[nabs-l] How can NFB better include people with multiple disabilities?
Joe
jsoro620 at gmail.com
Tue Apr 1 19:09:41 UTC 2014
Back when I was the TABS president we regularly participated in the AER's
state conferences. It was a good way to get face time with teachers and
counselors, and it also brought us in contact with some parents of children
with multiple disabilities. Anytime there are conferences or seminars for
certain disabilities, it could be worth setting up a table to promote your
student division and be the gateway to the NFB at large.
--
Twitter: @ScribblingJoe
Visit my blog:
http://joeorozco.com/blog
-----Original Message-----
From: nabs-l [mailto:nabs-l-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Kaiti Shelton
Sent: Tuesday, April 01, 2014 12:21 PM
To: National Association of Blind Students mailing list
Subject: Re: [nabs-l] How can NFB better include people with multiple
disabilities?
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
>>> >>>>>>>
>>> >>>>>>>
>>> >>>>>>>
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>>>
>>>
>>> --
>>> Kaiti
>>>
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>>
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--
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