[nabs-l] young professionals division?

[Greg Aikens]

I agree that young professionals have different challenges and interests than most of your student population.  That doesn't mean we can't still act as mentors and have a good relationship with NABS, I just think there is enough of a difference in need and purpose to make a separate group better for all involved.  

I'm also not sure that a full blown division would really be necessary, but maybe so.  I like the idea of opportunities to network and mentor one another.  I really like the sense of camaraderie I see in older generations of NFBers who have worked together for decades.  

Anybody interested in doing a brown bag lunch at convention this year to brainstorm and talk about what this might look like?  I know convention time is busy, so if lunch doesn't work, maybe another format would be better.  

I really like this idea and if others do too, I would love to keep the conversation going.  Those of you who are interested and will be at convention, let's get together.

-Greg

 
On Jun 13, 2013, at 8:36 PM, "Joe" <jsoro620 at gmail.com> wrote:

> I see the rationale for expanding NABS, but one, it would make the scope of
> the organization that much broader than it already is, and two, NABS still
> has to get in the weeds of the philosophy fundamentals: training centers,
> disability offices, the importance of self-advocacy, etc. When I think of a
> professional organization, I'm thinking concrete items like accessibility in
> the workplace, a measure of mentorship for people working in similar fields
> such as federal employees, and yes, a means of enabling otherwise busy
> professionals to lend a hand with advocacy. I'm a busy guy but still like
> signing petitions and calling up congress people in favor of or in protest
> to some measure or another. Having opened this can of worms, I want to be
> clear that I'm not saying the NFB should dramatically change itself to meet
> every unique need of a young professional, but to an extend there needs to
> be a cool factor that overrides a person's sense of apathy. I get up at 4:00
> in the morning to be at my office by 6:00. I get home more or less around
> 5:00, and I need something to make me want to go to a chapter meeting. Yes,
> it's only once a month, but you active chapter members know there is a lot
> more activity than just the one gathering. Yes, there are dozens of
> divisions that cater to specific interests, hence my opposition to most
> divisions in general, but having too many choices makes people like me not
> want to participate in any of it. If I don't make it to the national
> convention and can't make Washington Seminar, where does that leave people
> like me? Perhaps an alternative organization, but being burned out on the
> Federation does not mean I think the organization is a bad one. Anyway,
> enough babble from me. If I express these sentiments at all, it is because I
> think NABS could be in the position to generate some possibilities. Maybe a
> happy hour for professionals next year in Washington? It'd be a start.
> 
> Joe
> 
> -----Original Message-----
> From: nabs-l [mailto:nabs-l-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Wasif, Zunaira
> Sent: Thursday, June 13, 2013 2:37 PM
> To: National Association of Blind Students mailing list
> Subject: Re: [nabs-l] young professionals division?
> 
> Maybe NABS should simply be extended to  include young professionals as well
> as students.  We can all be in the same division.  That way mentoring can
> take place with ease.  
> 
> -----Original Message-----
> From: nabs-l [mailto:nabs-l-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Greg Aikens
> Sent: Thursday, June 13, 2013 1:08 PM
> To: National Association of Blind Students mailing list
> Subject: Re: [nabs-l] young professionals division?
> 
> I would also be interested in having a place to network with other young
> professionals.  
> 
> 
> On Jun 13, 2013, at 10:13 AM, "Stephanie H. DeLuca" <sjhhirst at gmail.com>
> wrote:
> 
>> Hi, I was reading through the NABS digest, and someone had mentioned 
>> an NFB young professionals division ..... that it doesn't exist lol Is 
>> this something people would be interested in?  Perhaps we can put it 
>> on the agenda for the NABS meeting at National Convention. ~ Stephanie
>> 
>> In the field of observation, chance favors only the prepared mind.
>>   ~Louis Pasteur, lecture 1854
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