[nabs-l] What Has The NABS Board Been Doing
Antonio M. Guimaraes Jr.
freethaught at gmail.com
Thu Jun 13 01:39:17 UTC 2013
Hi all,
I appreciate all the time that goes into running a division. I volunteered at some of my own to a couple of NABS committees.
Wow there is a lot to say for running an active organization, I wonder what the real numbers say.
How many attend each conference call? Is there an increasing number of participants from one conference call to another? Is the readership of the students late increasing? Is the website getting more hits?
How many members leave, and how many join our organization?
I do not wish to imply these numbers are low. I actually am curious to know how our effort is paying off.
Antonio
On Jun 11, 2013, at 9:29 PM, Arielle Silverman <arielle71 at gmail.com> wrote:
> Hi Joe,
>
> I think you make an excellent point about finding a place for young
> professionals in this organization. I am still a student, but am
> reaching the end of my studies and am at an age where most of my
> friends are now young professionals. I, too, have begun to feel burned
> out which was a big part of the reason for my resignation from NABS
> leadership in 2011. I agree that there isn't a great place for young
> professionals in the NFB yet. I also think that we could do better at
> reaching out to people who have finished their education but are not
> yet employed, or who are struggling to find work. Unemployment is
> obviously a huge issue facing blind people, and securing education and
> blindness skill training is only part of the solution for that.
> Perhaps the employment committee should be expanded or converted into
> a division for young professionals and those looking to start careers
> (including non-traditional students who have graduated and are now
> looking to start second or third careers?)
>
> Best,
> Arielle
>
> On 6/11/13, Ashley Bramlett <bookwormahb at earthlink.net> wrote:
>> Hello,
>> I agree with Elizabeth. You expressed my sentements too.
>> I see the slate for more in depth articles and stories about students. I
>> found them inspiring and informative. For instance, Mary Fernandez wrote an
>>
>> article on volunteering, an article about finding her first job and one on
>> clothes. I liked the nabs updates for the same reasons you expressed. I am
>>
>> not in a state with an active student division and when I went to meetings
>>
>> several years and tried to reach other students in between, I got
>> discouraged. We tried a listserve, but vabs remains inactive to this day.
>> People in our state cannot or will not even take the time to post to the
>> list.
>> So, I liked hearing about other student division successes and activities.
>>
>> I hope they return; maybe not monthly, but enough to keep us informed.
>>
>> Ashley
>>
>>
>> -----Original Message-----
>> From: Elizabeth Mohnke
>> Sent: Tuesday, June 11, 2013 8:40 PM
>> To: National Association of Blind Students mailing list
>> Subject: Re: [nabs-l] What Has The NABS Board Been Doing
>>
>> Hello Arielle,
>>
>> Thank you for providing your perspective regarding the history of the NABS
>> updates. I did not know this was something you struggled with when you were
>> the President as well. However, I have always enjoyed reading them whoever
>> was in charge of creating them.
>>
>> I guess from my point of view, I see the NABS Updates and the Student Slate
>> serving two different functions. I enjoy reading the Student Slate as
>> something for longer in-depth articles that inspire and motivate me to
>> become more involved in the organization as well as life in general as a
>> blind student. However, I also enjoy reading the NABS Updates for more of
>> the shorter announcements regarding the logistics of the organization.
>>
>> I enjoyed being able to find all major announcements all in one place. I
>> also enjoyed reading the summaries of how major events turned out
>> especially
>> when I am not able to attend them. And most of all, I enjoyed reading what
>> other state student divisions have been doing. Granted, not everyone can
>> participate in what every other state student division is doing, but when
>> you are a struggling state student division, these short announcements can
>> help provide ideas on what is possible. If something works for another
>> state
>> then perhaps it can work in your state as well.
>>
>> However, I completely understand that people lead busy lives, and producing
>> a monthly NABS update along with the current issues of the Student Slate
>> may
>> be too much. But perhaps there might be some workable solution that would
>> allow for some combination of both. Perhaps the NABS Updates are not
>> produced as often, or maybe simply in-between the issues of the Student
>> Slate. Perhaps each board member could take a turn writing the NABS Update
>> highlighting some of their individual accomplishments, or what they plan to
>> accomplish, as a member of the board. I am not quite sure what the answer
>> might be, but I know I definitely miss reading the NABS Updates, and would
>> like to see them return in some sort of fashion.
>>
>> Warm regards,
>> Elizabeth
>>
>>
>> --------------------------------------------------
>> From: "Arielle Silverman" <arielle71 at gmail.com>
>> Sent: Monday, June 10, 2013 9:17 PM
>> To: "National Association of Blind Students mailing list"
>> <nabs-l at nfbnet.org>
>> Subject: Re: [nabs-l] What Has The NABS Board Been Doing
>>
>>> Hi all,
>>>
>>> If I may, I'd like to offer a little bit of historical perspective on
>>> the NABS presidential updates. When I first joined NABS ten years ago,
>>> the president would write a quarterly update which would appear in the
>>> Student Slate in place of the editor's introduction, explaining what
>>> NABS has been up to and what is planned for the upcoming months. More
>>> recently, NABS went through a period of a few years where the Slate
>>> was published very irregularly. When I became president in 2009, I was
>>> concerned about whether or not we could return to quarterly Slate
>>> releases, so I started releasing monthly updates so that the
>>> membership could stay up-to-date on NABS board activities and upcoming
>>> events even if the Slate did not come out very often. Now that we have
>>> a wonderful, dependable Slate committee publishing regular issues
>>> again, the NABS updates may be able to go back on a quarterly schedule
>>> and be published in the Slate. I will also add that writing monthly
>>> updates by myself was a fairly time-consuming task, and I, too,
>>> thought about stopping them because it seemed to me that few people
>>> actually read them. Several members of my board (including our current
>>> NABS president) encouraged me to keep going with the monthly updates,
>>> so I did. Sean continued the monthly updates for a time after becoming
>>> president, but I know he is a busy guy and may have just decided that
>>> it was too much. I do think that if even a few people read the updates
>>> with interest, it is probably worth continuing them, but perhaps the
>>> NABS board could pick up some of the workload of writing them so it's
>>> not all on the president's shoulders, or go to a quarterly schedule.
>>> Finally, the issue of membership feeling a lack of communication with
>>> the board is a perennial complaint I've seen come up over and over
>>> with multiple NABS administrations. So the current administration
>>> should not at all feel singled out by this complaint. To an extent it
>>> is natural for a national organization like NABS to experience
>>> occasional lapses in communication. I have also learned that managing
>>> communication between board and membership is a responsibility that
>>> must be shared between both parties. There are always things the board
>>> could be doing to more clearly communicate about past accomplishments
>>> and future plans, but there are also ways for interested members to
>>> initiate communication with the board. Calling or emailing NABS board
>>> members to ask what's been going on or to offer feedback is great, but
>>> an even better way to stay in the loop would be to serve on a NABS
>>> committee. Much of the day-to-day work of NABS is conducted within
>>> committees. Board members chair them, but members do (or at least
>>> should) form the backbone of the committees and carry out the
>>> organization's day-to-day operations. And, there are openings for
>>> several board members at this year's election.
>>>
>>> Best,
>>> Arielle
>>>
>>> On 6/10/13, Darian Smith <dsmithnfb at gmail.com> wrote:
>>>> Hello all,
>>>> I believe that if you were to speak to any member of the NABS
>>>> board and/or NABS leadership, you will find that we believe that this
>>>> organization is one that only functions at it's best when it's
>>>> membership is a vital part of it's activities.
>>>> Basically, NABS needs every person who wants to bea part of
>>>> building this division. We need your ideas, we need your expertise,
>>>> your time, your energy. We need you to help us try out new ideas, and
>>>> we need those ideas to work and even not to work. This is how we
>>>> grow together, this is how we grow closer and help change people's
>>>> thoughts about what a blind person can and cannot do.
>>>> We need you to help educate the educators and fellow students. We
>>>> need you to help educate the public, and to fight the battles that
>>>> need to be faught to win accessability, equil treatment, and equil
>>>> rights.
>>>> we need you to tell us what things work and don't work, and even
>>>> more so, we need you to help us fix what isn't working.
>>>> You all do a great job of driving our listserve by bringing up
>>>> important topics of interest to be discussed.
>>>> Please don't let those discussions stop there, please bring your
>>>> passion and ideas to NABS and your state student division. Please
>>>> bring your ideas to your affiliate, and as well our National office,
>>>> especially if you think it might be a good thing to do.
>>>>
>>>> Please take these wrds as an oppertunity, a challange.
>>>> What canyou bring to the table? Whatwill you do today to build a
>>>> better tomorrow?
>>>> I am sure that as a member of the NABS board that I can improve in
>>>> a few ways, I'm sure all of us on the NABS board could improve
>>>> somehow, so I, nor anyone else is likely to tell you that we are
>>>> perfect.
>>>>
>>>> So you know what? let's improve. let's all find ways that we all can
>>>> improve. that's is the best thing that we can do.
>>>>
>>>> Best,
>>>>
>>>> Darian
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> On 6/10/13, Rania Ismail LMT <raniaismail04 at gmail.com> wrote:
>>>>> I saw them and each time I would read them I was happy to see what nabs
>>>>> was
>>>>> doing.
>>>>> Rania,
>>>>>
>>>>> -----Original Message-----
>>>>> From: nabs-l [mailto:nabs-l-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Elizabeth
>>>>> Mohnke
>>>>> Sent: Monday, June 10, 2013 2:10 AM
>>>>> To: National Association of Blind Students mailing list
>>>>> Subject: Re: [nabs-l] What Has The NABS Board Been Doing
>>>>>
>>>>> Hello Sean,
>>>>>
>>>>> I am sorry you took my email so personally. It was not meant to be a
>>>>> personal attack on any particular individual, nor was it meant to
>>>>> discount
>>>>> the participation of any particular individual within this
>>>>> organization.
>>>>> I
>>>>> was just simply trying to offer my thoughts on the notion of this
>>>>> organization being about the members at large and not just the board as
>>>>> mentioned in a previous email recently sent out from the board.
>>>>>
>>>>> Based upon this comment, I received the impression that one of the
>>>>> goals
>>>>> of
>>>>>
>>>>> the current board is to make the organization about the membership at
>>>>> large
>>>>>
>>>>> and not just the board. However, as a general member, I see a growing
>>>>> disconnect in this area, and offered how I see this disconnect take
>>>>> place
>>>>> as
>>>>>
>>>>> well as a possible solution to the problem by bringing back the monthly
>>>>> updates.
>>>>>
>>>>> I think it is great that the board has accomplished all of the things
>>>>> that
>>>>> you listed in your email. However, I am not quite sure how I am
>>>>> expected
>>>>> to
>>>>>
>>>>> know about all of these accomplishments as a general member when it
>>>>> appears
>>>>>
>>>>> as though most of these accomplishments take place behind the scenes
>>>>> without
>>>>>
>>>>> the involvement of the membership at large. I can only speak from my
>>>>> observations as a general member, so I am glad to hear there are some
>>>>> things
>>>>>
>>>>> going on despite whether or not they can be seen by the membership at
>>>>> large.
>>>>>
>>>>> Since the comment about the organization being about the membership at
>>>>> large
>>>>>
>>>>> and not just the board was made in a public email circulated on all of
>>>>> the
>>>>> student email lists, I thought this would be an acceptable subject to
>>>>> discuss on the email list. I was curious if others have seen this same
>>>>> disconnect from the membership at large and the board, or if it was
>>>>> just
>>>>> me.
>>>>>
>>>>> I do not know, perhaps I am the only one who enjoys reading the monthly
>>>>> updates, and actually looks forward to receiving them. Again,, I am
>>>>> sorry
>>>>> you took my email so personally.
>>>>>
>>>>> Warm regards,
>>>>> Elizabeth
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>> --------------------------------------------------
>>>>> From: <nabs.president at gmail.com>
>>>>> Sent: Sunday, June 09, 2013 9:15 PM
>>>>> To: <nabs-l at nfbnet.org>
>>>>> Subject: Re: [nabs-l] What Has The NABS Board Been Doing
>>>>>
>>>>>> Hello,
>>>>>>
>>>>>>
>>>>>>
>>>>>> I appreciate your indicating that the monthly updates are something
>>>>>> that
>>>>>> you
>>>>>> found useful. Perhaps we should consider bringing those back. The
>>>>>> impression
>>>>>> I had was that not many people took the trouble to read them, and they
>>>>>> do
>>>>>> take a fair amount of time and effort to put together. Thank you for
>>>>>> writing
>>>>>> to suggest the reinstatement of the NABS Notes updates.
>>>>>>
>>>>>>
>>>>>>
>>>>>> Beyond that, I must respectfully take issue with your characterization
>>>>>> of
>>>>>> the current situation. NABS board members, working side by side with
>>>>>> many
>>>>>> other members of NABS, have engaged in multiple projects over the last
>>>>>> year.
>>>>>> We have sent representatives to numerous student functions and state
>>>>>> conventions around the country. We have overhauled the membership list
>>>>>> and
>>>>>> put it in a searchable database. We have held multiple informative
>>>>>> membership calls. We have put out issues of the Student Slate. We have
>>>>>> held
>>>>>> a student leadership seminar in Baltimore. We have worked on a
>>>>>> mentoring
>>>>>> program for first-time convention attendees that will be taking place
>>>>>> in
>>>>>> Orlando. We have raised significant funds for the work of NABS and the
>>>>>> NFB
>>>>>> as a whole. And we have NABS board members and general members alike
>>>>>> who
>>>>>> hold significant leadership positions in their chapters and
>>>>>> affiliates.
>>>>>>
>>>>>>
>>>>>>
>>>>>> I am 100% open to thoughts, suggestions, or criticism. However, I do
>>>>>> not
>>>>>> appreciate having my board and our many hard-working members called
>>>>>> out
>>>>>> for
>>>>>> doing nothing in a public forum such as this list. Suggestions on what
>>>>>> NABS
>>>>>> or the board could be doing better are always welcome at
>>>>>> nabs.president at gmail.com. I appreciate all constructive feedback, be
>>>>>> it
>>>>>> positive or negative. But let us not discredit the time and energy
>>>>>> that
>>>>>> many
>>>>>> individuals volunteer to continue to build our organization and make
>>>>>> progress on issues of importance to all of us.
>>>>>>
>>>>>>
>>>>>>
>>>>>> Thank you,
>>>>>>
>>>>>>
>>>>>>
>>>>>> Sean
>>>>>>
>>>>>>
>>>>>>
>>>>>> Sean Whalen
>>>>>>
>>>>>> President, National Association of Blind Students
>>>>>>
>>>>>> (608) 332-4147
>>>>>>
>>>>>> Nabs.president at gmail.com
>>>>>>
>>>>>> www.nabslink.org
>>>>>>
>>>>>>
>>>>>>
>>>>>> _______________________________________________
>>>>>> nabs-l mailing list
>>>>>> nabs-l at nfbnet.org
>>>>>> http://host.nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/nabs-l_nfbnet.org
>>>>>> To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for
>>>>>> nabs-l:
>>>>>>
>>>>> http://host.nfbnet.org/mailman/options/nabs-l_nfbnet.org/lizmohnke%40hotmail
>>>>> .com
>>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>> _______________________________________________
>>>>> nabs-l mailing list
>>>>> nabs-l at nfbnet.org
>>>>> http://host.nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/nabs-l_nfbnet.org
>>>>> To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for
>>>>> nabs-l:
>>>>> http://host.nfbnet.org/mailman/options/nabs-l_nfbnet.org/raniaismail04%40gma
>>>>> il.com
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>> _______________________________________________
>>>>> nabs-l mailing list
>>>>> nabs-l at nfbnet.org
>>>>> http://host.nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/nabs-l_nfbnet.org
>>>>> To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for
>>>>> nabs-l:
>>>>> http://host.nfbnet.org/mailman/options/nabs-l_nfbnet.org/dsmithnfb%40gmail.com
>>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> --
>>>> Darian Smith
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> Text the word BLIND to 85944 to donate $10 to the NFB Imagination Fund
>>>> via your phone bill.
>>>>
>>>> The time is now to eliminate Subminimum Wages for People with
>>>> Disabilities
>>>>
>>>> http://www.nfb.org/fairwages
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> “We know not of our future, but we know of our past. A past that is
>>>> made up of our ancestor’s Dreams, their stories and hopes.
>>>> These sights once seen, sounds heard and emotions felt are now our
>>>> knowledge. The knowledge that guides us to this very moment…”
>>>> -Darian Smith
>>>>
>>>> _______________________________________________
>>>> nabs-l mailing list
>>>> nabs-l at nfbnet.org
>>>> http://host.nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/nabs-l_nfbnet.org
>>>> To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for
>>>> nabs-l:
>>>> http://host.nfbnet.org/mailman/options/nabs-l_nfbnet.org/arielle71%40gmail.com
>>>>
>>>
>>> _______________________________________________
>>> nabs-l mailing list
>>> nabs-l at nfbnet.org
>>> http://host.nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/nabs-l_nfbnet.org
>>> To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for
>>> nabs-l:
>>> http://host.nfbnet.org/mailman/options/nabs-l_nfbnet.org/lizmohnke%40hotmail.com
>>>
>>
>> _______________________________________________
>> nabs-l mailing list
>> nabs-l at nfbnet.org
>> http://host.nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/nabs-l_nfbnet.org
>> To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for
>> nabs-l:
>> http://host.nfbnet.org/mailman/options/nabs-l_nfbnet.org/bookwormahb%40earthlink.net
>>
>>
>>
>> _______________________________________________
>> nabs-l mailing list
>> nabs-l at nfbnet.org
>> http://host.nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/nabs-l_nfbnet.org
>> To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for
>> nabs-l:
>> http://host.nfbnet.org/mailman/options/nabs-l_nfbnet.org/arielle71%40gmail.com
>>
>
> _______________________________________________
> nabs-l mailing list
> nabs-l at nfbnet.org
> http://host.nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/nabs-l_nfbnet.org
> To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for nabs-l:
> http://host.nfbnet.org/mailman/options/nabs-l_nfbnet.org/freethaught%40gmail.com
More information about the NABS-L
mailing list