[nfbmi-talk] announcement from the vice-president

[evelyn weckerly]

Hi, Mike,

You have stated your case very well.

Evelyn



 ----- Original Message -----
From: Michael Powell via nfbmi-talk <nfbmi-talk at nfbnet.org
To: "'NFB of Michigan Internet Mailing List'" 
<nfbmi-talk at nfbnet.org
Date sent: Fri, 9 Sep 2016 08:10:28 -0400
Subject: [nfbmi-talk] announcement from the vice-president

Hello All.

At our state board meeting August 20, state President Larry 
Posont announced
that he would not be seeking another term as our state president.  
I then
announced that I am interested in the position and I am ready to 
serve as
President if I am nominated and elected.  This being an election 
year for
our officers, President, 1st  Vice-President, 2nd Vice-President, 
Secretary
and Treasurer, we all need to take a look inside ourselves and 
decide what
qualities we can call upon to build our affiliate that will 
determine what
we want our Federation to look like to those who may be 
discovering it for
the first time.     Ours is a vision of blindness that people are 
not going
to get anywhere else.  Our brand states that, "blindness is not 
the
characteristic that defines you or your future."  NFB people are 
those who
have an enthusiasm for life and as we come up with non-visual 
ways to
accomplish things we put it out there and, yes, we celebrate it!  
At every
national convention, state convention, and chapter meeting our 
blindness is
just a part of who we are that has no bearing on whether we look 
spectacular
or just plain ordinary.  What I am saying should not be construed 
as a
campaign speech for myself.  After all, I haven't said anything 
about
building any walls or bridges or who is going to pay for it.  
Seriously,
though, this is, rather a campaign to urge you to look for what 
defines you
or your future.   What part can your participation in the 
Federation play in
determining what that future is?  So please give this some 
thought as we
need new ideas and new energy.  Be open to considering a 
position, serving
on or developing a committee, or begin researching an issue that 
you think
we need to take a look at.  Our Federation family has examples of 
people
who, once they committed to taking on a new job, pushed 
themselves to learn
more and more about it as they went along until they began to 
look like they
had been doing it all their lives.  All of us, whether we know it 
or not,
have become better people by being a part of our movement even if 
we just
dreamed a little bigger or tried a little harder to take on the 
demands of
life.  President Posont said it himself in his remarks at the 
board meeting.
He believes he has become a better person by serving as our 
president.  So,
if there is something you might like to try your hand at, or if 
you are open
to seeking one of the positions up for election think about it.  
Talk to
others about it and if it is an office, get someone to nominate 
you.  Talk
to others about voting for you.  While some consider elections to 
be nothing
more than popularity contests; if you are not known or liked by 
others you
won't get votes.       While popularity is no guarantee of a good 
leader if
you draw no mass appeal what so ever you will never get elected 
even if you
might be the brightest person out there.  People need to feel you 
are
approachable and that you understand them where ever they may be 
coming from
in dealing with their blindness or the feelings they have due to 
others
treatment of them because of poor attitudes.   Whoever our future 
leaders
are we have to build the Federation and make it inviting to those 
who need
to come to know us.  The culture of dependency in our time is 
very powerful
and very seductive if one is fearful or believes that living a 
limited life
is all they can expect.   .  I have run across newly blind people 
who are
being sold on the idea of having a caregiver rather than 
receiving quality
rehabilitation.  As our nation's population continues to age, and 
government
programs are looking to save money,   this will certainly become 
the trend
if we don't stop it.  And we can only stop it by offering our 
alternative
and showing people that our Federation way is within their reach 
if they
will join with us to make it a reality.



In the spring of 2004 a group from our affiliate took a trip to 
Baltimore
for a leadership seminar at our national office.  .  President 
Maurer, in
speaking with then president Fred Wurtzel, said that he saw a joy 
in us.
He could tell that we had a love for one another.  This is what 
people need
to see that they are not going to get anywhere else.  Whatever 
problems we
have, whatever individual differences we have, this and only this 
joy and
love will be in the work we do as it has always been a part of 
the National
Federation of the Blind  throughout the country and to the world 
since 1940.
I once heard that enthusiasm is the most contagious emotion there 
is.  So
let's get excited about the upcoming state convention and infect 
others with
our enthusiasm.   Let's make the 2016 state convention the best 
ever.  We
are not defined by our blindness, nor are we defined by what has 
been done
to us or hasn't been done for us.  We are defined by what we do 
and what we
give to this movement and to others.    So think about all of 
this, define
your future, and as our National President says, "let's go build 
the
Federation."

Call or email me off list if you want to share any thoughts on 
any of this.
My contact information is as follows:

Michael Powell   Home: (586)754-1325

                              Cell: (586)292-5581

                              Email: mpowell7583 at yahoo.com

I remain yours in Federationism,

Michael Powell

1st-vice-president

National Federation of the Blind of Michigan



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