[NFB-DB] Canceling membership thread

[doula.jarboe at gmail.com]

Hi Sara,

     Welcome to what will hopefully be a working division again soon.  This
is the one place where people really converse.  Although, I'm sure there are
other communication modes we could use.  Shelia sent a copy of the revised
Constitution to this list, if you didn't receive that I'd be happy to send
it along.  If others are wanting other ways of communicating besides this
list, what would be accessible and preferred?
Warmly,
Doula

-----Original Message-----
From: NFB-DB <nfb-db-bounces at nfbnet.org> On Behalf Of Sara Coleman via
NFB-DB
Sent: Friday, June 9, 2023 7:27 AM
To: nfb-db at nfbnet.org
Cc: Sara Coleman <scolemae at gmail.com>
Subject: [NFB-DB] Canceling membership thread


As a new member of the division, I have been following these online
conversations with great interest. 

To my knowledge I have not received a copy of the proposed constitution or
been part of any discussions outside of the Zoom meeting where the
constitution was discussed. 

I would love to be a part of any meetings or discussions leading up to
National Convention and I am attending. 

What is the best way to connect with the group beyond the listserve?

Thank you all for your voices and I hope to get to know more of you during
this reorganization process. 

Sara Coleman
scolemae at gmail.com


Subject: Re: [NFB-DB] Membership Cancellation?
Message-ID:
   <CAEe15j_rNW-y+6XyzkVBcCD_HqJBPBGejCTSziUtvxwu41iqkQ at mail.gmail.com>
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Hi everyone, Stuart here.

First, Lisa and Doula: thank you for touching our lives, being vulnerable to
others about one's medical condition is never to be taken for granted. No
one should dare label you "absent" with your contributions to what
apparently seems like today's impromptu follow-up meeting. I certainly felt
your presence here in my home and in my heart! I can relate, and personally
I'm going to be wishing you both well and praying for your recovery! I so
appreciate your sharing part of yourself and your life with us today. Proof
we can reach out and touch others' lives from afar!

Second, thank you Rod, Tony, Scott, Tracie, Lisa, Diane, Doula, Carla and
Rocky for the discussion since I last made a peep on here: it sounds like
Rod, Tony, Scott, Tracie, Lisa and Doula are in full support, with Diane and
Rocky partially supporting but encouraging more patience with no
quantitative timeframe until reaching equal participation and voting rights,
and Carla indicating this cannot happen before the convention meeting, but
voicing understanding of the concerns.

Third, Doula, it sounded like in Carla's estimation of what's possible, NFB
won't be inclusive of voting as the relevant votes have to be taken at the
convention meeting to reorganize and not at another time? So, even giving
the ability to participate or provide input or feedback would take a vote
still at the meeting and only of the "first-class" citizens able to be
physically present if they deign to help us it sounds like? Or is even that
part of the reorganization still beholden to President Riccobono's wishes
alone? If not, Shelia and Carla may be able to take something back to what
I'm understanding is the NFB Board, and you are also able to take something
to DEI to advocate for all to gain equal representation? Is the timeframe on
that possible to be effective for the convention meeting if either of those
meet before it? What is the Multiple Disabled group doing for their meeting
at the convention if they vote on anything?

If the organization can't or won't be allowed flexibility and inclusion at
its formal inception (at least insofar as NFB permits or tolerates it),
since it's being reorganized anyway, might there be a way to give it an
inception where/when it won't be under duress? I don't want to diminish in
any way whatsoever the immense value and contribution of each and every
individual who will be able and allowed to attend the convention and this
meeting in-person nor minimize the voice of anyone who can't attend. If a
way to at least allow remote participation, asynchronous or retroactive
thought it may be, could be permitted; then, feedback on the constitution
upfront here can be given before the convention, treating the convention
meeting effectively as a Working Group or Task Group meeting with a specific
purpose, but officially as a founding meeting, and then have a follow-up to
give life to the reorganized group after the convention?

In doing so, it may be possible to pay homage to the organization hosting
the division, yet give all members the opportunity to at their own pacing
think and contribute to the best of the collective's ability to reorganize
what will be the best to represent and advocate for DeafBlind. For example,
here are some ideas how it could be
structured:

1. Discuss the constitution we were all sent earlier this afternoon after
all can review it.

2. Review what Carla sent as the Recording (which, looks like a transcript
of sorts).

3. Discuss leadership roles in advance to ensure covering all the intended
roles so there aren't vacancies to start (though it may be possible to plan
vacancies potentially that would be filled later by the Board and then fill
those positions with informal votes that the Board can then officiate with
representative formal appointments similar to how our republic here in the
U.S.A. works).

4. Prepare a second draft or other items during the Working or Task Group
meeting where those in-person can use the time and resources available to
communicate and assure anyone who can't or don't communicate well in text
has every opportunity to contribute fully their thoughts.

5. Have someone move and a vote be taken at the Working or Task Group
meeting to take a Final Vote in Principle (or a Final Vote Pending
Confirmation), if possible, on everything NFB demands must be met in the
meeting. If necessary, the result of the Working or Task Group meeting could
constitute an Agreement in Principle consisting of the Constitution and any
other documents deemed necessary to develop as well as a Leadership and
Succession Plan meeting the bare minimum that division members could all
vote on by mail or email at their choice at a later time to finalize.

6. Most organizations have provisions for "cleanup" of an editorial or minor
nature for most things officially to be approved as a finalized record,
which might be reviewed at actually the next meeting to recap an editorially
correct version that everyone approves and agrees was what happened and/or
what was intended by all stakeholders to an extent or simply be "finalized"
7 days after a specified vote is taken for instance. So, an informal
Post-Meeting Wrap-Up, Confirmation Hearing or Validation Meeting may occur
where any editorial or minor things can be "cleaned up" for what was
intended to prepare to be passed into formal record. If that resulted in
anything not agreed as minor or editorial, then someone can move at a
subsequent meeting to restate what was officially passed or amend it
accordingly so long as there's at least an honor system that input from
everyone, present in-person or not and technologically savvy or not could
have equal input and time as each needs and receive a final copy my email or
mail as needed/preferred.

When I attended the last virtual NFB convention proceedings, I wasn't fully
aware how this would revert last year and this year, and I was too ill the
whole time leading up to and during last year's convention anyway to note
much of anything that occurred with the situation. I apologize if my lack of
capacity to address any of the matters going on at that time escaped me when
that time might have been put to good use over the past year to the benefit
of this group instead.

Thanks again and a good night to all!
EOM
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