[NFB-Blind-Crafters] Annual report

[carcione at access.net]

The "within the Federation" bit is part of our purpose statement, which is
on the NFB website.

If people want, I can change it in the report to say:

The group is intended to connect blind crafters both inside and outside the
Federation community and to motivate advancements in the broader movement. 

 

Is that OK?

 

Changing it on the website is more complicated.  I guess we should have
written it differently when we changed from being a division to being a
group, but there it is.

 

I'll paste the whole thing in again below my signature.  It's part of this
message, not an attachment.

Tracy

 

Annual Report for Blind Crafters Group

 

Name of group and chair appointed by the national President:

Blind Crafters Group, Tracy Carcione group chair

 

Shared interest or community:

The group brings together blind people interested in all kinds of crafts.

 

Purpose:

NFB's Blind Crafters group connects blind crafters of all experience levels,
from beginner to advanced, with support, resources, and techniques to assist
in creating useful, practical, and beautiful crafts. The group is intended
to connect blind crafters both inside and outside the Federation community
and to motivate advancements in the broader movement. By raising
expectations, blind people can learn and teach skills and express creativity
to create artistry and develop talents.

 

Achievements of the past year:

Some group members spoke to their local NFB chapters, state conventions, or
seniors'  groups about the Crafters Group, letting people know that
blindness is not an impediment to crafting.  Some people joined our group
after these talks.

We've had some classes and a knit-along, and we've revived our regular
chats.  More people are engaged in our activities, and people who never
taught a class for us before have led classes and are willing to lead more.

Members regularly share blindness techniques related to crafting and help
each other learn new skills.

Members have also taught me how to host a Zoom meeting and create a
recording.

 

National Convention:

                                We did not have a meeting at our national
convention, but 6 or 7 members attended and had an informal get-together
over dinner.

 

Major goals for the upcoming year:

For the upcoming year, I hope to continue our growth and get more people
engaged in making things happen.  We'll have more classes, and continue the
chats on various topics.  

Some of our members are interested in creating small businesses selling
their craftwork, and we hope to create a chat series detailing accessible
online selling and payment options.

We also want to explore crafts people are interested in but most don't have
much experience with, such as machine sewing.

We want to increase our outreach to the larger NFB, encouraging members to
ask for time to make presentations to their chapters, affiliates, or other
groups.

 

Remarks:

                                As part of the national board's outreach to
groups, I was contacted by the president of the NFB of Alabama.  I found our
conversation very helpful and used her suggestions to increase engagement in
the crafters group.  

Most of our interaction is through our listserve, which is the most active
listserve I'm on. 

I believe our group remains viable.  I believe that expressing creativity is
empowering.  

I want to increase member engagement, and would welcome ideas on how that
can be done.  

 

Tracy Carcione, Blind Crafters Group leader

667 Chestnut Avenue, Teaneck, NJ, 07666

201-907-0894

carcione at access.net <mailto:carcione at access.net> 

 

 

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