[VABS] Fwd: VABS Legislative Write-In

[Robert Parsons]

Good Morning VABS 



> I hope that this email finds you all well and that your semester
> breaks are starting in an exciting way. I come to you with a tone of
> seriousness and urgency. Please take the time to read these emails
> with an open mind and a true sense of conviction.
> 
> A few weeks ago our legislative chair and board member, Andre Hill,
> did an amazing job of creating an opportunity for this group to begin
> the movement for Virginia's students to improve accessibility in
> higher education. He requested for all students that attend Virginia
> Colleges or Universities to send one of us a letter detailing any
> problems or issues with accessibility that you may have encountered.
> If you have not run into any issues, then write a letter saying that.
> This small letter, would have been given to the National Association
> of Blind Students in order to help with our efforts at the upcoming
> Washington Seminar in January. To sweeten the pot, I purchased a $25
> gift card for a raffle that people would be placed in if they
> submitted a letter.


> The deadline for this opportunity was December
> 18th.
> 
> We received a whopping 1 submission for this program. All of you who know me knows that I am a straight shooter and I am going to
> speak to you all frankly. I can name at least 10 members on this line
> that are in college and work with accommodations. The fact that we did
> not get any feedback is embarrassing. Furthermore, I have watched a couple of you answer threads in the NABS list serve with eagerness, when VABS is where you should devote that energy first. We are a sub-section of NABS, but remember when it comes to efforts like Washington Seminar, they are going to redirect you right back to your affiliate and local student division for anything that you need.  VABS has come up in the ranks to
> do so well to make a name for itself and after the success of a great
> convention, it looks like everyone went home and put their student
> leadership hats away. That is not promising, because if you listened
> to our panel discussions at convention, you may remember that it is
> the work that you do throughout the year that opens the opportunities
> for all of you in the future. For example, the national scholarship
> application just opened. If any of you apply and the state President
> comes to me for feedback on how you all are doing so he can write a
> recommendation, which is required, I will be forced to tell him that
> you all were not in the mood to write a one-page letter to help
> further our efforts. I have spent more time ordering at a drive-thru
> than I have writing one of these letters. It truly is easy to
> accomplish.
> 
> This is my final attempt to allow for VABS to get into the spirit of
> helping this effort for Washington Seminar. The deadline for these
> one-page letter testimonials will be January 4, 2018. If you need any
> pointers on how to write the letter, please contact either Andre Hill
> or myself. We can provide you with examples if needed and help you
> along the way. If you are completely hopeless at writing letters, I am
> hosting a write-in after our conference call at 9pm on Thursday,
> January 4, 2018. During this time, I will ask you a few questions
> about your accommodation and accessibility experience and will create
> a letter with you'. This is practically spoon-feeding you, but it is
> an effort to get you involved more. If you have any questions about
> this information, send me an email or give me a call at 804.801.7674.
> 
> Sincerely
> 
> 
> -- 
> Robert Parsons Jr
> President, Virginia Association of Blind Students
President, Richmond Chapter 
> National Federation of the Blind of Virginia
> www.nfbv.org
> 
> "Persist Until Success Happens"