[New-York-News] Writing resolutions — you can do it!

[Chancey Fleet]

Hi everyone, 
Are you passionate about an issue affecting Blind New Yorokers? Do you see an opportunity to make a change in state law or organizational policy? Do you want to shine a light on an organization or business that has benefited or harmed the blind community in New York? 
Our annual resolutions direct the actions of the National Federation of the Blind of New York. Anyone can write a resolution to present to the Resolutions Committee, which meets for breakfast on theSunday morning of convention and votes on which resolutions will be presented to the convention at large. Anyone can join the Resolutions committee. Resolutions that pass through committee and are affirmed by the convention at large become NFBNY policy.
If you'd like to try your hand at writing a resolution, check out the format of resolutions from NFB national convention this year: 
https://www.nfb.org/resources/speeches-and-reports/resolutions/2019-resolutions
You'll notice two major components to every resoltion. 
Whereas: The whereas clauses, usually several, lay out a current state of affairs using specific facts about what has happened and what is known. For example: "Whereas 85 percent of Blind adults who are employed read Braille"; or "whereas Blind parents are routinely targeted for scrutiny by the state because of their blindness". Your whereas clauses should stick to the facts and include specifics where possible. Every whereas ends withWith semicolon, and every subsequent whereas after the first one should say "and whereas". 
Resolved: this part of the resolution suggests an action the NFBNY should take. For example: "Now therefore be it resolved that the National Federation of the Blind of New York urge the New York State Education Department to proactively educate families about the importance of Braille by including a discussion of Braille in all IEP meetings involving a legally Blind child" or "Now therefore be it resolved that the National Federation of the Blind of New York condemns and deplores the derogatory comments about the capacity of Blind people to care for children expressed by the hosts of the Breakfast Club". The first one of these will  therefore be it resolved"; subsequent ones will say "and be it further resolved". Focus on what the NFBNY should do, not what other entities  can do. We can urge, commend, call for or condemn an action.  
Once you have a resolution formatted, you can email it to me. It would be great if you were to send resolutions to me a week before convention, although I will accept them right up through banquet. 
For those of you who would like some guidance and brainstorming help, I am offering  a resolutions chat at 8 PM Tuesday October 8. Please email me to rsvp, and I will send you a link to join.
Remember: any member can submit a resolution. This organization belongs to all of us and we want to hear your voice, even if you are not the most confident in your writing. I am happy to support you as you develop your thoughts. Be brave, be assertive and be the change you want to see for Blind New Yorkers. 
    

Life is short and dictation is faster. Any errors brought to you by iPhone. 
Chancey Fleet
Mobile: 347-632-8383 (texts preferred)