[Ohio-Talk] Questions about NFB conventions and seminars

[Barbara Pierce]

Marianne is quite right that the working seminars like the Washington and Columbus seminars are asking people to come to work for the organization’s goals. We use the opportunity provided by having lots of people together to conduct training meetings for students, parents, merchants, and to offer employment seminars and tours of the national office, but basically we are putting people to work for the organization, thus, no registration fee. State conventions have registration fees because they are costly to conduct and the model for conventions is a registration fee, which people expect to pay. They attract more people in a state than any other NFB gathering, so we keep expenses low by charging low registration fees. The national convention has a higher registration fee because it is more expensive to put on and the group who can afford to attend can usually pay a bit more. But we are always aware that blind people have a 70 percent unemployment rate and plenty of people who attend the national convention save the entire year to get there. That is why we do not  have a $100 or $200 registration fee. The audience can’t afford it. We are a consumer organization, not a professional organization, and we will always be attentive to the needs of the rank and file membership.

Barbara Pierce, President Emerita
National Federation of the Blind of Ohio
Barbara.pierce9366 at gmail.com
440-774-8077
 

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

> On Feb 21, 2020, at 1:31 AM, Anna Givens via Ohio-Talk <ohio-talk at nfbnet.org> wrote:
> 
> Hi friends.
> 
> I don’t know if this may be a strange thought here, but I’m wondering: Why is NFB’s Washington seminar free? Or is it free? I didn’t find any info from past years online about any registration fee. And according to last years national convention info, registration cost $30 to attend the convention. Additionally, I know that state convention registration fees are also low. 
> I’m very happy this is all the case. However, I’m very curious as to how and why this is, as any other disability Organizations’  conferences and/or large seminars that I am aware of or have attended seem to cost far more to register just to attend. 
> 
> I realize that blindness is a low incidence disability, and so has it’s own needs that may not be the case in things like employment, training, research, etc as compared to many other disabilities. But even so, the disabled population as a whole faces crises regarding economic struggle and I can’t quite figure out what to attribute the differences between costs in permission to attend seminars and conventions to from NFB’s seemingly low cost, to the cost of other Organizations’.
> 
> These events are just as expensive to put on for NFB as they are for the other large non-profits, yes?
> So what’s the deal?
> 
> Thoughts appreciated.
> 
> Happy Friday.
> Best, 
> Anna E Givens
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