[NABS-L] Food for Thought: How to Articulate NFB Philosophy to a Younger Audience

[Tina Hansen]

Something has been bothering me lately, but it's not the Corona Virus.

 

To start off, I'm very pleased to see what the Student division has done.
I've noticed your Nabs Now podcast, and I appreciate how you've done an
excellent job of speaking to college students and young professionals. While
I'm no longer a student, I appreciate those of you who are producing the
podcast. Most students today are likely to use You Tube or a podcast to find
answers to their questions, and you've raised questions that students need
to address. Your last podcast on STEM really is an encouragement to any
college student dealing with math and science, and your tips on dressing
professionally could benefit anyone.

 

So here's what's bothering me.

 

Some years back, there was an attempt to write an issue of our Parents
division magazine aimed directly at elementary, middle and high school
students. I didn't discover it until later, and while I thought it did a
good job,it was a one-time thing.

 

Since that issue, times have changed, which leads me to wonder if it's time
to revisit this idea. While most of you are college students, I'd hate for
elementary to high school students to be left out.

 

I also recognize that many children's titles that deal with blindness are a
mixed bag. Most have some good points, but since they're fiction, it's easy
for the old stereotypes to sneak in. Plus, with the advent of new
technology, some can date quickly.

 

The only children's book I've seen that doesn't give in to the old
stereotypes is Running with Roszel, written by Michael Hingson and a
co-author. Some dialog is fictionalized, but the story at its core is on
target when it comes to blineness. That book is the exception when it comes
to children's books.

 

I still enjoy our kernel books and anything our organization puts out, and I
believe parents and kids can, and do, read them.

 

But I'm also troubled by a trend I sometimes see in other fields: the need
to write literature that is directly aimed at kids, or that makes heavy
adult content "kid friendly," by trying to adapt adult concepts and explain
them in ways kids can understand. I'm not talking about sexual content here,
but just concepts that can be explained to an adult audience, but may be a
challenge to explain to a younger audience unless the writer can do it in
ways kids can relate to.

 

But I have mixed feelings about this, since I know that if you deliberately
aim low, kids won't be challenged, but you also don't want to go over the
heads of a young audience. My research shows that any author who writes
something "just for kids," with no adult interest, fails.

 

I also recognize that kids need to hear how their peers are helping each
other to believe in our message and apply it.

 

Not long ago, I happened on The Dream Big podcast at

 

www.dreambigpodcast.com <http://www.dreambigpodcast.com> 

 

The young host started this show because her parents often shared
motivational podcasts while the family commuted to and from school. She was
concerned that while the messages were OK, the hosts were targeting adults,
not children. She asked her parents if there were any podcasts on personal
growth and self development that were targeted for kids, but they found
nothing. She started her own, and it's been going strong since October of
2016.

 

While her main audience is children, adults, too, enjoy it. I believe she
has it right, since the host challenges both children and adults to dream
big.

 

So here's my burning question. Is it time for our organization to model what
this young host did: create media targeted to a young audience, but that can
also be enjoyed by adults?

 

I realize this can be a challenge, but I also realize that our philosophy
needs to be presented by fresh voices. I like the idea of podcasts and/or
You Tube videos because most young people might view or listen to a video or
podcast, but depending on their age, they might or might not read an
article.

 

I also recognize that this can complement and re-inforce what students learn
at our BELL Academies or at our programs that teach science nonvisually. I
also view them as one additional tool to reach our young people, and as a
complement to our other publications and direct mentoring.

 

So is there really a need in our organization for such targeted media for a
younger audience? Is there really a gap here? If there is, how can we start
to fill it? If not, is there something going on that I don't know about that
may already be filling this gap? I may be totally off base here, but that's
OK. Any thoughts? Thanks.