[nfb-talk] Ideas up to speed? and defending myself

[Gerardo Corripio]

  HI guys
I'm kind of curious as to if my ideas are up to basics? Can't figure out 
why I didn't feel belonged in the local blindness association! thus here 
they are for feedback, on how or what a blindness association would be:
Aside learning the basics of Braille, O&M Daily living skills etc, I 
feel very very strongly that they should have some sort of group therapy 
or equivalent, both for the blind people, but also for the family! The 
family (yes I understand sometimes unconsciously) are why some blind 
people, even with the blindness skills in check, don't get out! This 
fear transmits to the blind person, thus you know what I mean? hard as I 
tried proposing the idea of group therapy/Psychology, I was met with 
"that's not in the project", or "the people don't want that" etc etc.
Also for fund raising, ideas that reflect the real abilities of the 
blind are important: I say this because in the blindness association, 
they wanted me to participate in ridiculous fund raising activities like 
going to the local market and selling used clothes, or standing around 
in the square or main plaza, selling stuffed apples? I felt brave and 
told the Association "OK if you want to foment real blindness 
abilabilities, but keep on fomenting sterotypes? that's kind of not 
congruent!" and yes this comment wasn't taken as I'd like, causing the 
problems that lead to leaving the association. I have many abilities 
(especially since I studied Educational Psychology) and hard as I tried 
to offer myself in helping in tasks like checking/evaluating the course 
work of Braille, Computers etc., or giving English classes, no luck! I 
was met with "no we don't need any help" and I thought well so what am I 
good for then?
As background and I don't mean to sound like I'm a know it all when I 
say that I manage my Twitter account, record Psychology/technology 
podcasts, have two blogs, thus offering myself to help in any of these 
for the Association, but was met with the same resistance of we don't 
need any help, but imagine weeks later a Twitter account was opened, and 
a sighted Psychologist was found? Don't they believe then in abilities 
of blind people? Do they seem to have preferences in getting their 
friends to enter, leaving out average blind people? I just don't 
understand the message this association wants to transmit! Hopefully the 
NFB isn't like that! As you see I ended up pretty traumatized by this 
experience, and wanted to get your feedback on this subject, and maybe 
if I did something wrong, or if I did the right things in standing up 
for myself?
Imagine the comment of the association of "we want to better the quality 
of life here in Tampico, but this (used a bad word) wants to bring us 
down? how did you think I felt? and these were supposedly my friends? Wow!
ON your speeches, I hear frequently how you guys in the NFB are a 
family? Well here in the blindness association, I never felt like I 
belonged; I felt like the left out, like the superior one etc etc; I 
never felt like we had the same ideas, and especially I felt betrayed 
because as they put it before this started, they'd start afresh with 
electing a new board of directors, and again don't mean to sound like a 
know it all, but deep deep down; I feel I deserved being on the board 
especially because I feel my ideas if put right, might revolutionize the 
blind; what did I find when going to the first meeting? the board had 
already been elected, thus resurrecting an old association; they had 
these pretty neat projects of bringing in specialized blind 
Psychologists etc etc., when my thoughts were OK isn't the goal of a 
blindness association work with what it'is here? Go figure! What do you 
guys make out of this then? Am I right and are they wrong? or vice versa 
are they wrong and am I right? Thanks for feedback. Again my dreams of 
trying to help the blind here are very strong!

-- 
Enviado desde mi lap
Gerardo J Corripio Flores Psicólogo, Terapéuta Reiki
Saludos desde Tampico, Tamaulipas México
RompiendoBarreras espacio de psicología/Superación Personal Sábados 10PM México http://radiogeneral.com ¡los esperamos!