[NFB-Arkansas] Fwd: Discrimination issue in Arkansas

Wed Feb 4 16:08:15 UTC 2026

Well will you share the steps please

April Scurlock, 2nd Vice President
National Federation of the Blind of Arkansas
Cell: 870.490.1825
Email: April.nfbar at gmail.com
Website: www.NFBAR.org

“We Live the Life We Want”

On Wed, Feb 4, 2026 at 10:03 AM Nena Chadwick via NFB-Arkansas <
nfb-arkansas at nfbnet.org> wrote:

> I would like to just make sure that we are all following the National
> Federation of the Blind’s Branding. I know that discrimination is real, and
> we all feel like we need to jump in and help.  But first, we need to make
> sure that the organization is being asked, or is it just a personal matter?
>
> If the member wants the backing of the NFB of Arkansas, specific steps
> must be followed.
>
>
> *From: *NFB-Arkansas <nfb-arkansas-bounces at nfbnet.org> on behalf of Cindy
> Scott-Huisman via NFB-Arkansas <nfb-arkansas at nfbnet.org>
> *Date: *Tuesday, February 3, 2026 at 3:59 PM
> *To: *NFB of Arkansas Internet Mailing List <nfb-arkansas at nfbnet.org>
> *Cc: *Cindy Scott-Huisman <cindyscotthuisman at gmail.com>, Clarke Huisman <
> clarkehuisman at gmail.com>
> *Subject: *Re: [NFB-Arkansas] Fwd: Discrimination issue in Arkansas
>
> Dear Donna,
>
>
>
> I am sorry to hear about this discrimination you and Dick experienced. I’d
> be interested to find out what response you already received from your
> original emails. Also, are you planning on some kind of action on, or
> further publicity of this incident?
>
> You are in the driver’s seat, so to speak, but I would be willing to help
> with what avenue you want to pursue.
>
> Off the top of my head, I’m thinking this could be brought to Seven On
> Your Side, the state newspaper, and an attorney could write a letter to the
> owner of the Mayflower car dealership to inform him of your civil liberties
> and rights.
>
>
>
> We will plan on discussing this topic during the Central Chapter meeting,
> and I will follow up with you with any additional comments.
>
>
>
> Please know, whether your main focus at this point is to vent to your
> fellow members, or if you need a team to back you up in some tangible way,
> we are here for you.
>
>
>
> Cindy Scott-Huisman
>
> National Federation of the Blind of Arkansas,
>
> Central Chapter Board President
>
> On Tue, Feb 3, 2026 at 12:46 AM Donna Walker via NFB-Arkansas <
> nfb-arkansas at nfbnet.org> wrote:
>
> Good evening, I’m sharing an email I sent to NFB nAtional and our state
> president a couple weeks ago. While we work every day to change the lives
> of blind people in our state in our country serious problems with ignorance
> and discrimination still exist. I realize that a lot of people are
> concerned with the budgetary problems facing the division of services for
> the blind as a result of our federal governments lack of fiscal
> responsibility and funding programs mandated by congressional action. While
> this issue may not impact you directly it’s another indication that we
> still have a long way to go and must deal with ignorance from some of the
> most unbelievable places on a daily basis. Sharing my email for your
> consideration or discussion. Donna
> Donna Walker. Sent from my iPhone
>
> Begin forwarded message:
>
> *From:* Donna Walker <walkercutoff at gmail.com>
> *Date:* January 19, 2026 at 4:01:40 PM CST
> *To:* nfb at nfb.org
> *Cc:* Nena Chadwick <nchadwick at nfbar.org>
> *Subject:* *Discrimination issue in Arkansas*
>
> Good afternoon, whenever you think that you are past the point of being
> amazed or surprised at the way people react to blindness something happens
> to show you that ignorance still abounds. A situation like that happened to
> my husband and myself last week. We are both blind, but have made it a
> practice to own and maintain an automobile for personal use for years and
> years. This because Transportation is such a problem in Arkansas and often
> we can find a reliable driver easier than a reliable driver who always
> wants to use their vehicle or has a vehicle that appears to be roadworthy
> enough to make the trip. My husband has been actively searching for a
> vehicle very similar to ours, but with less miles and a few other options
> that ours does not have. He recently found exactly what we were looking for
> at an auto dealer in Mayflower Arkansas, Caldwell Toyota. He was
> negotiating a deal with one of the salesman at the dealership, Josh
> Pearrow. We were supposed to bring our trade-in and a cashiers check for
> the difference between the two vehicles to the dealership last Wednesday to
> finalize the sale.
> On Tuesday afternoon, the salesman, Josh, called with some additional
> questions and requests from his sales manager, Charlie. since we were
> bringing our current vehicle up there to pick up the other one who would be
> driving? Would it be a licensed driver? As if! He asked us to send photo
> copies of our state identification cards, the current registration and
> licensing information on the car we have now and a copy of our insurance
> card from State Farm showing that the current vehicle is covered by auto
> insurance. Additionally, they had said before that a personal check was
> fine for the difference, but now wanted it to be a cashiers check. We had
> already exchanged photos of the two vehicles, vehicle, identification
> numbers and current mileage, etc. After we supplied the additional
> information, everything was on go, that was Tuesday evening. We were to run
> by our bank in the morning to get the cashiers check and meet Josh at the
> dealership at about 10 o’clock on Wednesday morning. That dealership is
> about 70 miles from our home. on Wednesday morning we were over halfway
> there, west of Little Rock when Josh called. The sales manager Charlie was
> blocking the sale as it currently stands or stood. He said that Charlie
> said he lost sleep overnight worrying about this deal. He’d never heard of
> blind people buying a car before, and he was convinced that it was not
> legal for us to own one. Poor Josh was obviously distressed and
> embarrassed, and I felt bad for him, but we were getting seriously angry
> because Charlie said that they would sell us the car if we put somebody
> else’s name, a licensed driver on the title along with us. They would not
> sell us the vehicle otherwise. They They did not want to be liable if
> something happened or an accident, etc. I tried to reason with Josh, we
> were never able to speak with Charlie. I explained that anyone can own a
> car, it was illegal for us to drive a car or to operate the car in Arkansas
> without auto insurance  and current license and tags. I explained that we
> would absolutely not consent to having somebody else’s name on the title of
> our new car as he clearly could see we’d never titled a car before in
> anyone’s name but ours. He said we could take it off later if we wanted to
> which I told him was absolutely insulting. We were grown-ups and we did not
> need a cosigner or a keeper. We pulled over and waited for a few minutes
> for Josh to try and reason with Charlie, but Charlie would not change the
> requirement for a sided, licensed driver to be on our car title, our
> property. i’m sure you will understand that that was the end of that
> purchase, we turned around and returned home and returned the funds from
> the cashiers check to our bank account. We did receive a phone call from
> the salesman, Josh, who was visibly upset about the entire situation. We
> assured him that we did not blame him as it was not his decision to
> terminate the sale or place. Ridiculous restrictions upon it. It was
> obvious that he was embarrassed, besides which he just lost his sales
> commission. We have never dealt with a situation like this before… Dick and
> Donna Walker: 501-467-4042.   Sent from my iPhone
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