[nabs-l] NABS: A Division IN the National Federation of theBlind

[Ashley Bramlett]

hi Chris,
communication is good, but national doesn't track what every state division 
does, at least not to my knowledge.
Your state president and affiliate should communicate with your state 
division though.
I think you in your MD division communicate with national because you're 
right in MD but remember this is not typical.
Just saying. But overall,
good message. Glad your  division is strong, and I wish I could say the same 
about the virginia student division.

Ashley

-----Original Message----- 
From: Chris Nusbaum via nabs-l
Sent: Friday, June 13, 2014 6:02 PM
To: 'Justin Salisbury' ; 'National Association of Blind Students mailing 
list'
Subject: Re: [nabs-l] NABS: A Division IN the National Federation of 
theBlind

Dear Justin:

I thank you for this latest note and, quite frankly, for your last one as
well. In my view it always behooves us as members to have these kinds of
open discussions about how we would like NABS to operate. It is particularly
gratifying when a member of the Board poses these questions to the open
forum of the listserv, thereby opening the door for public discussion and
debate. As someone who has served on the Board of the Maryland Association
of Blind Students for the past two years now, I willingly admit that such
conversations are too often reserved for the Board members and committee
leaders. I think we forget to poll the membership on these questions between
conventions, which I fear widens a potential gap between the membership and
the leadership. As our nation is called to be one governed by the people, so
our Federation is in essence a people's movement. Thank you for reminding us
to return to this essential principle. With this said, I have spent some
time pondering your questions and would like to provide my thoughts and
experience.

To me, the essence of a division's unity with the wider movement can be
found in its close communication with state and national leaders as well as
its support of Federation-wide policies and programs. The NFB Pledge calls
us to "support the programs and policies of the Federation, and to abide by
its Constitution." In the experience of our student division here in
Maryland, we began to fall apart when our leadership felt that they could
reinvent the wheel and halt the close relationship which used to exist
between the student President and the affiliate President. Their goal in
doing this was to make the student division its own entity, operating on its
own terms and making its own rules. They thought the division would be more
effective if it was not perceived as operating solely at the whim of the
"big wigs" in Baltimore. The result, however, was the opposite of what these
past leaders had hoped for. The members, and ultimately the leaders
themselves, became apathetic. Very little events were held and almost no
revenue was coming into the treasury. Eventually, the division became
completely dependent on the affiliate to remain afloat financially. Even our
bank account was joined with the affiliate's. Only when a new Board led by a
new President were elected did the division begin to grow. This new Board
was energetic about our cause, willing to work, and--most importantly--they
were willing to cooperate and communicate with Federation leaders at the
state and national levels. Our division President often jokingly tells the
Board that at times it seems like she is on the phone with the affiliate
President nearly every day.

Over the past few years we have found this close communication with our
state and national offices beneficial in the continued growth of our
division. It allows us to provide mutual support to each other, as I believe
divisions are meant to do. When the state and national movements launch a
new initiative, we can use our resources to support it. In return, the state
and national leaders can use their connections to advertise our initiatives
and fundraisers to more people than we ever could on our own. Moreover,
invaluable insights can be gained from such communication. Often we on the
MDABS Board contact our state President with our ideas and ask for advice on
how they can be carried out. I personally and MDABS collectively have found
that the experience of older Federation leaders has been very helpful to us
in planning more effective events and generally growing a stronger
organization which remains an integral part of the wider movement.

Therefore, I believe that NABS is doing a very good job currently of
remaining united with the Federation as a whole while staying true to that
which makes us unique. We have divisions, I believe, to serve the needs and
concerns of those who have a special interest in certain issues which only
effect a certain group of people. NABS, for example, exists to serve the
needs of blind students specifically. However, I believe we must remember
that we are also, as you so eloquently stated it, a "division in the
National Federation of the Blind." This status calls us to maintain
communication between our colleagues in the movement who are not students.
It also requires that we honor the pledge we took upon joining this
organization: that we would, both personally and collectively, "support the
programs and policies of the Federation." So long as we maintain this level
of communication and mutual support with our fellow Federationists, in my
opinion, we will remain on the right track.

Yours in the movement,

Chris Nusbaum, Secretary
Maryland Association of Blind Students: a division in the National
Federation of the Blind of Maryland

-----Original Message-----
From: nabs-l [mailto:nabs-l-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Justin
Salisbury via nabs-l
Sent: Wednesday, June 11, 2014 11:44 PM
To: 'nabs-l at nfbnet.org'; 'ctabs at nfbnet.org'; Massachusetts Association of
Blind Students List (massabs at nfbnet.org); List for NABS State Presidents
(nabs-presidents at nfbnet.org); Wisconsin Association of Blind Students List
Subject: [nabs-l] NABS: A Division IN the National Federation of the Blind

Fellow Federationists:
It appears that my last letter missed the mark.  The emotions that I wanted
to produce to begin the Justin Salisbury campaign were not what I achieved.
Since the only direction to move is forward, that is where I will go.  In
one look back, I sincerely apologize for writing in a way that produced such
a variety of emotions.
I want to thank those who have supported me over the years and those who are
supporting me today.  From my very first Federation event, I knew that this
organization would always push and empower me to be the best I can be. I
remember being so unsure of my own ability to succeed in math and science as
a blind person and then being approached by a blind engineer and a blind
environmental scientist at the end of the banquet. I thought I had already
received the best rehab training and had achieved the pinnacle of
mathematical competence as a blind person, which was inherently below that
of a sighted person; boy, was I wrong. They wouldn't let me doubt myself,
and they made it clear that I could always find a mentor in the National
Federation of the Blind. One of the things that makes our movement so strong
is that you don't have to be the chosen one to seek advice from the best
leaders and mentors. I remember thinking that I could not possibly have
anything important enough to discuss with Dr. Maurer, and then, I found
myself telling him about my boyhood dream of serving in the military. I have
grown out of that shyness one step at a time.  I now seize and treasure my
opportunities to take advice from and bond with some key players in our
movement. I do not receive this support because I am uniquely deserving of
it; I receive it because I seek it and seek it with the desire to make the
Federation stronger with it. So far as I know, there is no chosen one for
this position until our membership chooses at our business meeting, and I
hope that the chosen one will be me.
If anyone here has not yet read the June Braille Monitor, I strongly
recommend reading the article by the young Marc Maurer, who was then
President of the National Association of Blind Students. What I find most
appealing is his attention to the purpose and function of a division in the
National Federation of the Blind. While the early NABS would provide
advocacy help to anyone desiring it, the primary duty of the division is to
the National Federation of the Blind. It is not to lead the Federation on
student initiatives but to advise the Federation on student initiatives and
provide a learning forum. The early NABS existed to inform the entire
Federation membership and prepare us all for the effort to help blind
students achieve. Instead of looking at NABS as a division of the
Federation, we should consider NABS a division IN the Federation. If I am
elected President, I understand that I am not going to be the primary leader
of the National Association of Blind Students; the primary leader will be
the President of the National Federation of the Blind, and our movement will
be unified.
To me, the value of this model is evident. We need to have this kind of
NABS. Now, I want to ask questions of our membership and facilitate
discussion in order to learn how the membership wants the NABS President to
best serve. How do we want to fulfill this role in the Federation? What role
do our members want to play in achieving this model?
I eagerly await every reply.

Sincerely yours,

Justin Salisbury
Board Member
National Association of Blind Students
president at alumni.ecu.edu<mailto:president at alumni.ecu.edu>

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