[NFBF-L] Resignation as Statewide Chapter Secretary - affective upon Complete Transition

[Yassir Bohorquez]

 The message below is primarily intended for members of the Florida
Statewide Chapter, but I am sharing it broadly  to ensure it reaches all of
our chapter members who may only be subscribed to the Florida  affiliate
listserv, as well as our broader Federation family.


Hello Statewide Advocates,

I am writing to share that I have made the decision to step down from my
role as Chapter Secretary of the Florida Statewide Chapter. To be open with
you all, navigating grief and prioritizing my mental health right now
requires my full focus, and it is time for me to step aside from this
administrative capacity for a while.

Serving as your Secretary has been a privilege, and I carry so many
wonderful memories with me from our time together. I will always look back
fondly on our fundraisers—from the whirlwind chaos of our pretzel
fundraiser to those hilarious, relatable conversations with everyone about
how World’s Finest Chocolates are definitely smaller than they used to be!

Beyond the laughs, I genuinely enjoyed learning from each of you and
getting to know you on a personal level. I am so proud of what our chapter
has accomplished, especially how seamlessly we stepped up to handle the
2025 convention. Through these experiences, I’ve learned invaluable lessons
about what it takes to be an effective leader and communicator. Most
importantly, I’m proud of having had the opportunity to build modern,
efficient, and truly accessible technological solutions that served our
membership well. I’ve loved our monthly presentations, our rich
discussions, and the shared energy in every good meeting we had.

Through all of this, I also learned that I have a true passion for
advocacy. I learned how to advocate on a local level—like talking to
Gainesville Regional Transit System and the University of Florida about the
importance of high-quality, seamless transportation—on a state level,
discussing our policies and ways to improve life for blind Floridians with
state lawmakers, and on a national level, speaking directly to legislators
about our priorities during Washington Seminar.

There is a reason why I always began my emails with the greeting *"Hello
Statewide Advocates."* I used that greeting to remind myself—and to remind
all of us—that while we gather for meetings to talk about all things
blindness and conduct chapter business, we are so much more than that. We
are the National Federation of the Blind: the largest, most transformative
organization for the blind, and led by the blind.

The most core part of our movement is the idea that blindness is not the
characteristic that defines you or your future. Every day, we raise the
expectations of blind people because low expectations create obstacles
between blind people and our dreams. Our tagline, *Live the life you want*,
is emblematic of this movement—but in order to achieve all that, we must
advocate. We need to advocate locally, statewide, and nationally. Politics
does not matter, and a board title does not matter. What matters is that we
advocate for ourselves, proving that we are living the lives we want. As
the Statewide Chapter, we have opportunities to advocate across a myriad of
localities and at the state level. So, as a fellow member, I ask that you
never forget why we are here: *we are advocates first.*

To our emerging advocates, newer members, and those with a spark for
leadership: this chapter belongs to you. Never hesitate to step forward,
bring fresh ideas, or share your vision. True leadership is never measured
by how long someone has held a role or how loudly they speak—it is about
opening doors wider, validating every voice, and making sure everyone has a
fair seat at the table. If you ever feel the drive to serve, just do it;
you will learn a lot about yourself, learn a lot about blindness, and you
can make a difference. That difference is made when we are one united
movement who is there for each other and fights together so we can live the
lives we want. We need your energy and your vision, and the floor is yours.

Please know that stepping down as Secretary does not mean I am leaving the
movement. I am still a dedicated member, I remain deeply committed to
fighting for our transformative mission, and I will continue to support the
chapter and affiliate however and whenever I can.

Thank you all for the wisdom, community, and support you’ve shared with me
during my time in office. I wish our chapter and its leadership nothing but
the best moving forward.

In solidarity,

*Jose Bohorquez*
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