[Tall-Corn] Emails Regarding Stacy Cervenka

[Helen Mejia]

Good afternoon,

I recognize the interest this topic has for both her supporters and opponents alike. We are all entitled to our own thoughts and opinions; however, I encourage us to think about what we say here and make sure that we are respecting everyone else. We can passionately disagree and still do so in a constructive manner. 
While it is no secret that I am relieved Stacy is gone because I believe she did serious harm to IDB, I must recognize both that some people were strongly in favor of what they saw her doing, and that no person is 100% good or 100% bad. Just as we encourage Stacy when she started at IDB to learn more about what was already happening before making drastic changes, we must be open to considering whether anything done during her time was good even if we think 90% of it was harmful.
Ironically, I think one of Stacy’s greatest faults in her role was her seeming unwillingness to seriously consider perspectives different from her own; we must not find ourselves doing the same thing.
As we work to move forward, which is what matters most now, we must recognize that IDB wasn’t perfect before Stacy came, and it isn’t perfect now. If we want to have the best possible agency for blind Iowans, we need to allow space for all perspectives. We can and will disagree at times, but if we can do so respectfully, and talk through our perspectives and why we think the way we do, then we will have the best success working with the Governor’s office, commission board, and everyone else involved in major decision-making at IDB to help the agency become the best it can be.
So, let us wish Stacy happiness in her next stage in life, and focus now on how we here in Iowa can move forward.

Helen

Helen Mejia, President
National Federation of the Blind of Iowa
hmejia at nfbi.org
(570) 983-7867

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