 	blind?
> Message-ID: <4f14d0d5.54dfe00a.0ef7.ffffd34b at mx.google.com>
> Content-Type: text/plain; charset=iso-8859-1; format=flowed
>
> Fellow Federationists,
>
> As I have become more and more active in the blind community
and
> have met more and more blind people, I notice that a lot of
blind
> people are not affiliated with any organization of the blind,
for
> one reason or another.  Some say they are put off by the
> political arguments between the NFB and ACB; some say they
don't
> want to be "tied" to one organization; some say they don't
agree
> with either organization's philosophy and don't want to
identify
> themselves with either organization and their philosophy, and
> there are other reasons as well.  I try to explain to them the
> value of the Federation in my life, and how joining an
> organization of the blind connects you with a diverse network
of
> resources, who can help answer almost any question they would
> have related to blindness.  I also try to explain to them that
if
> they had any problems, being a part of an organization would
help
> them with their advocacy efforts; the more people you have
> advocating, the more effective the advocacy is.  But they still
> don't want to be affiliated with an organization.  So I want to
> get your thoughts on these questions; why do you think it is
> important to be a member of an organization of the blind? Of
what
> benefit/value is an organization to its members, and to blind
> people at large? Some people have said to me, "Sighted people
> don't have any organizations dedicated to their concerns as
> sighted people; why should I join an organization dedicated to
> blindness?" Still others have said, "Don't you (Federationists)
> want to be equal with sighted people? If so, then why do we
> (blind people) need to be organized in some kind of
organization
> exclusively of and for the blind and people associated with the
> blind?" These are some interesting questions; what would your
> responses be to those people? I look forward to hearing your
> thoughts on this!
> Thanks,
>
> Chris
>
>
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