<html xmlns:v="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:vml" xmlns:o="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" xmlns:w="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:word" xmlns:x="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:excel" xmlns:m="http://schemas.microsoft.com/office/2004/12/omml" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/TR/REC-html40"><head><meta http-equiv=Content-Type content="text/html; charset=iso-8859-1"><meta name=Generator content="Microsoft Word 15 (filtered medium)"><style><!--
/* Font Definitions */
@font-face
{font-family:"Cambria Math";
panose-1:2 4 5 3 5 4 6 3 2 4;}
@font-face
{font-family:Calibri;
panose-1:2 15 5 2 2 2 4 3 2 4;}
/* Style Definitions */
p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal
{margin:0in;
margin-bottom:.0001pt;
font-size:11.0pt;
font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;}
span.EmailStyle17
{mso-style-type:personal-compose;
font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;
color:windowtext;}
.MsoChpDefault
{mso-style-type:export-only;
font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;}
@page WordSection1
{size:8.5in 11.0in;
margin:1.0in 1.0in 1.0in 1.0in;}
div.WordSection1
{page:WordSection1;}
--></style><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<o:shapedefaults v:ext="edit" spidmax="1026" />
</xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<o:shapelayout v:ext="edit">
<o:idmap v:ext="edit" data="1" />
</o:shapelayout></xml><![endif]--></head><body lang=EN-US link="#0563C1" vlink="#954F72"><div class=WordSection1><p class=MsoNormal>Celebrating 2023 Women’s History Month: Two Women Share a Historical Position on how a Leader in the National Federation of the Blind has Helped to Shape<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>their Vision into Reality <o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>by Suzanne Turner and Rachel Kuntz<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Suzanne Turner<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>From the Editor: This is an interesting perspective on celebrating Women’s History Month, an unexpected thank-you at an unexpected time. What a tribute<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>to the person they celebrate and we give a tribute to them for doing this. This article is one in which a man is thanked for his commitment to the cause<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>of women in employment:<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Suzanne Turner is a member of the NFB Employment Committee from the Ohio affiliate and here are her thoughts.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>The slogan “behind every great man there's a woman” was adopted in the 1960/70s feminist movement, first having been used in the 1940s. The implication<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>behind the saying is that the great woman is often ignored or taken for granted. Since that time, women have been making enormous strides, and that motto<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>today is now a humorous cliché. Although women are continuing to fight for equality in every aspect, there are men who have aided them in that pinnacle<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>fight. Those men who help you to raise your expectations, seize your potential, and help to shape your future are a value to women’s history. Therefore,<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>I want to take liberty in turning the tables on the slogan to talk about a great man behind two blind women.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>The month of March gives recognition to women across the world who have achieved significant contributions. The 2023 theme is "Celebrating Women Who Tell<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Our Stories." This theme recognizes "women, past and present, who have been active in all forms of media and storytelling including print, radio, TV, stage,<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>screen, blogs, podcasts, news, and social media."<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>As I write this article, it is only fitting that I share with a dear and honored friend in its creation. She and I respect and are grateful for the National<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Federation of the Blind for supporting our groundbreaking ideas. Although we reside in affiliates on separate coasts across the country, we serve together<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>in spirit. We also share in the love for inspiring, the hope to motivate, and the determination to make a difference in the lives of the blind. However,<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>our greatest privilege is to work within the framework of the Employment Committee chaired by Dick Davis, who is blind at heart.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Dick Davis<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>In 2011 I met Dick at a national convention by attending my first employment seminar. I was elated to be in the room with those who were collaborating<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>on solutions for assisting the blind with employment opportunities. I left refreshed, reborn, and ready to pull up my sleeves and get to work. As a benefit<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>counselor and employment coordinator at a nonprofit, I knew that talking about sourcing for jobs was cheap. Needless to say, I had a plan and pitched it<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>to Dick. He graciously gave me the green light to facilitate a job fair at the 2012 National Convention. There were twelve employers providing on the spot<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>interviews and taking resumes. Although I am not sure if any of the attendees back then were successful, it was the start of what now is the National Federation<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>of the Blind Career Fair. In 2022 over thirty employers were present, hosting over one hundred job applicants. Consequently, each year there are three<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>National Federation of the Blind Career Fairs that are open to all job seekers within and outside the Federation.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Dick Davis is the innovator for creating seminars on resume writing, job preparation, upper mobility, and more. He has created a network of successful<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>blind individuals who are committed and dedicated to assist the blind with getting, keeping, advancing, and regaining a job. Moreover, his article on the<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>“70 Percent Solution” states that, “Employers don’t want to know what they can do for a blind job applicant; they want to know what the applicant can do<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>for them.” This is why the Employment Committee’s focus is driven by communicating the importance of interpersonal skills, mobility training, self-care,<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>self-work, tolerance, and work direction, which mirrors a vocational prospective.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Dick gave me an ability to share a dream that had been festering within for years. I am an African-American blind female who was a victim of Section 14(c)<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>who found herself packing spoons and forks in a box for less than the minimum wage in 1985. I was told that I would never be a competitive employee and<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>this by someone who should have provided me with an informed choice. After all, I graduated at the top of my class in high school and was accepted into<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>the University of Alabama. Despite those setbacks in the workshop, I obtained a graduate degree, retired twice from the federal sector, and now am living<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>the life I want. Dick took a chance on me, giving me an opportunity to prove that my talents and energy were valued. Without the man behind this woman,<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>I would not be completely invested in the Federation. His confidence in my abilities has not waivered. I have known Dick over a decade, and his leadership<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>is a treasure. His manners and civility should be taught since it is such an important life skill in how we relate to one another. He has the ability to<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>disagree without disrespecting the opposing side, then offering a resolution. Dick truly cares about people.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal> <o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>As I stated, there are two women that have been affected by Dick’s influence, discipline, and dedication. In 2016 during the Ohio annual state convention,<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>I invited him to participate in a panel discussion called “Career Building Exchange Symposium” where he and six experienced professionals in blindness<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>discussed topics on career exploration, sourcing and networking, and the importance of the first impression to name a few. Dick also spoke to the general<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>assembly, introducing programs and services at BLIND Inc. His dialog captured the imagination of a young woman who was newly blind and exploring her vocational<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>options. Rachel Kuntz was captivated by his presentation and soon enrolled as a student at BLIND Inc. She was so impressive that the organization made<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>her a job offer. After accepting, Rachel is thriving professionally and fulfilling her purpose as a confident and successful blind woman.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>So, the great man behind the two women from Ohio has extended greatness within us by providing equality, security, and opportunity, yes to Rachel and me,<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>but also to the Employment Committee and blind job seekers everywhere. It is Dick’s passion for the blind that binds us together because he has shown us<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>that we are part of something bigger than ourselves; we are colleagues determined to help transform dreams into reality.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal> <o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Rachel Kuntz<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Rachel Kuntz is also a member of the Employment Committee from the Arizona Affiliate and here is her tribute.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal> <o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>As Suzanne has thoughtfully noted, Dick Davis has been instrumental in changing the course of my life. At the 2016 Ohio affiliate convention, I was carefully<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>reviewing my list of things to do, and I was interrupted by a man who wanted to tell me a joke. I cannot remember the joke now, but I do remember that<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>I was so busy and focused that the joke went over like a lead balloon. Who was this ill-timed jokester? I am sure that you could guess that it was none<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>other than Dick Davis.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Since our first meeting, Dick has never wavered in his support of me and wholeheartedly encourages my ambitions. I am privileged to call him a mentor and<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>friend. I will never forget how Dick cared for me during those early days of COVID quarantine while my family lived states away. His occasional visits<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>bringing me dinner made it possible to endure the isolation. I can never repay him for his acts of kindness. He and his wife Pat have been an important<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>part of my life now for eight years.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Suzanne mentioned some of Dick’s many accomplishments that have been a key component to the success of the Employment Committee and job seekers. I am going<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>to take a moment to enlighten readers to lesser known work he does behind the scenes. On any given day Dick will receive dozens of phone calls, text messages,<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>and hundreds of emails that will ask him for help with their resume, job search, or job interview. No matter what he is doing at any given moment, Dick<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>will stop to give a job seeker a few words of encouragement and helpful advice. If you have ever reviewed the jobs list, you will no doubt note the volume<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>of work this has entailed over the years.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Dick has taken many road trips to visit with an employer or business interested in hiring a blind person for the first time. He has a straightforward way<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>about him that makes the employer feel as though they have known him forever. Dick is tremendous at creating opportunities at places like FedEx and elsewhere,<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>assuring them that with the appropriate accommodations blind people are capable of working on the same level as their sighted employees. This action alone<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>has opened more doors than could be counted in our community.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Dick, who came to the organization by working for Kenneth Jernigan in Iowa, holds a steadfast belief in the limitless potential of blind people. I can<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>only imagine that throughout his tenure as the Employment Committee chair, he has helped thousands of people gain the knowledge and courage to land that<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>first job. This year, he is at last passing the torch to a new Employment Committee chair. Because of his legacy of success, we know that he has left every<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>aspect of the committee strong and prepared for the next generation of leadership. Thank you, Dick, for all that you have done for our community and for<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>continuing to be the great man behind great women like Suzanne and me.<o:p></o:p></p></div></body></html>