[NFBSF] I want to pay my dues via Venmo! Hi, everyone: I would like to pay my dues via Venmo, but I have lost Sarah‘s Venmo name. Sarah, would you please send it to me or could someone else help me? By the way, the NFB endorsed black lives matter. Why isn’t it endorsing Medicare for all and universal basic income? Why isn’t the NFB demanding substantive relief for both individuals and small businesses? Aren’t those the greater priorities for this entry right now, which affect everyone including blind and visually impaired Americans? The majority of Americans want Medicare for all, both Democrats and Republicans. Our healthcare system is a failure. We have received absolute crumbs when it comes to any kind of relief, well corporations have been bailed out to the tunes of trillions of dollars! How can we in the NFB just sit here and not say anything? I think that we need to talk about this as a chapter, as a state, and Nationally! The American Council of the blind is equall

[Laura Millar]

Hello Daveed,

While your quandary about NFB’s priorities is valid, I am concerned that
your response is pitting #blacklivesmatter against other movements and
agendas. It feels as though you are invalidating the priorities of Black
Lives Matter in order to spotlight your agenda about Medicare for all. I
agree with your concerns about Medicare, however I take offense to you
positioning it against #blacklivesmatter and do not think that it benefits
the blindness movement in any way.

While I have often wondered how the NFB chooses the policies to advocate
for and the ones to steer clear of, I feel like a lot of companies
participated in performative allyship around Black Lives Matter and the
killing of George Floyd.  I think the NFB’s commitment to diversity and
inclusion will be a significant  strength moving forward, not a downfall.

 I take particular offense to your wording, “Aren’t those the greater
priorities for this entry right now, which affect everyone including blind
and visually impaired Americans?”  as it feels like it discounts the very
important conversation we as an organization need to have around racism,
diversity and inclusion. While you are not saying the words it feels very
reminiscent of #alllivesmatter which is deeply problematic.

 Here is a YouTube clip by black folk talking about why it is so important
to not minimize
Black Lives Matter.
https://youtu.be/OanvG2clRcA
If you would like to discuss any of this further with me I would be happy
to connect.

Regarding dues please contact Sara Hadsell her email is
SaraHadsell at gmail.com

Thank you for listening,
Laura Millar

On Sun, Jan 3, 2021 at 8:44 AM Daveed Mandell via NFBSF <nfbsf at nfbnet.org>
wrote:

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-- 
Laura Millar MPH, M.A., MCHES (Pronouns: She/Her)
Sexuality Educator, Consultant, Coach & Community Organizer
Contact # (925) 321-8804