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<DIV>Greetings to all!</DIV>
<DIV>Many of us received the following letter from President
Riccobono.</DIV>
<DIV>Many on this list are not members in the Federation however, I wanted
to
share.</DIV>
<DIV>Warmly,</DIV>
<DIV>Joe </DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>We care. We share. We grow. We make a difference<BR>Joe Ruffalo,
President
<BR>National Federation of the Blind of New Jersey <BR>973 743
0075<BR>nfbnj1@verizon.net<BR><A
href="http://www.nfbnj.org">www.nfbnj.org</A></DIV>
<DIV>Raising Expectations To Live TheLife You Want!</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>Your old car keys can be keys to literacy for the blind.<BR>Donate your
unwanted vehicle to us by clicking <BR>www.carshelpingtheblind.org <BR>or
call
855 659 9314<BR></DIV>
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<DIV style="font-color: black"><B>From:</B> <A
title=nfbnet-members-list@nfbnet.org
href="mailto:nfbnet-members-list@nfbnet.org">National Federation of the
Blind
</A></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=3 face=Calibri></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><B>Subject:</B> Love Conquers Hate: An Open Letter from President
Riccobono
to Members</DIV></DIV></DIV>
<DIV> </DIV></DIV>
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<H1><B>An Open Letter to the Members of the National Federation of the
Blind</B></H1><BR><BR>I write this message to you as the elected
President
of the National Federation of the Blind. I also write it to you as an
American who is struggling this week. I call upon members of our
organization to recognize the solidarity we share as blind people and
that
the value we place on love within our movement is needed more today
than
at any other time in our history. <BR><BR>I watched the horrific video
shot by a brave seventeen year-old of the killing of George Floyd, a
citizen of our great nation. Before I watched the video, I wondered
what I
could do and how I could contribute to healing the pain. I had no
answers.
After I watched the video, I realized I still did not have the answers
and
I was sad, angry, scared, frustrated, and without hope. Then I
realized
that we share tools in the National Federation of the Blind that can
help.
We can not look away and we need to share what we know from our
experience
in this people’s movement. <BR><BR>Our movement has been sustained for
the
purpose of serving as a vehicle for collective action by the blind of
the
nation to promote the vocational, cultural, and social advancement of
the
blind; to achieve the integration of the blind into society on a basis
of
equality with the sighted; and to take any other action which will
improve
the overall condition and standard of living of the blind. While
racial
equality in our nation is not within our mission, we also recognize
that
blindness affects all races and that the society we live within has an
impact on our membership.<BR><BR>The Federation’s <A
href="https://www.nfb.org/libraries/civicrm/extern/url.php?u=17129&qid=3711049">Code
of Conduct</A> specifically emphasizes our commitments to diversity.
In
short "We respect differences of opinion, beliefs, identities, and
other
characteristics that demonstrate that blind people are a diverse cross
section of society...In promoting a diverse and growing organization,
we
expect integrity and honesty in our relationships with each other and
openness to learning about and experiencing cultural diversity. We
believe
that these qualities are crucial to fostering social and intellectual
maturity. Intellectual maturity also requires individual struggle with
unfamiliar ideas." This week, I have been struggling to comprehend the
fear and anger that black members of my Federation family are
experiencing. I do not, and never can, have the authentic lived
experience
that you have, but yet I am also completely outraged by the hate and
injustice that fell upon George Floyd on Monday. I recognize there are
many centuries of painful layers wrapped up in that moment. I
recognize
that George is neither the first nor the last in a chain of injustices
that need to be addressed. I want you to know I stand with you in
facing
the injustice that persists against you because of the color of your
skin.
I want you to know that I love you and I struggle with not being able
to
fully know your pain and fear. I want you to know I am prepared to be
guided by you as to how I can make a difference. I cannot say that I
have
not become desensitized in times past, but I can tell you I will never
turn away again.<BR><BR>While our organization is dedicated to
advancing
the rights of blind people, we should not act as though race does not
exist. As our chapters attempt to do business, as we urge our members
to
take up our priorities, we should recognize that thousands of our
members
are impacted by the painful realizations of this week. As a people's
movement, we cannot pretend that our people only have one
characteristic.
Now is the time to let each member know we love them and we recognize
their hurt. Now is also the time for us to recognize, as individuals,
that
we carry implicit bias learned from the society around us, and to seek
the
training that will enhance our awareness. Now is the time to give love
to
our black members so that we might learn how we can do better in
building
the understanding that powers the organized blind movement.
<BR><BR>Now is
not the time for us to use our organizational communication tools to
offer
position statements about the activities playing out on the streets of
our
nation. it is easy to write messages and posts of solidarity without
having a true understanding of the issues. It is easy to suggest that
we
share the concerns of our black members. The harder thing for us to do
is
to consciously listen and seek understanding while supporting others
in
their pain and frustration. The Federation has never been known for
merely
doing what is easy. The priority today is to ensure all of our black
members know they are welcomed and loved in this movement. In fact, we
should extend that same truth to any others who feel the real pain
sweeping our nation. Please do not use organizational assets to enter
the
dialogue around race. That is not our purpose as an organization and
we
may unintentionally make it worse. We need to continue to coordinate
messaging and to be guided by the wisdom of our diversity and
inclusion
committee. As leaders of our movement, we should also be conscious
that
our public posts may be misunderstood as representing the Federation.
Our
personal feelings and misunderstanding around the death of George
Floyd,
the protests sweeping our nation, and the underlying systemic
discrimination may hurt and divide members of the organization. We
cannot
let that happen and we must be careful as leaders not to add to the
pain
our members are experiencing. As it relates to our public messaging,
let
us stay focused on the priorities of the organized blind movement. As
it
comes to our cherished friends, let our priority be to reach out
personally to listen and offer our hands in support.<BR><BR>I have had
the
opportunity to gather virtually with some of our top black
leadersa
group who will continue to guide my actions related to these issues. I
asked them for wisdom and love in finding ways that I could guide our
membership during this trying time in our nation. Their message was
clear.
Our movement is built on love and love always conquers hate. The
Federation family needs to shine a light for the rest of the nation by
continuing to demonstrate that the love, and solidarity, that we share
with each other in this movement makes all the difference. They also
noted
that our organization has always valued civil<U> disobedience</U> and
persistent pursuit of equality. They urged that we continue to pray
for
peace, justice, and equality. I could not agree more with these
friends I
have been blessed to learn from in our movement. Furthermore, I am
thankful that we have a movement that provides us a meaningful
opportunity
to know people whose lived experience is so different from our own
while
sharing a common bond as blind people.<BR><BR>In the National
Federation
of the Blind we know that blindness is not the characteristic that
defines
us or our future. Blindness is the thing that brings us together but
it is
not the thing that makes us want to stay together. That, in a word, is
love. We have love in our movement and we strengthen it by
giving
it. We have some wisdom and we strengthen it by continuing to seek
greater
understanding. We need more of both love and wisdom at every
opportunity.
Let's continue to share love, hope, and determination with each other
so
that together we transform our dreams into reality. One of those
dreams
still left tobe transformed is that of a nation where we can join
together
regardless of our unique characteristics. That is a dream I am
struggling
to help my own children understand so they may do better than I in
making
it come true. I speak for all of our national board members when I say
we
sincerely believe that the love and togetherness demonstrated in our
movement can go a long way in contributing to that dream. It can be
hard
to remember that in this moment when so many of us are hurting, angry,
frustrated, and scared. Let us continue to support each other in the
Federation family. Let us avoid the harmful language that will only
serve
to divide us in this time. Let us go forward together, love one
another,
and change the world for the better.<BR><BR>Sincerely,<BR><BR><I>Mark
A.
Riccobono, President</I><BR><BR>National Federation of the
Blind<BR></TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE><BR><BR>
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