[NFBSF] A Call for Accountability and Hope at the Lighthouse
dandrews920 at comcast.net
dandrews920 at comcast.net
Sat Jun 7 03:48:55 UTC 2025
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Dave
-----Original Message-----
From: NFBSF <nfbsf-bounces at nfbnet.org> On Behalf Of Lisa Irving via NFBSF
Sent: Friday, June 6, 2025 10:05 PM
To: of San Francisco California List NFB <nfbsf at nfbnet.org>
Cc: Lisa Irving <bernieslife at icloud.com>; nfbsf at nfbnet.org
Subject: Re: [NFBSF] A Call for Accountability and Hope at the Lighthouse
Voiceover is announcing a whole lot of symbols and numbers when reading the t= ext it is highly distracting and difficult to understand some aspects of the= text please, can the original poster clean up this message. Not sure if the= re is some weird coding that is being recognized by assistive technology. Th= ank you.
On Jun 6, 2025, at 11:25=E2=80=AFAM, Daveed Mandell via NFBSF <nfbsf at nfbnet.=
org> wrote:
=EF=BB=BFA Call for Accountability and Hope at the LightHouse for the Blind a= nd Visu=3D ally Impaired of San Francisco By Tony Lewis
=3D20
Last night, nearly 150 people attended a Board meeting of the LightHouse f=3D=
or the Blind and Visually Impaired of San Francisco via Zoom. That number i=3D=
s remarkable, considering Board meetings are usually routine affairs focuse=3D=
d on agency reports and Board updates.
=3D20
But this meeting was different.
=3D20
The attendees included former and current employees, students past and pre=3D=
sent, and concerned members of the blind low vision and deafblind communiti=3D=
es. What brought everyone together was a deep desire for clarity=3DE2=3D80=3D= 94an=3D d accountability=3DE2=3D80=3D94regarding the $125 million gifted to the Ligh= tHous=3D e nearly a decade ago. That money, once seen as a transformative opportunit=3D=
y, is now gone. And with it, dozens of dedicated employees=3DE2=3D80=3D94man= y of =3D whom provided direct services to blind and newly blind adults and children=3D=
=3DE2=3D80=3D94have been let go.
=3D20
During public comment, speaker after speaker asked the same haunting quest=3D=
ion:
"How could you let this happen, and where is the accountability?"
=3D20
The answer was silence. Or worse=3DE2=3D80=3D94vague justifications.
=3D20
To those in the room, the reality was clear: The Board had rubber-stamped =3D=
questionable projects, supported an inflated administrative structure with =3D=
top-heavy salaries, and in the end, allowed the loss of deeply respected st=3D=
aff=3DE2=3D80=3D94people who were the heart of the LightHouse, providing ski= ll tr=3D aining, mentorship, and hope.
=3D20
Despite these losses, the audience noted that a bloated upper management t=3D=
eam remains. One woman said it best during the public comment period:
"The LightHouse must operate with a skeleton administration if it wants to=3D=
rebuild trust. The focus needs to shift back to problem-solving and truly =3D=
serving the needs of the community."
=3D20
We also learned that at least one high-level manager is currently working =3D=
remotely from the East Coast=3DE2=3D80=3D94drawing a California-sized salary= . Why=3D was this position protected in the recent layoff? This is not just an issu=3D=
e of optics; it's a matter of fairness and financial responsibility.
=3D20
Many of us came to this meeting because we care deeply about the LightHous=3D=
e. It has been a part of the Bay Area for over 120 years. At a community fo=3D=
rum just days ago, people shared story after story of how the LightHouse ha=3D=
d helped them rebuild their lives after vision loss. The agency has been a =3D=
lifeline.
=3D20
But to become that lifeline again, real change is needed=3DE2=3D80=3D94start= ing =3D at the top. While the Board wants to keep the interim CEO in place until ne=3D=
xt April, the community believes a nationwide search should begin immediate=3D=
ly, with the goal of appointing a permanent leader by the end of this year.=3D=
We cannot afford to wait.
=3D20
We invite you to join us for a rally on Thursday, June 12, at 12:00 PM PST=3D=
in front of the LightHouse's main headquarters, at 1155 Market St. We'll b=3D=
e there to demand stronger leadership, fiscal accountability, and the remov=3D=
al of unjustified remote administrative positions.
=3D20
The LightHouse may have to become a leaner organization in the short term=3D=
=3DE2=3D80=3D94but that doesn't mean it has to be weaker. We don't want this= vita=3D l community resource to disappear. We want it to heal, rebuild, and once ag=3D=
ain shine as a beacon of hope for the blind and deafblind communities.
=3D20
Please stand with us.
Talk to reporters.
Write letters to your local newspapers.
And join our efforts to bring the LightHouse back to what it was:
A place of adjustment.
A place of empowerment.
=3D20
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