[Nfb-editors] Reaching This Generation

[Tina Hansen]

I'm pleased to hear some of the discussion on this list about how to communicate our message to today's audience in this world.

I want to add a few observations about this, since I know other organizations are struggling with these very issues.

First off, it's easy to assume that this generation is beyond hope, or that they'll not listen to anything unless it's neatly packaged into a 10-second sound bite. That is somewhat true from the viewpoint of some, but I also recognize that we should not compromise our message just to fit it in with trends and fads.

Yes, we should use the tools at our disposal, like Facebook and Twitter. They're out there, and we should find ways to make use of them.

Someone commented that our members rarely read our publications. I have a couple of explanations for this: first, some people don't have enough time, and second, there are so many articles to choose from, you're probably not sure where to start.

We do need to continue with our in depth thinking and analysis, and I, for one, enjoy it. I also recognize, though, that since people seem over-scheduled these days, it's no wonder they want to get their news or information quickly, like fast food, and be on their way.

If there are any Native Americans in this organization, I think they can teach us a thing or two. I, for one, am learning from them not to be so hurried or rushed. I've read some of their literature and heard how they think, and I feel they have a lot to teach us.

One thing our Native American friends have taught us could possibly serve as a model for how we can reach out to the current generation: oral history. Our Living History group is working on this, but I also think that more and more, I think that because we live in a multimedia age, we may wish to think seriously about communicating our message in not only text, but audio and video. I like our national Straight Talk series, but I keep thinking: can we do things on the state and local level. Local and state leaders could tell their stories as a kind of video testimonial, and through Youtube or the other video sharing sites, these messages could be made available to the public. Plus, they could be made in a way that the audio could stand alone.

The more I think of this, the more I see it as a struggle between two ways of thinking: one that argues that we need to initiate change on a grand scale and expect large crowds to get excited about our message, and the other that argues for smaller scale interventions one on one. We need both, but I think some are expecting that only one approach will solve all our problems, or that if something worked in the past, it will still work today.

I know that even though National is on Facebook and Twitter, the home page doesn't show that.

The comment about the lack of Braille literacy among our blind youth is, truly, a complex issue. I remember at Detroit two years ago, one speaker remarked that Braille should not die out. Yet we're also hearing a great deal these days about going green, and how saving paper can protect the environment. That is why, if we advocate for a full page Braille display, I think that could ensure that Braille still lives, even with new technologies.

I know that one reason I don't have a lot of Braille books around is that there is not enough space to store them, since I live in an apartment.

I don't wish to point fingers or blame anyone, and I believe there is still hope. This issue is indeed complex, and I recognize that there are likely going to be disagreements over some things. None the less, I am pleased to contribute to the discussion. I am hopeful that with respectable dialog, we can come up with creative ways to communicate our message in a way that respects the past, but still resonates with this generation. Thanks.