[nabs-l] Vote Syed Rizvi for Second Vice President of the National Association of Blind Students

[Vejas]

Hi All,
Please vote Syed Rizvi for second Vice-President of NABS.  As someone who has known Syed through us both attending training at LCB,  I can attest that he will make an excellent candidate for the job.  While in training, he took all the skills he learned very seriously, and was still able to juggle work with MASSABS, as well as going above and beyond to secure himself an internship for the summer.  As a friend of his and as a fellow Federationist, I can sincerely say that Syed has our back and will fight to make sure that we can be as equal to our sighted counterparts as possible.  Please have your votes for him ready for July 1.
Sincerely,
Vejas 

Sent from my iPhone

> On Jun 9, 2016, at 19:13, Syed Rizvi via NABS-L <nabs-l at nfbnet.org> wrote:
> 
> Good evening my Federation family,
> 
> 
> 
> I hope this message finds you well.
> 
> My name is Syed Rizvi and I am the President of the Massachusetts
> Association of Blind Students, the National Federation of the Blind of
> Massachusetts student division. I was brought to America by my parents when
> I was two years old with high hopes of having a brighter future.  I have
> struggled with my degenerative vision since I was five years old; and have
> since been constantly in search of answers, guidance, and support. While I
> was confident in my intelligence, my lack of knowledge in regards to
> nonvisual methods of doing my work compelled me to fall behind my sighted
> counterparts. I desperately wanted success. My parents believed in me, my
> siblings supported me, and my friends treated me just like everyone else.
> Still, I worked ten times harder than those around me to achieve the same
> accomplishments.  
> 
> 
> 
> Two years ago, I attended my first event hosted by the National Federation
> of the Blind, a Massachusetts student social in Boston. I quickly, if not
> instantaneously, realized that finally, God had answered all my prayers.
> Surrounding me were all these students living the lives they wanted without
> blindness holding them back. Without hesitation, I immediately immersed
> myself with new friends and, in creating relationships, began to work to
> further the movement of the National Federation of the Blind. I adopted more
> responsibilities in terms of leadership and collaboration. My growth did not
> stop there, and will never cease as I continue to embrace our positive
> blindness philosophy.
> 
> 
> 
> To ensure that blindness would no longer deter me from pursuing my
> aspirations and to solidify my philosophy, I halted my undergraduate college
> career, left my home of 17 years, quit my job, and flew over a thousand
> miles to Ruston, Louisiana. There, I attended blindness training at the
> Louisiana Center for the Blind, perhaps the greatest decision I have ever
> made. Alongside Federation leaders, newcomers, and mentors, I learned from
> passionate individuals in order for me to flourish in any path I decide to
> follow. 
> 
> 
> 
> After graduating from LCB on May 23, I returned home with a newfound
> understanding of the abilities of all blind people. This summer, I will be
> working for the Director of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) in
> Massachusetts to ensure that section 504 and section 508 of the
> rehabilitation act are properly enforced in our commonwealth. This fall, I
> will be venturing down to Texas start my journey as an Accounting student at
> the University of Texas at Austin.
> 
> 
> 
> It was at the 75th annual national convention that I first found out about
> NFB training centers and the Student Division of the National Federation of
> the Blind. It was there that I eagerly signed up to work for every NABS
> committee in order to fully understand how our organization operates. For
> the past year, I have been working diligently alongside national student
> leaders. My fellow blind students, we have so much work that must be done to
> ensure we have equal access in higher education and in the workforce. I
> would not be where I am today without the support received from my
> Federation mentors, and I am sure that holds true for most of you as well.
> The relationships I've formed with current NABS leadership, as well as my
> state affiliate and other state student divisions demonstrates my dedication
> and passion for what we are fighting for each day.
> 
> 
> 
> On Friday, July 1 <x-apple-data-detectors://2> , I will be running for the
> position of 2nd Vice President of the National Association of Blind
> Students. Now, I am asking for your support. Each and every vote counts as,
> together, we shift the leadership, refine initiatives, and initiate novel
> projects and ideas for the betterment of our community. I promise to
> continue my efforts as your 2nd VP; and to be open to suggestions, concerns,
> and ideas as we continue to build the National Federation of the Blind. 
> 
> 
> 
> Sincerely,
> 
> Syed Rizvi
> 
> President | Massachusetts Association of Blind Students
> 
> 
> 
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