[nabs-l] Chris Nusbaum for NABS Board

[Preston Gaylor]

Even though that I'm not there to vote, I am still voting for you Chris!
You got this!!
Good luck to everyone on Monday!!
Preston

Sent from my iPhone

> On Jul 3, 2015, at 11:24 PM, Chris Nusbaum via nabs-l <nabs-l at nfbnet.org> wrote:
> 
> Dear NABS Family:
> 
> 
> 
> In a few short days we will gather together in our hundreds to celebrate our
> past achievements, assess our present progress, and dream for our future-a
> future full of opportunity, in which blind students can and will be
> empowered to live the lives we want. We will be inspired by our leaders,
> informed by our tireless advocates, and entertained by our dynamic speakers.
> We will also exercise that most fundamental of democratic rights: the right
> to elect our own leaders, to choose those who will represent us in the halls
> of power. It is our duty, then, to choose those candidates in whom we
> believe, as well as those who believe in us. I believe in each member of our
> organization. I believe that we, working together, have the power to
> transform dreams into reality. This is why, after much contemplation and
> consultation with many NABS leaders, I am asking for your vote for the
> position of NABS Board member.
> 
> 
> 
> By way of introduction, I am a rising senior at Francis Scott Key High
> School in Union Bridge, Maryland. A member in good standing of the National
> Honor Society, I have participated throughout my high school career in many
> extracurricular activities which have made my character very well-rounded,
> while keeping my academic efforts at the forefront of my activities. After
> graduation I plan to receive training at the Louisiana Center for the Blind
> (LCB) before attending college to become a teacher of blind students. In my
> spare time I enjoy reading, writing, singing, traveling, hanging out with
> friends, listening to all types of music, and-most importantly-working with
> my Federation family to build our movement.
> 
> 
> 
> Though I have known about the National Federation of the Blind for most of
> my life, I did not become a contributing member until 2011, when I attended
> a life-changing program at the Jernigan Institute at which I was inspired by
> our positive philosophy and introduced to the myriad ways in which I could
> get involved in our cause. Empowered and excited as I was about our
> movement, I immersed myself in Federation activity the moment I returned
> home from this program, and my enthusiasm has never waivered. I currently
> serve the Federation in many capacities, most importantly as Vice President
> of the Maryland Association of Blind Students. Through my involvement in
> MDABS leadership since 2012, I have been able to participate actively in the
> planning of two student seminars, a variety of fundraisers, and other
> projects which have built and strengthened our division. Since I joined the
> Board of our division, we have established and maintained a social media
> presence on Twitter and Facebook, worked to engage our membership in all
> aspects of our work, and grown our organization from a virtually unknown
> division with do-nothing leadership to a vibrant participant in the work of
> the National Federation of the Blind and our Maryland affiliate.
> 
> 
> 
> Moreover, we have expanded our membership to include many passionate and
> energetic middle and high school students, many of whom I was instrumental
> in recruiting into our movement. This recruitment of the younger generation
> is a passion of mine which I will bring to my work in NABS. All the while I
> have remained personally engaged with our members, always ready to answer
> questions and be of support as I am able. I believe that the best way to
> lead is through maintaining a productive dialogue with the membership,
> listening to their ideas and collaborating with them to achieve the best end
> result. I have tried to live up to this philosophy in my work with the
> Maryland student division, and will do so at the national level if I am
> elected.
> 
> 
> 
> I am running for NABS Board because I believe in our cause, and I am ready
> to do my part to further us in our journey toward first-class citizenship.
> The National Federation of the Blind has changed my life, and I am ready to
> give back that which has been so generously given me. Moreover, I am running
> because I believe that if NABS is to truly represent all blind students,
> high school students too should be represented in our leadership. Too often
> I have met blind high school students who have not yet been touched by our
> message of hope. They believe that their futures are limited and that
> blindness is the characteristic that defines them. We must reach out to
> these students, showing them by our example that blindness need not hold
> them back. As a member of this generation of students, I feel that I would
> be the best leader to facilitate this outreach. Finally, I am running
> because I have found NABS to be lacking in our social media engagement.
> Through my experience as social media coordinator for the NFB of Maryland as
> well as a member of our national Public Relations Committee, I plan to work
> toward fixing this lapse in our leadership.
> 
> 
> 
> Yes, I am running for a position of national leadership. However, I do not
> plan to use that title to distance myself from the membership. I want to
> hear from all of you-your ideas, your suggestions, even your complaints. It
> is only through constructive dialogue that an organization such as ours can
> thrive. In that spirit, I would welcome your questions about my candidacy,
> concerns about NABS, and suggestions of what you would like to see NABS do
> in the future. In summary, the position of NABS board member is not a
> meaningless title to be taken lightly; rather, it is a sacred trust which
> must be honored and kept. I hope that you will trust me enough to elect me
> as your next Board member. Let us continue to transform dreams into reality
> together!
> 
> 
> 
> Yours in the movement,
> 
> 
> 
> Chris Nusbaum, Vice President
> 
> Greater Carroll County Chapter
> 
> National Federation of the Blind of Maryland
> 
> Vice President, Maryland Association of Blind Students
> 
> Coordinator of Social Media, National Federation of the Blind of Maryland
> 
> Phone: (443) 547-2409
> 
> Email: dotkid.nusbaum at gmail.com
> 
> Twitter: @Chrisn98 and @NFBMD
> 
> 
> 
> The National Federation of the Blind knows that blindness is not the
> characteristic that defines you or your future. Every day we raise the
> expectations of blind people, because low expectations create obstacles
> between blind people and our dreams. You can live the life you want;
> blindness is not what holds you back.
> 
> 
> 
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