[NABS-L] Conversation Starter: How do you feel about the agency pledge resolution?

Sun Jul 19 21:36:11 UTC 2020

Dear all,

This resolution, among all on the floor,  fascinated me the most. On
balance, there is a good chance I would end up supporting this
resolution - I haven't made up my mind for certain - but I can
certainly see grounds for resistance. Anyways, as a newbie to NFB, I
have a few questions regarding this resolution:

* Is there precedent for NFB advocating for changes in other blindness
agencies? In other words, have there been resolutions in the past
wherein NFB resolved to bring about changes in structure and
composition, policies and programs, goals and priorities, etc. of
other agencies for the blind? If so, what sorts of actions and
outcomes resulted from these resolutions?

* Does this resolution include numerical parity in staff as well?
Board of directors is clear to me, but I am not entirely sure what
positions are encompassed by agency management.

I realize that I have too many questions all the time, but thanks for
bearing with me. :)

Thanks.

On 7/18/20, ellen bartelt via NABS-L <nabs-l at nfbnet.org> wrote:
> On 7/17/20, Justin Salisbury via NABS-L <nabs-l at nfbnet.org> wrote:
>> I support it, as well.
>>
>> What do you all say to the people who are universally opposed to quotas
>> designed to help minorities?
>>
>> Sent from my iPhone
>>
>> Justin Mark Hideaki Salisbury
>>
>> Mobile: 808.797.8606
>> Email: 808salisbury at gmail.com<mailto:808salisbury at gmail.com>
>> ResearchGate: https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Justin_Salisbury
>> LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/justin-salisbury
>>
>>
>>
>> On Jul 17, 2020, at 4:46 PM, Cory McMahon
>> <cory.j.mcmahon at gmail.com<mailto:cory.j.mcmahon at gmail.com>> wrote:
>>
>> I support it.
>>
>> -----Original Message-----
>> From: NABS-L
>> <nabs-l-bounces at nfbnet.org<mailto:nabs-l-bounces at nfbnet.org>>
>> On Behalf Of Justin Salisbury via
>> NABS-L
>> Sent: Friday, July 17, 2020 3:33 PM
>> To: National Association of Blind Students mailing list
>> <nabs-l at nfbnet.org<mailto:nabs-l at nfbnet.org>>
>> Cc: Justin Salisbury
>> <PRESIDENT at alumni.ecu.edu<mailto:PRESIDENT at alumni.ecu.edu>>
>> Subject: [NABS-L] Conversation Starter: How do you feel about the agency
>> pledge resolution?
>>
>> Aloha Fellow Federationists,
>>
>> I am enjoying the discussion surrounding one of this year's resolutions.
>> I
>> want to know how our NABS members feel about it, so please share your
>> thoughts. Here is the resolution:
>>
>> Resolution 2020-05: Regarding Blind Leadership at Private Agencies for
>> the
>> Blind WHEREAS, over 200 private agencies in the US have been created to
>> serve the blind; and WHEREAS, an essential part of the governing
>> structure
>> of an agency for the blind is to include the processes, policies, and
>> procedures that will ensure that the agency for the blind administration
>> is
>> responsive to the interests, needs, and aspirations of its constituency;
>> and
>> WHEREAS, the most authentic representatives of the constituency of
>> agencies
>> that serve the blind are blind people who have the lived experience of
>> blindness and have shown the commitment to engage in self-organization
>> and
>> who are willing to be partners, directors, or managers of agencies for
>> the
>> blind and advisors to them: Now, therefore, BE IT RESOLVED by the
>> National
>> Federation of the Blind in Convention assembled this eighteenth day of
>> July,
>> 2020, that this organization call upon agencies for the blind to adopt
>> the
>> formal goal of committing to a governing structure with numeric parity
>> between blind and sighted directors and managers, which will ensure
>> partnership with the blind who have dedicated their lives to improvement
>> of
>> blindness services nationally; and BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that we call
>> upon
>> and invite all United States blindness agencies to formally adopt the
>> following Blindness Parity Pledge, to wit:
>> Our agency, the [NAME OF ORGANIZATION], was created and exists to help
>> blind
>> people. We believe that those in whose name we serve should be
>> represented
>> in parity in the governing board of directors and agency management. This
>> parity will result in blind people having a significant contribution to
>> help
>> guide the services our agency provides and guiding the most effective
>> ways
>> to give it. Therefore, we pledge ourselves to the values and commitments
>> that follow:
>> We are managed by executives who are compensated for their work, and
>> those
>> executives, in turn, are managed by a board of directors. We believe that
>> blind people must be a part of any blind agency's management team at both
>> of
>> these levels. While setting any particular percentage may appear to be
>> arbitrary, we know that, without a number it is impossible to measure
>> whether we are meeting our goal of significant involvement. We therefore
>> pledge that this agency will measure, in five years or less, at least
>> half
>> of our management team be composed of people who are blind. We further
>> pledge that within the same five-year period our organization will commit
>> to
>> a minimum of 50 percent of its governing Board of Directors be composed
>> of
>> people who are blind.
>> To underscore the importance of parity representing those we serve, we
>> pledge to amend our by-laws to ensure that the parity, once achieved,
>> will
>> continue as a hallmark and point of pride in our agency in perpetuity.
>>
>> We believe there is no better way to demonstrate our commitment to the
>> constituency we serve than to have blind people contributing by being
>> part
>> of our management. Our agency's current operation and its goals for the
>> future must be informed by those we serve, and we must, in appearance and
>> in
>> fact be guided by blind peoples' experience and aspirations at every
>> level.
>> The effect of blind parity and inclusion will ultimately help our agency
>> address the accessibility needs of those we serve. They will help ensure
>> that every document we create will be accessible. With our full community
>> engaged, we will strive to see that our presence on the World Wide Web is
>> exemplary and serves to demonstrate that websites can be both visually
>> attractive and completely usable with screen reading technology.
>> Furthermore, our commitment to accessibility will extend far beyond the
>> written word. When we produce charts, graphs, and documents with
>> pictures,
>> we will use state-of-the-art technology to make these accessible for the
>> blind.
>> We value the feedback and active participation of blind people in the
>> development and implementation of the services we provide. In addition to
>> reaching parity on our board and management team, we pledge also to
>> create
>> a
>> working committee of the consumers we serve to meet regularly throughout
>> the
>> year and advise on best practices in our programs and services. The
>> members
>> of this independent advisory committee and the chairperson of the
>> committee
>> will be chosen by the consumers themselves and meet at least quarterly
>> with
>> senior management to build an agency which will continue to grow in
>> responsive, relevant and blind-positive ways.
>>
>> _______________________________________________
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>> om
>>
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>>
> Hi Everyone,
> This resolution  needs to be passed and have blind people help make
> the decisions in agencies. Many times we are told we can't have axis
> to certain things such as, updating our technology is outdated. I
> remember once my councilor and the superviser were  fighting in front
> of me if I needed a new computer. Having blind people making decisions
> about blind services. Many things would be taken care of quickly and
> the client receives the services they need to be successful in the
> classroom or on the job.
> Ellen Bartelt
>
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Bhavya Shah

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