[NFBOK-Talk] Call to Action-Don't allow others to define blindness

[Jeannie Massay]

NFBOK family members, 

The following is a critical message from President Riccobono. Please take
the time to make a video of yourself doing the things that you do while
living the life that you want. I plan on doing so today. If you need help
making a video or with posting it to social media, let me know. We have lots
of members ready to help!

Warmest regards, 

Jeannie 

 

Jeannie M. Massay, President

National Federation of theBlind 

Of Oklahoma

505 Baker Street

Norman, OK 73072

Phone: 405-600-0695

Jeannie.massay at nfbok.org <mailto:Jeannie.massay at nfbok.org>  

 

The National Federation of the Blind knows that blindness is not the
characteristic that defines you or your future. Every day, we raise
expectations of the blind because low expectations create obstacles between
blind people and our dreams. Blindness is not what holds you back. You can
live the life you want.!. 

 

"Whatever you dare to dream, begin." - Goethe 

 

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Dear Federation Affiliate Leaders: 

 

Some of you have brought to my attention the social media campaign using the
hashtag #HowEyeSeeIt

. The people using this hashtag are making videos of themselves attempting
to do everyday tasks under blindfold with the misguided view that this
experience will help them know what it is like to be blind. The motivation
for the campaign is to raise funding to eliminate blindness. We in the
National Federation of the Blind know that blindness doesn't hold us back.
We also know that living with blindness requires learning the techniques
blind people use to do everyday tasks without vision. We are not opposed to
medical research, but the way to generate interest in medical research is
not by further spreading the fear of blindness and strengthening
misconceptions about the lived experience of blind people. 

 

The current videos being circulated with the #HowEyeSeeIt campaign are
perpetuating the idea that blindness is something to be feared and that
blind people adhere to low expectations. Some of the tasks people are
encouraged to do in this campaign are having a friend give them an
unidentified amount of cash and then, under blindfold, attempting to pay for
a meal with this money. Another particularly outrageous example is people
are asked to attempt to take care of your child for one minute while
blindfolded. At a time when we have launched new efforts for blind parents
who have their children take away because of misconceptions about blindness,
this is dangerous and offensive. These examples and the dozens of others
used in the campaign rely on the notion that vision is a requirement for
success, but we know the truth-blindness does not define us or our future.

 

It is critical that we now join together to combat this harmful campaign. I
urge all Federation leaders to lead by example and to encourage the members
of the Federation in your state to join with me in changing the perception
that blindness is something to be feared and that significantly limits our
lives. Now is the time to turn our fear into power and that power into
action. We have the opportunity to demonstrate how we live the lives we want
as blind people in a commanding way. All you have to do is:

1.       Make a video of yourself accomplishing an everyday task as a blind
person. For example, show how you dance, sing, exercise, care for your
children, go to school or work, play sports, manage your finances, travel,
participate in social events, enjoy your hobbies-in short, take a video of
yourself living the life you want.

2.       At the end of your video, say that you're a proud member of the
National Federation of the Blind, and tag three friends or family members to
keep the trend going. You can also urge your audience to make a donation to
the NFB.

3.       Upload your video to social media using the hashtag #HowEyeSeeIt.
Make sure to link to our website,  <http://www.nfb.org> www.nfb.org, and tag
the NFB in your Tweet, Facebook, or Instagram post. If the people you
mentioned in your video are on social media, be sure to tag them too. 

 


Together, we can show the world that blindness is not what holds us back by
demonstrating how we live the lives we want. We've published a blog, "
<https://nfb.org/blog/vonb-blog/challenging-fear-blindness> Challenging the
Fear of Blindness," that I encourage you to share. Please be sure to share
with me other ideas you have about how we take this opportunity to
demonstrate the truth about blindness. Send me an email with your ideas to
<mailto:officeofthepresident at nfb.org> officeofthepresident at nfb.org. Please
provide me with updates on how the effort is moving forward in your
affiliate and how I can help.

 

Let us work together with love, hope, and determination to erase the fear of
blindness and raise expectations.

 

Mark A. Riccobono, President

National Federation of the Blind

200 East Wells Street at Jernigan Place

Baltimore, Maryland 21230

Phone: (410) 659-9314

Fax: (410) 659-5129

Email: officeofthepresident at nfb.org <mailto:officeofthepresident at nfb.org> 

Twitter: @Riccobono and @NFB_Voice

Web:  <http://www.nfb.org/> www.nfb.org

 

The National Federation of the Blind knows 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. You can live the life you want;
blindness is not what holds you back.

 

 

 

 

 

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