[nabs-l] How can NFB better include people with multiple disabilities?

[Carly Mihalakis]

Good morning, Kaiti and Laurel and everyone,

We don't need a proximity with particular organizations such as the 
NFB, or a deafblind organization to foster unity, do we? Can't these 
ends be achieved on an interpersonal level?
for today, Car

09:21 AM 4/1/2014, Kaiti Shelton wrote:
>Hello all,
>
>I was aware that there is a system for deafblind sign, but I'm just
>not sure of how to do it at this point.  I've taken some American sign
>language and pigeon (just using the word signs, no letter spelling) so
>I know a lot of the visual symbols for things.  I know the
>communication barrier doesn't necessarily have to be there, but I
>think it is so sad that it is as bad as it is, with few blind people
>able to communicate with the deaf or deafblind just because we don't
>know how to do it.  I think a greater effort can be spent on bridging
>this gap, and some of that effort would have to be on our parts.  I
>really want to learn deafblind signing, but perhaps that will
>unfortunately have to wait till I survive my bachelor's degree and
>earn my certification.
>
>I like the idea of adding a provision which includes more
>disabilities, or blind people with other factors going on.  However, I
>also think that some of this work needs to just be forming
>relationships with like-minded organizations for people with other
>disabilities.  If we can form a relationship with an Autism society, a
>deafness organization, and some mental health groups just to suggest a
>few, then our movement can be greater than we even think it can be
>now, and it will ultimately impact more people.  In the process, those
>people with other disabilities will respect blindness as we respect it
>ourselves, and we can gain a mutual respect for their disabilities
>too.  I know the NFB has collaborated with some other organizations on
>legislative stuff, but I think the relationship with other orgs can be
>extended past the goal of passing laws to protect minimum wages, etc.
>
>On 4/1/14, Jewel <herekittykat2 at gmail.com> wrote:
> > You could also communicate with a deaf person by putting your hands over
> > theirs. It takes practice, but this is how I and a deafblind lady
> > communicated while at the rehabilitation center.
> > I agree that the philosophy is boxed in. We could add something about it
> > applying despite any other disabilities.
> > Jewel
> >
> > Sent from my iPhone
> >
> >> On Apr 1, 2014, at 8:38 AM, Carly Mihalakis <carlymih at comcast.net> wrote:
> >>
> >> Good morning, Kaiti,
> >>
> >>        Growing up, one of my schoolmates, Corrina, had Usher's syndrom so
> >> was effectively deafblind. I remember it being difficult to communicate
> >> but still I am intrigued by deafblind communication. I'm sure you know tof
> >> an incredibly vibrant deafblind community.
> >> So, they have ways to communicate.
> >> More later...
> >> fir today, Car
> >> At 01:12 AM 4/1/2014, Kaiti Shelton wrote:
> >>> Hi all,
> >>>
> >>> This is a great topic to converse about, and one I feel strongly about
> >>> as someone who is going into a rehabilitation field.
> >>>
> >>> I have noticed for a long time that the NFB philosophy seems to be
> >>> boxed in.  That is, when we talk about it in our conventions, it is
> >>> always framed as "The philosophy of blindness," when really, it is
> >>> something anyone with any disability can follow.  I've said that I'm
> >>> going to strive to teach it to my music therapy patients, whether they
> >>> are fighting cancer, adjusting to an acquired disability, or are
> >>> otherwise chronically ill.  Misunderstanding and misconceptions aren't
> >>> just the problem with blindness, they're the problems with anything
> >>> that is outside of the "norm," and I think we're doing wrong if we box
> >>> it in to just talking about blindness.  It does a great disservice to
> >>> those with other disabilities who could benefit from it, as well as
> >>> those who are blind with a comorbid disability.
> >>>
> >>> I am set to give a talk about visual impairment to an intro to music
> >>> therapy class next week, as they are finishing a chapter in the
> >>> textbook about sensory disorders and disabilities.  Having read that
> >>> book for that class last year, I know there are some things the book
> >>> got right, and some things that I disagree with.  It will be
> >>> challenging for me to correct the misconceptions the first year
> >>> students have been taught, but that is the same challenge deaf people
> >>> face, and people with Autism Spectrum Disorders face, and people with
> >>> mental illness face.  I think that, although as the National
> >>> Federation of the Blind we don't necessarily have a right to try to
> >>> gain as much expertese on these other things as blindness per keeping
> >>> relevant, but we can realize that our philosophy and ideals can be
> >>> bigger than blindness, and can be even further reaching.
> >>>
> >>> I had a talk with a deaf guy last semester.  He came to speak to music
> >>> therapy club about deafness, and taught us some sign language.  Since
> >>> I couldn't see what he was signing, I was unable to grasp a lot of
> >>> what he taught.  Classmates next to me tried to help position my
> >>> hands, but they were busy trying to do the signs themselves.  I'll
> >>> admit that the communication barrier between the speaker and I made me
> >>> a little frustrated, so after the meeting I went up to him and
> >>> explained my situation.  I said that I had an interest in learning
> >>> sign language so I could communicate with deaf people, but didn't know
> >>> how to logistically pull it off.  He taught me how to sign, "Sorry, I
> >>> can't see you," so that I could first tell the deaf person I was blind
> >>> (I didn't have my cane folded out when I was sitting at a desk for the
> >>> presentation, so since he didn't see it he didn't know).  Then he
> >>> thought a bit about how the deaf person would be able to communicate
> >>> with me, since if they were unable to speak themselves pen and paper
> >>> wouldn't work.  The best he could tell me was that the finger spelling
> >>> would do the job, but at least I would be able to do the signing,
> >>> which is more efficient.  He said that would show the deaf person I
> >>> had taken the time to learn how to communicate with them, even if they
> >>> couldn't easily communicate with me, and at least I wouldn't have the
> >>> frustration of tediously fingerspelling myself.  It was cool, because
> >>> afterwards he took a real interest in my notetaker and the braille
> >>> display.  It would be so cool if there weren't those separations
> >>> between people with disabilities, and we could all work for a common
> >>> goal.
> >>>
> >>> I know at conventions some deafblind people feel kind of left out,
> >>> because all these blind people are whizzing past them and they can
> >>> easily get disoriented in the crowds.  I think helping the deafblind
> >>> is a great start, but we do need to consider other disabilities, and
> >>> combinations of disabilities with blindness as well.  I don't know if
> >>> I have an answer to how this can happen yet, but I think a big chunk
> >>> of it is practicing what we preach.  If we want sighted people to know
> >>> the truth about blind people, and treat us as equals, we need to do
> >>> the same for the deaf, those with Autism Spectrum Disorders and
> >>> Developmental Disorders, and those with mental illness.
> >>>
> >>> Just my two cents worth... curious to see what others think.
> >>>
> >>> On 3/31/14, Joe <jsoro620 at gmail.com> wrote:
> >>> > Don't worry. My week is chaotic, so short post. One thing the guide
> >>> > dog
> >>> > division has done that I find neat is that they've become a tangible
> >>> > resource to fellow guide dog users. The way I understand it, you can
> >>> > call a
> >>> > hotline and get concrete assistance with advocacy, training referrals,
> >>> > etc.
> >>> > Perhaps mental health could be addressed in a similar fashion. Peer
> >>> > assistance could go a long way, because after all, who is going to be
> >>> > in a
> >>> > better position to help than someone who's been there?
> >>> >
> >>> > --
> >>> > Twitter: @ScribblingJoe
> >>> >
> >>> > Visit my blog:
> >>> > http://joeorozco.com/blog
> >>> >
> >>> >
> >>> > -----Original Message-----
> >>> > From: nabs-l [mailto:nabs-l-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Beth
> >>> > Taurasi
> >>> > Sent: Monday, March 31, 2014 7:32 PM
> >>> > To: National Association of Blind Students mailing list
> >>> > Subject: Re: [nabs-l] How can NFB better include people with multiple
> >>> > disabilities?
> >>> >
> >>> > On one hand, being dual disabled, blind and mentally ill, can mean
> >>> > that
> >>> > your
> >>> > family can shelter you a lot and tell you you can't run for a
> >>> > leadership
> >>> > position.  That's not right, and I think we need to do some
> >>> > educational
> >>> > campaigns that say that yes, we can lead.  Alll this talk of academic
> >>> > excellence could lead to people being left out: people with Turner's
> >>> > Syndrome, Down's Syndrome, etc.  Both have limits and one has an
> >>> > educational
> >>> > impairment along with it.  We need to educate the people about mental
> >>> > illness in that it does not cause people to go "psychotic"
> >>> > twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week.  No, it does not mean we
> >>> > are
> >>> > all
> >>> > experiencing delusional thoughts of grandeur.  My parents thought I
> >>> > was
> >>> > delusional and placed me under a guardianship due to that and their
> >>> > lack of
> >>> > knowledge and understanding of the disorders I was diagnosed with at 17
> >>> > and
> >>> > later at 19.  There would've been better ideas on solving the problems,
> >>> > but
> >>> > with little knowledge, parents make decisions that aren't always the
> >>> > best,
> >>> > such as guardianship or incapacitation or placement in a group home
> >>> > that
> >>> > won't allow the person to talk with his/her friends.
> >>> > Beth
> >>> >
> >>> > On 3/31/2014 3:53 PM, Arielle Silverman wrote:
> >>> >> Hi all,
> >>> >>
> >>> >> I'd like to start a separate thread to address an important issue
> >>> >> that's come up recently. It's clear that more and more blind folks
> >>> >> today also have other disabilities. For several reasons, the number
> >>> >> of
> >>> >> blind people with additional disabilities is likely to increase, and
> >>> >> more than that, the number of blind people with additional
> >>> >> disabilities who are getting educated and involved in advocacy is
> >>> >> likely to increase. I do think that, for the most part, the NFB
> >>> >> centers do a good job of tailoring training to the needs that people
> >>> >> with other disabilities may have, but I also think that we as an
> >>> >> organization have far to go in order to truly appreciate the
> >>> >> contributions of all blind people. I think it's particularly true
> >>> >> when
> >>> >> we think about including people with intellectual disabilities and
> >>> >> mental illnesses. These kinds of conditions are stigmatized in
> >>> >> general, but especially since our leadership has tended to be highly
> >>> >> educated and to stress academic excellence and consistent effort from
> >>> >> the leadership, I can see how folks who have intellectual
> >>> >> disabilities, mental illnesses or chronic health conditions can feel
> >>> >> left out. I've known some blind folks who had trouble holding down
> >>> >> leadership positions in the NFB due to the ups and downs of mental
> >>> >> illnesses, for example, but who are still incredibly creative and
> >>> >> passionate people with a lot of good ideas that are getting lost.
> >>> >> Further, as several folks have pointed out, people with multiple
> >>> >> disabilities can experience difficulties related to getting
> >>> >> employment, education, etc. that the NFB hasn't really been able to
> >>> >> help them with.
> >>> >> I agree that NFB can't be expert about all disabilities, just
> >>> >> blindness, but I think there is a definite place for more divisions
> >>> >> and groups within the NFB that focus on other conditions. There is a
> >>> >> deaf-blind division, but I have not heard many great things about its
> >>> >> effectiveness. I have heard about efforts to possibly start a
> >>> >> blind-rollers division, and it makes sense to me that blind
> >>> >> wheelchair
> >>> >> users might have unique concerns they'd want to discuss with each
> >>> >> other. But to my knowledge such a division has not been formed. I
> >>> >> would love to see a division for blind people with mental health
> >>> >> conditions. This is a huge segment of our population, and there are
> >>> >> probably unique concerns there. I am not sure if such divisions don't
> >>> >> exist because the national leadership opposes them or if there just
> >>> >> hasn't been enough interest or momentum to get them going. But I
> >>> >> think
> >>> >> having such divisions could help folks who have additional
> >>> >> disabilities obtain leadership positions within the organization, and
> >>> >> also to provide a vehicle for collective action and education about
> >>> >> issues affecting these groups specifically, even if the NFB as a
> >>> >> whole
> >>> >> should just focus on blindness. I hope that makes sense. I would be
> >>> >> interested in other suggestions from you about how members with
> >>> >> multiple disabilities can feel more valued. While there is something
> >>> >> to be said for going ahead and running for leadership positions in
> >>> >> order to change things, change also needs to come from the
> >>> >> organization as a whole if folks with multiple disabilities are going
> >>> >> to be elected and welcomed in these positions.
> >>> >>
> >>> >> Best,
> >>> >> Arielle
> >>> >>
> >>> >> On 3/31/14, Steve Jacobson <steve.jacobson at visi.com> wrote:
> >>> >>> Joe and others,
> >>> >>>
> >>> >>> It is not my position that anything said about the NFB that is
> >>> >>> negative is wrong.  Organizations are made up of human beings and we
> >>> >>> are not perfect so our creations are not likely going to be perfect.
> >>> >>> Still, some of what one person may seem as wrong  isn't so much a
> >>> >>> matter of right or wrong as perspective and opinion.  We embarked a
> >>> >>> good while back now on an expansion that has resulted in the need to
> >>> >>> raise more funds than we used to have to raise.  I do not think I am
> >>> >>> alone among NFB supporters in recognizing that this is a risk.  When
> >>> >>> you look at our budget and that of the ACB and then compare
> >>> >>> legislative successes as you did, Joe, it is certainly clear that
> >>> >>> legislative successes are not proportional to one's budget.  Whether
> >>> >>> I completely agree with legislation ACB passes or not, I recognize
> >>> >>> that the ACB has made contributions.  However, I have felt for some
> >>> >>> time and I feel particularly more so now that our problems can't be
> >>> >>> solved by legislation alone.  Let's take accessibility, for example.
> >>> >>> There is a lot of emphasis on getting more legislation passed that
> >>> >>> will force software to be accessible, for example.  I happen to
> >>> >>> believe this is necessary, but it isn't going to make everything
> >>> >>> better for us, particularly on the job, all by itself.
> >>> >>> If we are going to make any serious gains, we need to understand the
> >>> >>> limits of current technology and explore ways of getting information
> >>> >>> that is new.  I am not one who got all excited about being able to
> >>> >>> drive a car, although I certainly hope that blind people can do that
> >>> >>> at some point.  However, I got very excited about the fact that as a
> >>> >>> result of looking at the problem, we experimented with a number of
> >>> >>> ways of getting information that had not been explored before.  A
> >>> >>> significant portion of our budget went into the KNFB reader.  At the
> >>> >>> time, it was something nobody was doing, and it was a moving
> >>> >>> experience when I held up a KNFB reader to the lists of registered
> >>> >>> people at a national convention that were just hanging from a
> >>> >>> crossbar and have it start to read the content.  There have probably
> >>> >>> been over a thousand kids who have attended science camps of one
> >>> >>> kind
> >>> >>> or another through our efforts.  We have been able to sponsor other
> >>> >>> gatherings as well for blind lawyers, teachers, and major players in
> >>> >>> the technology field.  We couldn't have done any of this in the 80's
> >>> >>> or 90's, and much of this would not have been done even now if we
> >>> >>> hadn't tried it.
> >>> >>>
> >>> >>> So what's my point, I'm not saying anything new, you know all this.
> >>> >>> My point is that a lot of this is about risks and perspectives.  We
> >>> >>> won't know for a long time if some of these efforts will make a
> >>> >>> difference.  Frankly, I am a believer that one learns almost as much
> >>> >>> from what doesn't work as one learns from what does, because if you
> >>> >>> make a mistake you can eliminate or refine that approach.  Will some
> >>> >>> of those thousand kids get into math or science because of what we
> >>> >>> did?  Is the OCR in the new HIMS product a little better because of
> >>> >>> what we did with the KNFB reader?  Will we see a really good reader
> >>> >>> on the iPhone?  Might we ever see a reader that could use artificial
> >>> >>> intelligence to interpret software on a computer screen instead of
> >>> >>> having to educate every person who writes software?  Will some of
> >>> >>> our
> >>> >>> efforts mean that there might be a way for us to control the Google
> >>> >>> self-driving cars because of some of the work we did on our own car?
> >>> >>> I hope that at least some of the answers are yes, but at this point
> >>> >>> I
> >>> >>> can't really say.  What I do know is that the smaller dynamic grass
> >>> >>> roots organization that we were in the 80's couldn't have had any
> >>> >>> affect on some of what I've listed above, nor was it the right time
> >>> >>> for that.  But it also means that we change.  Not only do we change,
> >>> >>> but we make mistakes as we adjust to change.  Joe, what you see as a
> >>> >>> downward spiral, I see as the challenges of change.  I'm not
> >>> >>> satisfied to say that it has to be that way, though.  We can and
> >>> >>> must
> >>> >>> learn how to do better, as individuals and as an organization.
> >>> >>>
> >>> >>> Joe, I think you are right that getting training at one of our
> >>> >>> centers won't miraculously make life better, and the marketing does
> >>> >>> sometimes imply that.  However, you are wrong to draw conclusions
> >>> >>> about such training based upon the marketing.  Discussing and
> >>> >>> exploring the uncertainties and challenges of seeking employment as
> >>> >>> a
> >>> >>> blind person is a big part of what is addressed at BLIND
> >>> >>> Incorporated
> >>> >>> here in Minnesota and I assume by our other centers.  Some of the
> >>> >>> point of such training is to encourage the idea that you have to
> >>> >>> have
> >>> >>> a set of tools to approach a given situation and not just one tool.
> >>> >>> Still, we have to do more than run people through training.
> >>> >>> This is true of any single aspectof our challenges, though.
> >>> >>> Legislating that software must be accessible and that one cannot
> >>> >>> discriminate based upon a disability was and is still needed, but it
> >>> >>> won't matter much if we don't have training.  Legislation and even
> >>> >>> training won't matter all that much if we don't get a good basic
> >>> >>> education.
> >>> >>> Requiring that school districts teach braille won't fix that problem
> >>> >>> if there are no braille instructors in a given area.  You can't pick
> >>> >>> any one thing out and say that it can lead to success by itself, and
> >>> >>> you can't see any given issue as completely standing on its own.
> >>> >>>
> >>> >>> I feel that we are in a better position as an organization to impact
> >>> >>> the complex challenges we face with a larger budget than we were.
> >>> >>> However, it is more important than ever that we understand where we
> >>> >>> are going and how our philosophy fits in.  The question of what can
> >>> >>> we change to address the challenges of the world and what do we need
> >>> >>> the world to change is more important than ever, and I don't see
> >>> >>> anyone asking questions like that outside of this organization.
> >>> >>> With
> >>> >>> our strengths and our failings, I think our understanding of asking
> >>> >>> for help and looking for our own solutions is what has set us apart
> >>> >>> in my mind, and while it is risky, I think that branching out is a
> >>> >>> risk worth taking to try to have a wider impact.  We need the help
> >>> >>> of
> >>> >>> all members, though, to handle change.
> >>> >>>
> >>> >>> Best regards,
> >>> >>>
> >>> >>> Steve Jacobson
> >>> >>>
> >>> >>>
> >>> >>>
> >>> >>> On Sun, 30 Mar 2014 12:57:22 -0600, Jamie Principato wrote:
> >>> >>>
> >>> >>>> Arielle,
> >>> >>>> That was a very thoughtful and politically sensitive response.
> >>> >>>> Joe,
> >>> >>>> I am pleased to see I am not alone in making these observations
> >>> >>>> furring my own relationship with the NFB. while I
> >>> >>> deeply respect the organization's history and truly appreciate the
> >>> >>> raw potential the organization has moving forward, the passion I
> >>> >>> joined with back in high school has turned to cautious cynicism. I
> >>> >>> don't think this perspective is bad, though. I think the NFB
> >>> >>> desperately needs members who can see past the smoke and mirrors of
> >>> >>> PR, and who are willing to discuss issues of blindness and politics
> >>> >>> in a no-nonsense way that isn't always easy to hear. It is a shame
> >>> >>> though when those of us less willing to toe the line and pander to
> >>> >>> those with political power are treated with hostility by some at the
> >>> >>> national level, and more still within our local chapters.
> >>> >>>
> >>> >>>> Sent from my iPhone
> >>> >>>>> On Mar 30, 2014, at 12:00 PM, Arielle Silverman
> >>> >>>>> <arielle71 at gmail.com>
> >>> >>>>> wrote:
> >>> >>>>>
> >>> >>>>> Hi Joe,
> >>> >>>>>
> >>> >>>>> Thanks for sharing your experiences. I have not been following the
> >>> >>>>> Braille Monitor that closely but I can understand what you are
> >>> >>>>> saying about the increased emphasis on fund-raising. I have also
> >>> >>>>> felt like the national convention is turning into more of a
> >>> >>>>> carnival with all the exhibitors and prizes being given away, and
> >>> >>>>> much of banquet that used to focus on philosophy and NFB spirit is
> >>> >>>>> now taken up with prize drawings and the like.
> >>> >>>>> To be fair, NFB was stronger financially when we joined than it is
> >>> >>>>> now, and I understand that some national programs have been cut
> >>> >>>>> due
> >>> >>>>> to a decrease in revenue from what used to be steady reliable
> >>> >>>>> income sources. So NFB may be pushing fund-raising more, but the
> >>> >>>>> alternative could be a loss of programs and resources.
> >>> >>>>> I have not heard of anyone being blatantly turned away or refused
> >>> >>>>> membership in an NFB chapter. If that ever happens it is truly
> >>> >>>>> shameful. I do think that sometimes prospective members choose not
> >>> >>>>> to join because they perceive hostility from the organization or
> >>> >>>>> judgment of their lifestyle choices. I think part of that is
> >>> >>>>> perception only, and part of it is reality. The NFB is stereotyped
> >>> >>>>> as a radical one-size-fits-all organization, and new members
> >>> >>>>> expecting to find that could be especially sensitive to cues of
> >>> >>>>> hostility. However, there probably is some real lack of acceptance
> >>> >>>>> among certain segments of the organization, which, again, is
> >>> >>>>> unfortunate. I will say that I am not the most graceful blind
> >>> >>>>> person and was relatively unskilled when I first joined, and I
> >>> >>>>> still felt completely accepted. But I know not all of us are so
> >>> >>>>> lucky. I would encourage prospective members who have a negative
> >>> >>>>> experience to try again in a different chapter or division and
> >>> >>>>> perhaps they will find acceptance there. But at the same time, this
> >>> >>>>> is
> >>> > something we need to be sensitive to in the organization.
> >>> >>>>>
> >>> >>>>> Arielle
> >>> >>>>>
> >>> >>>>>> On 3/30/14, Michael Capelle <michael.capelle at frontier.com> wrote:
> >>> >>>>>> Hello all.
> >>> >>>>>> This is why I am not apart of any "blind movement."  I live my
> >>> >>>>>> own
> >>> >>>>>> life, live my own philosophy, ETC.  I do not believe in a one
> >>> >>>>>> size
> >>> >>>>>> fits all mentality, which is unfurtunately what the NFB does.
> >>> >>>>>> Thanks.
> >>> >>>>>> Mike
> >>> >>>>>>
> >>> >>>>>> -----Original Message-----
> >>> >>>>>> From: RJ Sandefur
> >>> >>>>>> Sent: Sunday, March 30, 2014 11:51 AM
> >>> >>>>>> To: jsoro620 at gmail.com ; National Association of Blind Students
> >>> >>>>>> mailing list
> >>> >>>>>> Subject: Re: [nabs-l] Success and Why I Left the NFB
> >>> >>>>>>
> >>> >>>>>> Joe, I agree with you. I had to attend both college, and Seminary
> >>> >>>>>> without the NFB's help, although it would have been nice to have
> >>> >>>>>> a
> >>> >>>>>> mentoor. RJ
> >>> >>>>>> ----- Original Message -----
> >>> >>>>>> From: "Joe" <jsoro620 at gmail.com>
> >>> >>>>>> To: "'National Association of Blind Students mailing list'"
> >>> >>>>>> <nabs-l at nfbnet.org>
> >>> >>>>>> Sent: Sunday, March 30, 2014 12:25 PM
> >>> >>>>>> Subject: [nabs-l] Success and Why I Left the NFB
> >>> >>>>>>
> >>> >>>>>>
> >>> >>>>>>> 2006 was the last year I attended a national convention. While
> >>> >>>>>>> there I was caught up in the ra ra of the movement and felt glad
> >>> >>>>>>> to be in the company
> >>> >>>>>>>
> >>> >>>>>>> of
> >>> >>>>>>> so many people who could relate to the challenges that awaited
> >>> >>>>>>> me
> >>> >>>>>>> as a recent college graduate. I left convention, finished up my
> >>> >>>>>>> summer as a counselor in Iowa, and set off for DC to begin my
> >>> >>>>>>> business with the real world. I would never take away someone's
> >>> >>>>>>> enthusiasm from attending a national convention or Washington
> >>> >>>>>>> Seminar or one of the weekend leadership seminars in Baltimore.
> >>> >>>>>>> They are very well-suited to boost a person's spirit, but I
> >>> >>>>>>> believe too many people fall through the cracks when faced with
> >>> >>>>>>> reality outside of those infrequent gatherings.
> >>> >>>>>>>
> >>> >>>>>>> To be fair, the organization is no different from any other
> >>> >>>>>>> nonprofit business. It needs money to sustain itself, and in
> >>> >>>>>>> turn
> >>> >>>>>>> it needs more members to help raise the money. Still, I found it
> >>> >>>>>>> rather disappointing that so much of the board meeting I tuned
> >>> >>>>>>> into listen to last summer was dominated by calls to raise money
> >>> >>>>>>> for this fund or that effort. I found it even sadder that a
> >>> >>>>>>> recent issue of the Braille Monitor, our monthly dose of
> >>> >>>>>>> inspiration, featured several articles just to the focus of
> >>> >>>>>>> generating more ways to drum up more financial support, but
> >>> >>>>>>> perhaps the most frustrating byproduct of this new NFB are the
> >>> >>>>>>> e-mails from so-called friends from whom
> >>> >>>>>>>
> >>> >>>>>>> I
> >>> >>>>>>> have not heard in years but boldly ask me to contribute to their
> >>> >>>>>>> NFB fundraising campaigns.
> >>> >>>>>>>
> >>> >>>>>>> In short, at some point the NFB embraced enterprise and forgot
> >>> >>>>>>> about the movement. Between 2006 and 2012 I went on to help lead
> >>> >>>>>>> development efforts for other nonprofits outside of the
> >>> >>>>>>> blindness
> >>> >>>>>>> field, also national in scope.
> >>> >>>>>>> They too made fundraising a priority, but it never felt like the
> >>> >>>>>>> top, or the only, priority. It gets tiresome when we focus on
> >>> >>>>>>> recruiting new blood and raising new money and forget about
> >>> >>>>>>> strengthening the members and resources we've already had.
> >>> >>>>>>>
> >>> >>>>>>> Nowadays I have the privilege of knowing some excellent blind
> >>> >>>>>>> professionals.
> >>> >>>>>>> I think they would do well in the NFB. They are smarter than I
> >>> >>>>>>> ever will be and have accomplished more than I may ever achieve,
> >>> >>>>>>> but they shun the organization because they were turned away or
> >>> >>>>>>> because they were never welcomed in the first place. It's
> >>> >>>>>>> something I should have kept in mind when I had my brief taste
> >>> >>>>>>> of
> >>> >>>>>>> leadership in the organization. I had too much of
> >>> >>>>>>>
> >>> >>>>>>> a
> >>> >>>>>>> mouth on me to ever be anyone's golden child, but I was reliable
> >>> >>>>>>> enough to get the job done. But, getting the job done should
> >>> >>>>>>> have
> >>> >>>>>>> really meant attracting and pulling in these men and women who
> >>> >>>>>>> could have made the NFB lots better, listening to new ideas, and
> >>> >>>>>>> most important, remaining true to the cause and not some
> >>> >>>>>>> multi-million-dollar institute we find ourselves incapable of
> >>> >>>>>>> sustaining.
> >>> >>>>>>>
> >>> >>>>>>> So, what does any of this have to do with the original post? I
> >>> >>>>>>> don't want
> >>> >>>>>>>
> >>> >>>>>>> it
> >>> >>>>>>> to ever be said I was a hypocrite. The leadership may as well
> >>> >>>>>>> know what I think of them, but more importantly, to the college
> >>> >>>>>>> kids on the verge of spreading their own wings, I want you to
> >>> >>>>>>> know the NFB banner will only guide your way so far. Take what's
> >>> >>>>>>> great about the organization and leave the political drama and
> >>> >>>>>>> marketing ploys behind. In the end it will be your own wits and
> >>> >>>>>>> talents that will earn your pay check. The NFB will never give
> >>> >>>>>>> you anything new. The philosophy merely helps you uncover what
> >>> >>>>>>> you always had
> >>> >>>>>>>
> >>> >>>>>>> to
> >>> >>>>>>> be successful. Anything could happen with the new NFB president,
> >>> >>>>>>> and I will be the first to retract my words if he is brave
> >>> >>>>>>> enough
> >>> >>>>>>> to reverse this downward spiral. You see, we no longer live in a
> >>> >>>>>>> world where the NFB is necessary for collective momentum.
> >>> >>>>>>> Technology has seen to that.
> >>> >>>>>>> Whether
> >>> >>>>>>> or
> >>> >>>>>>> not the movement sticks around largely depends on how badly we
> >>> >>>>>>> want it to exist.
> >>> >>>>>>>
> >>> >>>>>>> Is the ACB doing it any better? That's debatable, but you know
> >>> >>>>>>> what I've found from the people I've met on that side of the
> >>> >>>>>>> house? They seem happier, and that's something we can't seem to
> >>> >>>>>>> figure out in our camp. The few victories they celebrate they do
> >>> >>>>>>> with even less money. Let that be a lesson in financial
> >>> >>>>>>> management to you.
> >>> >>>>>>>
> >>> >>>>>>> I don't know what the hell I'm doing back here. I told myself I
> >>> >>>>>>> would never become one of those bitter former NFB members. My
> >>> >>>>>>> only goal was to provide different perspectives to the new
> >>> >>>>>>> generation of leaders coming up through the ranks. After all, if
> >>> >>>>>>> you never taste the real world, you have no business leading.
> >>> >>>>>>> That's like the teacher who teaches because they couldn't cut
> >>> >>>>>>> it,
> >>> >>>>>>> and believe it or not, I want to see more and more of you excel
> >>> >>>>>>> at whatever it is you want to do. The more of you there are, the
> >>> >>>>>>> greater our strength.
> >>> >>>>>>>
> >>> >>>>>>> Moving forward I reckon I'll keep my opinions to myself here
> >>> >>>>>>> lest
> >>> >>>>>>> I be the rotten apple that spoils the bunch, but in some lame
> >>> >>>>>>> attempt to answer the original question, my answer would be
> >>> >>>>>>> this:
> >>> >>>>>>>
> >>> >>>>>>> The characteristics of a successful blind person are humility to
> >>> >>>>>>> consume what they need to be successful, fortitude to turn away
> >>> >>>>>>> what will not, and wisdom to recognize the difference.
> >>> >>>>>>>
> >>> >>>>>>> Joe
> >>> >>>>>>>
> >>> >>>>>>> --
> >>> >>>>>>> Twitter: @ScribblingJoe
> >>> >>>>>>>
> >>> >>>>>>> Visit my blog:
> >>> >>>>>>> http://joeorozco.com/blog
> >>> >>>>>>>
> >>> >>>>>>>
> >>> >>>>>>>
> >>> >>>>>>> _______________________________________________
> >>> >>>>>>> nabs-l mailing list
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> >>> >>>>>>> info
> >>> >>>>>>> for
> >>> >>>>>>> nabs-l:
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> >>> >>>>>>> ndefur%40gmail.com
> >>> >>>>>>
> >>> >>>>>> _______________________________________________
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> >>> >>>> 0visi.com
> >>> >>>
> >>> >>>
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> >>> >>>
> >>> >>>
> >>> >>>
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> >>> >>> _______________________________________________
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> >>> >>>
> >>> >> _______________________________________________
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> >>> >> http://nfbnet.org/mailman/options/nabs-l_nfbnet.org/denverqueen1107%40
> >>> >> comcast.net
> >>> >>
> >>> >
> >>> >
> >>> > _______________________________________________
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> >>> > http://nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/nabs-l_nfbnet.org
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> >>> > nabs-l:
> >>> > 
> http://nfbnet.org/mailman/options/nabs-l_nfbnet.org/jsoro620%40gmail.com
> >>> >
> >>> >
> >>> > _______________________________________________
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> >>> > nabs-l:
> >>> > 
> http://nfbnet.org/mailman/options/nabs-l_nfbnet.org/crazy4clarinet104%40gmail.com
> >>> >
> >>>
> >>>
> >>> --
> >>> Kaiti
> >>>
> >>> _______________________________________________
> >>> nabs-l mailing list
> >>> nabs-l at nfbnet.org
> >>> http://nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/nabs-l_nfbnet.org
> >>> To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for
> >>> nabs-l:
> >>> 
> http://nfbnet.org/mailman/options/nabs-l_nfbnet.org/carlymih%40comcast.net
> >>
> >>
> >> _______________________________________________
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> >> 
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> >
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>
>
>--
>Kaiti
>
>_______________________________________________
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