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"Supporting
Students; Encouraging Leadership."
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Table
of Contents:
Editor's Message: Imagining Tomorrow Through Today: Leading
Our Way to a Future of Hope - By Jen Barrow
President's Message - By Enjie Wu
2004 NABS Convention Preview - By Reagan D. Lynch
Do You Feel Safe? Mini-Article on Self Defense for the Blind
It's "Star Search" NABS Style: An Announcement for
Comedy Night - By Nickie Coby
NABS' Five Questions for ACB Leaders - By Jen Barrow
Paths to the Future - By Steve Speicher
The Future is Now - By Mitch Pomerantz
Tomorrow's ACB Leaders - By Rebecca Floyd, President,
Mississippi Council of the Blind
Who Are We? Where Are We Going? - By DeAnna (Quietwater)
Noriega
Encouraging Leadership Today - By Cindy Burgett, President,
Washington Council of the Blind
Blending Generations Can Be a Growth Experience for All
- By Teddie-Joy Remhild, Founder and Immediate Past President, Alliance on Aging
and Vision Loss (AAVL)
The Three Most Significant Qualities for Good Leaders
- By Ken Stewart
My Concern for Alleviating Homelessness: A Journey from Writing
and Hoping to Doing and Helping - By Milissa Garside
Untitled Poem - By Milissa Garside
The Hand Guide TM: A Review - By Nickie Coby
Announcement: An All-Paid Opportunity for Rehabilitation
Counselors or Rehabilitation Counseling Students
Announcement: Internship Opportunities Still Available
Through the Washington Center
Editor's Message: Imagining Tomorrow
Through Today: Leading Our Way to a Future of Hope
By Jen Barrow
It's definitely not the
Late Late Show with Craig Kilborn, but the NABS Board has been busy posing five
thought-provoking questions to ACB's leaders. A major theme of this Student
Advocate issue is exploring what today's leaders have to offer about who we
are and where we are going. It all began when the Advocate Editor posted five
questions to the leadership list and requested submissions. We inquired about
NABS' role in ACB, what qualities make a good leader, how to promote leadership
training/development among the emerging leaders of NABS, identifying significant
issues of ACB's organizational health and examining imperative advocacy initiatives.
*We endeavored to raise the level of dialogue around who NABS is as an organization,
and how we will be prepared to lead ACB into the future. We invited anyone on
the leadership list to offer his or her views and wisdom so that NABS can better
imagine tomorrow through being proactive today.* We especially welcomed individuals
who were intending to seek a Board position this summer at Convention to introduce
themselves and share their vision. Consequently, there are several articles
from these individuals, plus a couple from leaders who were simply interested
in propelling NABS forward with their words of encouragement. In addition, we
made a special request for a contribution from the NABS Appointed Governor,
Steve Speicher.
Please note that the 7 articles responding to the five questions do not contain the questions in the body of the article text, to avoid repetition. I advise that you acquaint yourself well with the announcement the NABS' Board sent to the leadership list, which poses the questions and outlines the purpose of this project, before perusing the responses. This document precedes the first article that responds to the questions.
Our hope for this project was threefold. The first was to open the lines of communication between NABS and the ACB leadership, and between one another among the NABS membership. This is to dialogue about how we are doing today, and how we can better prepare for tomorrow. A large part of this goal has already been accomplished with the heart-warming response our inquiries received from the leadership list. The second hope was to affirm NABS in what we are doing well, and brainstorm as many concrete ideas for synthesizing directions we may pursue. By beginning the thought process now, and considering the input of 7 prolific contributors, we can initiate discussion of the issues today on our list serve, and come well-prepared to offer fresh insights during our conversations at Convention. Finally, we hope that through our enhanced preparedness to treat the issues at Convention, we will decide upon innovative concrete initiatives and projects NABS will undertake to more closely align who and where we want to be to who and where we are.
In addition to the leadership article series, this issue includes a President's Message, outlines NABS' Convention schedule, and expounds on a couple of the Convention programs with accompanying articles. Further, there is an article from one of our members that highlights her recent efforts to combat homelessness in conjunction with her past reflections on this social issue, which are expressed in an original poem, pursuant to the article. Finally, there is a product review of the Hand Guide TM, and a couple scholarship announcements to round-out this issue.
I sincerely hope that you enjoy reading this edition of the Student Advocate, and that you are inspired to think in a new way about at least one thing. As students, we actively seek opportunities to grow inside and outside of the classroom, to nourish all aspects of our beings. See you in Birmingham!
President's Message
-By Enjie Wu
It is that time of year when the cold of winter has finally lifted. Spring is here! With it comes the end of another academic year, and for some, graduation. *NABS has been productive throughout the school year. The following is an excerpt from a posting that I send to the ACB Leadership list concerning NABS' role in ACB.*
Now, I would like to share with you what NABS is doing. We have been closely following what is happening in ACB. Our perspective is that though there is a rich history of ACB as an organization and people have their differences, this is in the past and nothing can be done to change what has already been. However, we can be proactive in what is to come by applying what has been learned. We can take what is good and continue with it. What is not so good can be modified or avoided. We need to move forward to grow as an organization.
NABS needs you, the current leaders of ACB, to mentor and guide us. NABS is working on a mentoring project to network professionals with students and college students with high school students so that the torch can be past. Currently, we have a junior representative who is a high school student so that the more experienced student leaders can assist in the development of those who will soon take our place.
NABS is keeping up with technology and communication via the internet and by phone. We hold committee meetings and monthly board meetings on a conference line that is free. The only charges are long distance on the participants' end. With cell phone plans now offering free night and weekend minutes, we are able to hold these calls at no charge. We announce our meetings on the email list and anyone is welcome to join us and participate. Our technology committee continues to make improvements on our website. Come visit at www.blindstudents.org. We have an email discussion list, we are trying out using a forum, and we are in the process of offering online payment for membership dues and donations since our membership has requested this and our job is to serve the membership. We have a membership form and electronic database that the committee is working on to make our day to day operations easier.
The other big project is planning a full schedule of events for students as part of the 2004 ACB Convention this July. We are excited about the NABS convention schedule. Please come and learn about NABS. We are looking for volunteers for the newspaper delivery fundraiser. Come participate in the Self Defense seminar and Comedy Night. Hope to see YOU in Birmingham, Alabama this summer. Come hang out in the NABS Suite!
2004 NABS Convention Preview
-By Reagan D. Lynch
Ok everyone stand and sing with me now…
I wish I was in the Land
of Cotton
Old times there are not forgotten
Look Away! Look Away! Look Away! Dixie Land
*Listen up everyone! Pack your duffle bag because we're getting ready for a thrilling week in Alabama! Below is the much anticipated preview of the 2004 NABS Convention program.* The convention will be held in the hart of Dixie this year, Birmingham from July 3 through July 10.
At the convention you will learn everything from self-defense techniques, to how to transition to college from high school, and to graduate school or the workforce from college.
Many events are planned, so let's take a walk through the electrifying schedule to pump up for Convention!
Saturday, July 3, 2004
8:00pm - This is the annual NABS Mixer. Admission is $5.00. This is your chance to meet other students, leaders in ACB, and kick-off convention week with some good fun and food.
Sunday, July 4, 2004
1:30pm - This is the NABS First Business Meeting. Sure, it sounds like no fun, but if you are interested in being a leader in NABS, running for office, or want certain items discussed by NABS this is the place you want to be. At this meeting NABS will review the past year for its members, go over the affiliates and take any updates or reports from them, read off any constitutional amendments, receive a report from our treasurer, and give a quick overview of events planned for the week.
3:30pm - NABS will hold a reception for the scholarship winners at this time. All NABS members are invited to meet and greet the scholarship winners and network with them and other students and ACB leaders.
ACB also holds Sunday services for its church going members during the morning. Check the convention schedule for more details.
Monday, July 5, 2004
1:00pm & 4:00pm - This is the day NABS has set aside for its two self-defense sessions. Cory MacDonald from Boston, MA will present two self-defense classes at the convention. Admission is $10, and all you need to bring is you since most of this will be delivered in lecture form. For more information see the article below.
Tuesday, July 6, 2004
1:30pm - This is the second NABS business meeting and is the time when all elections for offices are held and items for the coming year are discussed. The membership will also vote on at least five constitutional amendments this year.
Wednesday, July 7, 2004
1:30pm and 3:30pm - NABS will hold its transition seminar today. First we will have a panel to discuss transition from high school to college, and then from college to graduate school or the workforce.
Thursday, July 8, 2004
10:00pm - Get ready to laugh your heart out because it's time for the annual NABS Comedy Night! This year NABS is trying something new. We are taking in proposals for people who want to perform a comedy skit. Read more about this in the article below.
And that is the schedule for the 2004 NABS convention. Don't forget that ACB has a banquet on Friday night and officer elections on Friday all day.
You can check the NABS convention page for last minute details. The convention page will be updated right up until ACB President Chris Gray calls the convention to order.
You may also discuss plans for the convention, like getting roommates, finding good travel fairs, etc on either the e-mail list or by posting to the NABS Discussion Forum. We look forward to seeing you in Birmingham!
Do You Feel Safe? Mini-Article on Self-Defense
for the Blind
In today's world, it is unfortunately necessary that we all think about our personal security. This is especially true for the blind and visually impaired, as we are considered easier targets due to our disability. Many blind and visually impaired people stop venturing out on their own because of their personal security concerns.
*That time is over. Cory MacDonald is a legally blind martial artist who has developed a comprehensive self-defense system for the blind. From "street smart" tips on staying safe and avoiding conflict, to reviews of products available for your safety, to self defense techniques designed exclusively for the blind and visually impaired, this comprehensive and fun program will give you the tools and confidence you need to stay safe in today's world!*
Lori Salamon, a student says, "Not only is Cory skilled at teaching the physical skills, his "street smart" tips were informative and have helped me stay safe when I go out."
All age groups can benefit from this program, and to show just how easy the techniques are to learn, Cory will have volunteers come out of the audience (maybe you!) and teach you a technique on the spot!
All of this will take place on Monday July 5 at 1:00pm and 4:00pm in Birmingham at the 2004 ACB Convention as part of the National Alliance of Blind Students (NABS) convention program. The cost is $10. Please help support NABS and learn some valuable self-defense techniques along the way.
For more information visit http://www.blindstudents.org
It's "Star Search" NABS Style:
An Announcement for Comedy Night
-By Nickie Coby
Are you going to be at the 43rd annual convention of the American Council of the Blind? Do you have a humorous outlook on something that you'd like to share? If so, the National Alliance of Blind Students (NABS) comedy night may be your chance to shine.
*NABS is looking for convention attendees who would like to perform a comedy routine for the NABS comedy night to be held on Thursday July 8 at the ACB convention in Birmingham, Alabama.* If you are interested, write a short proposal explaining what you would like to perform and submit it to the following e-mail address: comedynight@blindstudents.org
Your proposal should include:
-A title
-The names of those participating
-A summary of your performance
-The name and e-mail address for a primary contact.
Please also list any props you might need, though you are strongly encouraged to provide your own.
Proposals will be accepted until June first. Please remember that the NABS comedy night is intended to be fun for all and is performed in a family friendly atmosphere.
Routines selected for performance will be notified via e-mail by June 15, 2004. We can't wait to hear from you and experience your creative wit!
NABS Five Questions for ACB Leaders
-By Jen Barrow
The National Alliance of Blind Students invites you to write an article for our publication, the Student Advocate, which expresses your views on the recent happenings and future of ACB, in relation to NABS. We hope to spark some insightful dialogue around who we are today, and, through the process of becoming, who we aspire to be tomorrow. We welcome any leader to write; and we especially encourage those individuals who may seek a position on the Board of Directors to share their vision. Below are five questions that we invite you to incorporate into your article. Please feel free to respond to any or all of the suggested topics. These articles will be reviewed and published in the electronic edition of the Spring 2004 Student Advocate, posted at blindstudents.org. The deadline will be April 23. Please send submissions to Jen Barrow, Student Advocate editor, at: jenniferbarrow@hotmail.com with "student Advocate Article" in the subject line. The National Alliance of Blind Students greatly appreciates your time spent in thoughtful consideration of the issues. Thank you.
1. What is NABS' most vital
contribution to ACB today? How is this being enabled and/or hindered?
2. What two or three capabilities are essential for someone considering ACB
leadership? Why?
3. Since leadership will continue to be a fundamental element in the future
success of ACB, how is, or could ACB foster this quality among the emerging
leaders of NABS?
4. Looking towards the future, what are two of the most critical issues and/or
concerns of ACB's organizational health that must be addressed?
5. Over the next several years, what are two of the most urgent initiatives
that ACB should pursue to improve the standard of living of people who are blind?
Paths to the Future: Reflections
from the NABS Appointed Governor
-By Steve Speicher
Let me begin by congratulating the NABS Board and the Editor of the Advocate for asking such important and thought-provoking questions. I hope that a number of ACB leaders will give them the thoughtful consideration they deserve, for such an effort would be very helpful to ACB as a whole, as I hope it will also be to NABS.
1. ACB benefits from NABS and its activities in several ways. NABS can be a training-ground for potential future leaders in ACB. It provides active and informed communication between visually impaired students and ACB's advocacy agenda, helping ACB to focus its advocacy efforts in the field of education on the most important issues. Through the comedy night sponsored on Thursday of convention week NABS reminds us how to laugh, and these memories can help us all deal more positively with the intensity of the elections and business sessions the next day.
*But the most vital contribution NABS currently makes to ACB is to serve as a point of contact, a rallying point, a place and a structure which helps to find, attract and introduce to the ACB experience certain kinds of people who share three groups of assets.* The first group includes the energy, drive, interest and intelligence to become and remain students. The second group includes wanting to help others succeed, willingness to work toward that success, and the organizational skills to fit that work into the always demanding and often hectic schedule of student life. The third group of assets are the skills you are learning or have recently learned: how to find information, organize it and evaluate it based on some tested body of knowledge rather than on the emotion or whim of the moment; how to evaluate alternatives; how to work with others to identify, define and solve problems; how to distinguish between fact, opinion, belief, dogma, hypothesis, wishful thinking and fantasy. As students, you have sought out people and experiences which can teach you these skills, and you have worked hard to learn what they can teach you. Now and for the foreseeable future, ACB is and will continue to be in great need of people who can approach both new questions and old debates with open and creative minds, with inquiry rather than preaching, and with the tools of systematic thought and evaluation. As a group, the NABS membership is uniquely qualified to meet that need.
Posing the questions addressed in this article and asking ACB leaders to respond could be a major step toward enriching NABS' affiliation status through the creation of a real, organized and sustained working partnership between NABS and ACB. Realizing the promise of such a partnership, however, will require both organizations to make some changes. ACB would need to check in regularly with NABS for its views concerning ACB's advocacy, membership, leadership training and financial agendas. ACB also needs to increase efforts to expand its scholarship program and to give its national office the resources necessary to provide any logistical support required by the expansion of NABS' programs and membership. NABS, for its part, needs to be more persistent and organized about recruiting not only scholarship winners but scholarship applicants, not to mention students who have never heard of ACB. It needs to pursue recent efforts to increase its self-sufficiency and to establish and support new chapters. And it needs through training sessions and personal participation to become more familiar with and influential in the governing bodies and processes of ACB. To increase mutual respect and understanding, we have to increase the number and variety of personal contacts and joint work experiences. If we fail to do that, both parties stand to lose a great deal.
2. First, I suggest maintaining an open mind and a willingness to modify your original thought or position when someone suggests an improvement. This makes you unusual because there are so few good listeners. Besides, there are so many good ideas out there that your willingness to seek them out and blend them with your own will almost always result in your eventual decision or proposal being better, and better-received, than it would have been if you had limited yourself to your own thinking. When you voice your own idea first, many people will think they have only two choices: agreeing with you or keeping silent. This deprives you of their wisdom. So it's often helpful to ask their opinions before stating your own.
Second, I suggest a genuine, demonstrated interest in getting to know as many ACB members as possible. Because of their personal interests, existing friendships or pressing schedules, leaders are often tempted to spend a lot of time at a convention with essentially the same relatively small group of people. To others this makes them seem cliquish, withdrawn or unapproachable. When you limit the number of people you spend your ACB time with, you limit your knowledge, your effectiveness, the breadth of your thinking, not to mention limiting the possibility of re-election or re-appointment.
I also recommend developing an ability to "think outside the box". As a leader in ACB, you will have many opportunities to work with disagreeing parties who see only one or two possible answers to the question at hand. Helping them explore third, fourth and fifth alternatives can often lead them out of what previously seemed like an unbreakable impasse. One good tool in this area is to be very careful about checking everyone's assumptions, including especially your own. One person's unquestioned truth can often turn out to be another person's highly questionable hypothesis.
3. Appointed and elected governors could hold de-briefing sessions with NABS officers and committee chairs after meetings to discuss approaches and results. Ideas for improvement could be tried in the next meeting.
The scheduling of NABS convention activities could be more closely coordinated with other activities at the Acb midyear and national conventions, so that NABS leaders could participate in more ACB functions without short-changing their obligations to NABS.
NABS members could attend ACB committee and other meetings held at midyear and at the national convention to gain a broader knowledge of the issues and how existing leaders address them.
During convention week, NABS members could shadow consenting candidates as they tour the caucuses. This would give a good view of the range of concerns held by the various affiliates. It would also offer opportunities for mentoring and friendship relations between current and future leaders.
Room could be found on the convention program for a NABS representative to report to the general session on the past year in NABS, providing good public speaking experience and promoting a better understanding of NABS among the broader membership.
An effort could be made to have more NABS members on ACB's working committees, offering experience of working with other ACB members throughout the year.
4. First, we need a shared
vision of why ACB exists, the future we want for it, and what we need to do
in order to get there. Such a vision would make it much easier to select areas
of expense for cutbacks when times are hard and areas in which to increase spending
when times are better but not good enough to allow us to do everything we might
like to do. It would make it easier to assess the past performance of candidates
for office and the current performance of elected leaders. It would provide
guidance for the formulation and coordination of proactive strategies in financial
management, membership development, leadership training, advocacy, committee
work and affiliate support. Without such a vision, all these things become more
difficult and some of them nearly impossible. Some say the critical need is
having more money. But unless we have a clear and widely shared vision of our
purpose, direction and priorities, no amount of money would ever be enough.
Plans are underway for a series of events at this year's convention which will
help those who are interested to begin
developing such a vision.
Second, we need better ways of training, selecting, electing and holding accountable those who wish to be our leaders. Issues such as increasing use of closed meetings, presidential influence over content of the Braille Forum, access to Board minutes, make-up of the Board of Publications and so on have at least one thing in common: the less trust there is between members and leaders, the more important and hotly contended these issues become.
5. We may soon be approaching the upper limits of what government can do, or will be willing to do, regarding civil rights and economic support for people with disabilities. The great untapped resource in the search for a higher standard of living for our constituents, therefore, consists of those constituents themselves. Blind and visually impaired people can no longer afford to wait for government to send them checks and do other helpful things for them. Without abandoning those benefits, they need to become the main players in increasing their own standard of living. The first initiative, therefore, would be to convince them to take on that added responsibility. The second initiative would be to help them acquire the skills necessary to succeed in meeting that challenge.
I do not suggest that ACB should become a big rehab agency. Instead, I propose that ACB take on the challenge of helping our constituents improve their own economic well-being by becoming more competent, more self-confident and more visibly contributing members of their local communities. The specifics of how to do this could fill another article, or several. But the general idea is to identify, coordinate, support and, where necessary, develop nongovernmental ways for our constituents to become less dependent on government for their standard of living. ACB should not stop being a civil rights organization; but it should now become more than that. It is time to broaden our thinking about how our constituents can achieve economic progress and to increase their odds of doing so by helping them help themselves.
Others may prefer different paths to different futures. But however the discussion goes, I salute NABS for helping to get it started.
The Future is Now
-By Mitch Pomerantz
I'd like to begin by thanking the Officers and Board of the National Alliance of Blind Students for the opportunity to communicate with your membership regarding my views on the questions raised in your recent e-mail to the Leadership List. They are thought-provoking and on-point, in terms of the issues ACB leaders must consider.
I was elected by the Board of Directors at the Midyear ACB Board of Directors meeting to serve as Second Vice-President. This action was necessitated by the resignation of then First Vice-President (and NABS advisor) Steve Speicher and the consequent elevation of then Second Vice-President M.J. Schmitt to the vacated post. As such, I must stand for election both this Summer in Birmingham, and next year in Las Vegas. My feet and voice already hurt from the prospect.
Arguably, one of the greatest football coaches in the professional game was George Allen, who coached both the Los Angeles Rams and Washington Redskins during the 1970's and beyond. His expression: "the future is now" is especially applicable today, given what has taken place within ACB over the past several months. Our organization is at a cross-roads and we must address some very serious and significant issues, not in five or 10 years, but right now!
1. NABS really makes two important contributions to ACB. First, it provides members with a notion of what it means to be part of the American Council of the Blind: our core belief in a democratic organization, based on grassroots state and special interest affiliates with a high degree of autonomy and independence. Second, NABS serves as a training ground for ACB's leadership. Several former NABS officers have held positions on the ACB Board. Regarding whether such contributions have been enabled or hindered, I would defer to the members of your affiliate to make that determination. If NABS believes that the national organization has not supported your efforts sufficiently, NABS has the responsibility to inform the leadership and we, in turn, have the responsibility to attempt to improve our efforts to assist.
2. First, ACB leaders must have the capability of being "big picture" oriented. Our organization is comprised of a whole range of individuals and perspectives: young people and seniors, guide dog handlers and cane users, political liberals and conservatives, etc. Our leaders must be able to see the forest for the trees, so to speak. We need to recognize that what may be in the best interests of one constituency on a given issue may not be in the best interests of the organization as a whole. ACB leaders should be cognizant of the fact that while he/she may represent a particular point of view, that position might not be shared by a majority of our membership, and thus, not in the best interests of ACB to pursue, as determined by that majority.
Second, prospective leaders absolutely must have the capability of objectivity. In politics generally, and this organization particularly, leaders are going to be questioned, criticized, and will lose as many discussions over policy and any number of elections as we will win. Also, one's political opponent one day is likely to be an ally the next. I sincerely believe that much of the contentiousness and anger we have observed since our last convention is due, to a great degree, to some of our leaders taking the questions and criticism of others much too personally. Yes, we all have strong feelings about what has occurred over the past several months, but it is wholly inappropriate to personally attack someone who disagrees with you.
3. One area which comes immediately to mind is for the current ACB leadership to work with NABS to identify individuals interested in serving on ACB's various committees. Along with the experience gained through active participation in state and special interest affiliates of ACB, involvement on committees is essential. This is where would-be leaders find out about the structure of the organization (Constitution and Bylaws); learn about the myriad issues with which ACB is involved on the national scene (Resolutions); and begin to understand what is required to develop and maintain viable affiliates (Membership). It is important to place at least one student on all ACB committees.
4. While there are any number of issues worthy of comment, two of the most significant are ensuring the financial stability of our organization, and providing a mechanism for the development of the next generation of ACB's leaders. Acb cannot hope to continue to be a major player in the blindness field without a significantly larger budget than we have at present. We cannot advocate effectively in Washington D.C. with key staff vacancies. We cannot take ACB's positive message to the tens of thousands of blind and visually impaired persons who need our assistance unless we are able to publish 12 or more issues of the "Braille Forum" annually. ACB absolutely must be able to count on a minimum of a million dollars in revenue each and every year in order to compete successfully with the other blindness organization whose message and method of operation are so different from our own.
Developing leadership is also fundamental to ACB's continued existence. When I first became part of the ACB family back in the '80's, the organization conducted yearly leadership seminars. While ACB's Legislative Seminars and programs conducted during national conventions fill this need to a certain extent, in the early to mid 1990's, ACB began conducting regional leadership seminars around the country to reach out to persons wishing to become more actively involved. Sadly, this effort was short-lived owing to yet another ACB fiscal recession. Wouldn't it be great to have ACB's current leadership be able to conduct a series of regional leadership development seminars for future leaders of the organization?
5. Improved public transportation and enhanced employment opportunities are so closely linked that you probably can't have one without the other. America's romance with the automobile has meant that funding for highways and other car-related infrastructure projects take precedence over expenditures for buses, light rail systems and over-the-road vehicles for individuals living in rural areas. At the recent ACB Legislative Seminar, we spent a good deal of time discussing the need for increased funding for public transit under the successor to the Transportation Equity Act. Fortunately, we have allies in this effort including those groups who advocate on behalf of the needs and interests of pedestrians. I hope and trust that ACB's Transportation Survey will serve to focus our efforts in improving transportation for persons who are blind and visually impaired.
*As Chairperson of ACB's Employment Issues Taskforce and someone who spent 20-plus years of my working life in the personnel field, the issue of our ongoing inability to lower the 70% rate of unemployment is especially troubling.* The Taskforce will, for the third consecutive year, conduct a seminar which, we hope, will assist our members in becoming more competitive and job-ready. ACB must advocate on both the state and national level for laws such as the Civil Rights Restoration Act, which will restore provisions of the ADA which have been weakened by adverse Supreme Court decisions. On the state level, several states, including California, have pending legislation precluding states from arguing sovereign immunity in order to avoid suits for employment and other types of discrimination under the ADA. Where such bills have been introduced, ACB members must actively advocate for their passage.
In conclusion, I am available to discuss my views on these, and any other issues NABS members may wish to raise with me. I may be reached via e-mail at: mpomerantz@mailbox.lacity.org
Tomorrow's ACB Leaders
-By Rebecca Floyd, President, Mississippi Council of The Blind
After attending the Mid Year Meeting and sitting in on the ACB Board meeting, in February, I decided to run for a position on The ACB Board of Directors. I want to respond to NABS request for articles because I think you asked some very farsighted, important questions, to which you should have answers from every person running for the ACB Board. After all, the youth of today will be the leaders of tomorrow and they need to be cultivated and their talents recognized and utilized.
1. Through your student affiliate, you are developing leaders, but those leaders are probably not being utilized by ACB so that we can realize their full potential. I would like to see NABS' leaders more involved in every aspect of ACB, and would like to see a formal or informal mentoring program within ACB for students.
2. One of the primary elements of good leadership is communication. If you cannot or will not communicate with other Board members and the membership, your ideas and your work are not worth anything. Failure to communicate causes unrest among members and creates suspicion. Good organizational skills are very essential to a good leader as without them, you will forever be treading water and getting no where. A willingness to work is also very essential. Words are cheap and anyone may be capable of pretty talk, but it is the person who can get the job done, communicate to the people what is being done or why it is not being done, and the person who is very organized and can get things done in a timely manner without making a big deal out of it, that will be your great leaders.
3. In relation to the mentoring network, it could be a very good idea for there to be a contact person in the NABS affiliate who would convey the students' on-going concerns to the Board of Directors, or to a particular Board member. This liaison would also learn invaluable leadership and networking skills through this partnership.
4. The organization must become fiscally stable. Marriage counselors know that when there are financial difficulties, it causes a tremendous strain on the marriage. Such is the case with ACB. We must get past the emotional upheavals of this past year in our ACB family. Most of this upheaval has been caused, in my opinion, by poor communication skills on the part of some of our leaders, thus causing suspicion and unrest. We must find a "fix" to this problem, and it must be done, quickly.
5. *We must, in my opinion, pursue all of the transportation issues, including Para transit, and pedestrian safety, among others. The ability to be independently mobile goes to the core of who we are, what we do, and what our contribution to society and our community will be.* Assistive technology is also very important to all of us. We must see that more people who are blind have access to assistive technology and we must see that through the use of assistive technology, more information is made available to persons who are blind. We need to ensure that bills are made available in accessible formats, that tactilely identifiable currency is made available, and many, many other doors need to be opened, which could be done through the use of assistive technology.
I applaud the National Alliance of Blind Students for requesting input from those who are seeking Board positions, this Summer. If any of you have questions you would like to ask me, please do not hesitate to contact me. My email address is slupride@bellsouth.net
I look forward to hearing from many of you and I certainly look forward to meeting you in Birmingham.
Who Are We? Where Are We Going?
-By DeAnna (Quietwater) Noriega
I have been active in ACB since attending my first state convention in Portland Oregon in 1980. At that time, I was a stay at home mom with a thirteen year old adopted blind son I brought home with me from a two and a half year stint in the Peace Corps, and two young sighted daughters. Twenty-four years have passed and I am still writing, speaking, traveling, and learning to present the ACB message to my community and world. I have served as an officer at the local chapter, state and affiliate levels and on the boards of three special interest affiliates, GDUI, BRL and LUA. To me, ACB is the young, the old, the cane user, guide dog user and anyone with an interest in bettering the lives of visually impaired people. Individually, our voices are small and can go unheard, but together we can push for full inclusion in society. That is why I am a member of this organization. We fight for all visually impaired people and don't demand that they measure up to an arbitrary standard of what it means to be blind. It is my intention to run for a seat on the board of publications in July. I had my first article accepted for publication in my town newspaper while attending the sixth grade and have had articles and stories accepted for publication in a number of magazines since then. With this in mind, I shall endeavor to answer the questions NABS has posed.
1. *Nabs is a training ground for future ACB leaders. Taking an active part in your organization means that your membership is looking beyond the next exam into what life after school will hold. Juggling college and yet being committed to improving life for all visually impaired people isn't easy, but it is vital if you wish to contribute to creating a brighter future for yourselves and the greater community of blind or visually impaired people.* I have heard from students that they often find it difficult to take part in local chapter organizations and don't feel included. However, I have also witnessed several instances where students who were willing to volunteer time to special projects and run for offices, have been highly successful in their contributions.
2. I believe to be a leader, you must be able to listen. You must listen to those who elected you, those who disagree with you, and be willing to consider what they say for content. If not, it is possible for a leader to become so focused on what he sees as the right course of action, that he fails to see all sides of a question. Good communication skills are also important. Sometimes just explaining your thinking is all that is needed to bring consensus toward a positive conclusion.
3. There are several committees appointed by the president that might benefit by having a student member included. ACB and its state affiliates bring scholarship winners to the national convention, but we might go further by helping student delegates to attend regardless of whether they have won a scholarship that year. When I was president of the Oregon affiliate, we regularly subsidized sending a student delegate as well as a state delegate and alternate delegate to the national convention. Such a practice from states that can afford it might be one way to get more students involved. All delegates were asked to give reports at the state convention.
4. Funding is vital. Our leadership has been struggling in this difficult time to find a means for the national organization to support itself without resorting to practices that run counter to our philosophy. Secondly, until we can revise our Constitution and Bylaws to permit mail-in ballots, our leadership will continue to be drawn from those who attend national conventions. I believe this leads to a feeling of separation between the grassroots membership and its leaders. Our members need to feel real ownership and inclusion in the organization.
5. Transportation is our biggest challenge. We are working at all levels to insure that funds allocated for transportation don't all go to roads and bridges and the use of automobiles. We want to insure that some of our tax dollars go to bolster public transportation systems. They too are part of the infrastructure that deserve its share of tax dollars. Without a means to get there, visually impaired people can't hold jobs or fully participate in their communities. Access to information is another important door to inclusion. In a world where most information is available through vision dependent means, we need to push hard for access to the same information in an alternative format that we can utilize. In this sense, an alternative format presentation of information can be anything from a tactile warning strip at the edge of a subway platform to an electronic talking sign. Its the content of the message we must have access too in order to participate fully in society.
Encouraging Leadership Today
-By Cindy Burgett - cindybur@comcast.net,
President, Washington Council of the Blind
1. Nabs most vital contribution to ACB is its members. It's the individual member and it's the collective body. It's the time, enthusiasm, motivation, financial support, talents, knowledge, and creative thinking that each member can muster. When we think of students, we think of young adults with lots of fresh ideas and an enormous amount of energy. We also know that students can be people of any age. Only the individual member can no what, if any, their limitations might be on how active a role they will play in ACB. But I do not believe that your importance is any less or more than any other member or affiliate in ACB. The bottom line, we each are hindered only by how much we are willing to reach out and take those extra steps.
2. *A leader should be a good listener, be able to operate with sincere integrity, and know how to empower others. When we involve ourselves in a leadership role of an organization, we are no longer working for are own interests, but for the membership.* It's all a big balancing act, and one needs to be able to stand firmly on his decisions. She or he cannot take all issues personally, but should know how to take personal responsibility for the decisions s/he makes. Most importantly, a leader should know how to work with others, even when they don't see eye to eye. Finally, his or her goal should be to carry out the will of the membership, uphold the organization's constitution, and be proactive, instead of reactive.
3. I believe that ACB needs to foster leadership growth throughout all of its affiliates. Unfortunately, many of the ways organizations usually go about doing this costs money, which is currently in low national supply. However, NABS may want to consider doing some of their own leadership building. Our state affiliate, the Washington Council of the Blind (WCB) is getting ready to hold our fourth annual Leadership Seminar: a weekend of presentations and activities which promote leadership growth. In the passed three years, 56 of our members have gone through this training, and because of it, we've reaped the rewards. A mentoring program could be helpful in bringing up leaders in the meantime as ACB finds the financial means to do regional trainings. There are people who have the natural ability to lead, but if they do not have a sense of belonging or of acceptance, then it is very hard to expect them to be drawn into that role. I want to encourage each of you who has given any thought to being a part of ACB leadership, to push yourself. Request to be on a committee or task force. Call the national office and let them know what your talents are. Contact the President and let him know where your interests lie. If there's a committee you're interested in, contact the committee chair and let them know of your interest. You don't have to be an appointed committee member to involve yourself in the work. Go to the national convention and make yourself known. Step in and help where you can. If you're a writer, write an article and send it in to the Braille Forum. There are just so many ways you can help yourself to move forward into leadership. Most importantly, don't give up if things don't happen right away. Keep asking. Don't stop sharing of yourself. We need you!
4. The first is relationships. We need to work to get along. We need great healing to take place in this area. Our elected board truly sets the stage through their leadership for the rest of the organization. When their is discontent and discord in the ranks, it all trickles down to the average member. When there is a sense of harmony and wellness amongst that leadership team, then that also is filtered down through the membership. The other area needing attention for ACB to be able to move forward pertains to finances. There is much work to be done by ACB. But it is practically impossible to do it without the dollars to fund it. We need to find ways to bring in a substantial amount of money on a regular basis so that we can focus on the real work of the organization, meeting the needs of blind and visually impaired people.
5. Wow! Just two? smile Transportation is one of the most important areas we should be focusing on. If we cannot get where we need to go and get their safely, how can we truly participate in our communities? It doesn't matter where I'm going, whether it be work, school, the store, a doctor's appointment or a friend's house, if there isn't suitable transportation, I'm homebound and my quality of life is diminished. Another area that needs ACB's attention is the future of elder services. Lord willing, we all will be there one day, and it is the fastest growing population of visually impaired people today. We need to ensure that our senior citizens who lose their sight are having their needs met. No one is ever too old to learn how to adapt to vision loss. But if they aren't being made aware of how to adapt their environment to meet them where they are at with their vision, or if they have family members and medical staff who discourage them from trying new things or being independent, then not only do they have to deal with the loss of vision, but with the loss of quality of life. ACB needs to work toward making sure that all blind and visually impaired people can live their lives to the fullest.
Blending Generations Can be a Growth
Experience for All
-By Teddie-Joy Remhild, Founder and Immediate Past President, Alliance on
Aging and Vision Loss (AAVL)
The title and concept of this writing may seem like an oxymoron, but let's delve a little deeper and seek unseen, unlikely similarities.
ACB is a multigenerational organization of individuals who have lived diverse lives and experienced vision loss in a multitude of varied scenarios. Yet, we come together on a regular basis to share our skills, accumulated knowledge and blend all we are and all we know to create this venue of advocacy, the American Council of the Blind.
I believe that the National Alliance of Blind Students and the Alliance on Aging and Vision Loss have more in common than a superficial glance might reveal. *The youth of our organization bring new energy, new ideas and new dreams to the potpourri of organized advocacy of and for blind persons. The mature and older members are the safe keepers of history, tradition and that intangible sense of knowing the art of advocacy, including when and how to actualize it.*
This is the blend and coalescing ACB needs in order to continue on as a vital, viable and growing organization. We need to know each other, find our kindredness and dialogue together in an ongoing process toward an open, democratic and cohesive acceptance of our differences, yet also inspired by our many similarities. We are all on a life journey together, working toward equality and self actualization. Let us communicate with each other and build on each other's uniqueness. It is the blend that will make us strong and will lead to future success.
The Three Most Significant Qualities
for Good Leaders
-By Ken Stewart
Kudos to NABS for promoting discussion of the qualities of leadership. Recent events in ACB have been a personal catalyst that has drawn me toward conceptualizing and then crystallizing the basic tenets of my own leadership style and philosophy.
My conclusions are derived from leadership experiences which go all the way back to my college days. I first served as a student senator, and while in graduate school, as the Chair of a Council of Dormitory Presidents. More recently I have been President of an ACB affiliate, and the Chair of my town's Assessment Board of Review. Currently, I am an elected member of ACB's Board of Publications, the Vice President of my Home Owners' Association, and the Founder and President of a local low vision organization.
*I propose here that three of the most important capabilities of an effective leader are: openness, respect, and modeling.*
Openness, my term for the metaphor commonly voiced in the sighted world as "transparency", includes the willingness to have all of one's decisions and actions subject to scrutiny by the members of one's organization. It is an acknowledgement that members have an entitlement to that information and an opportunity to react with either affirmation or criticism.
In addition to abiding by this philosophy of openness, a leader displays his respect for the membership by inviting their participation in decision-making processes. An organization's membership is a wonderfully rich resource for new ideas, fresh perspectives, and alternate angles of approach. A leader's positive and respectful reception of the membership's participation can be truly transformative.
A leader may further convey his respect to the membership by encouraging participatory governance structures. In the case of committee operations, conducting widely advertised and well documented meetings that are open to non-committee members symbolizes this commitment to respect.
Finally, a leader who models is a leader who senses that member behavior is more likely to change for the better in response to example than to exhortation. Civility in discourse, and a willingness to put as much time and effort into the organization's projects as is expected from the membership, are but two of many ways an effective leader models.
All the best wishes to NABS and to all of its members aspiring to positions of leadership in ACB. We need you. We want you!
My Concern for Alleviating Homelessness:
A Journey from Writing and Hoping to Doing and Helping
-By Milissa Garside
For quite some time, Homelessness has been a big concern of mine. *Growing up in Boston, homelessness was prevalent. It was not uncommon for me to run into beggars on the streets. Or, to see fellow classmates unable to afford school lunch.* In recent years, Massachusetts ended rent control. As a result, there is nothing stopping landlords from raising rents to astronomically high prices. For example, the average rent in Massachusetts for a one-bedroom apartment is $1,080, not including utilities. It is no longer possible for a person to work a 40 hour minimum wage job and afford adequate housing.
This past semester, I became involved with the Massachusetts Public Interest Research Group, (MASSPIRG). MASSPIRG is a state wide student organization that fights against hunger and homelessness. We work on such projects as volunteering at homeless shelters and tutoring the homeless. We believe that the first step to obtaining better employment is an education.
We also participated in The Hunger Clean Up Project. This project involved recruiting volunteers to donate their time to help local homeless shelters. We used The Hunger Cleanup Project to raise money. Volunteers got people to sponsor them for every hour of time they donated. The money that volunteers raised went towards helping the shelters who participated in the project. On Saturday April 3rd, several students and I gathered to helped clean and do maintenance work at 4 local shelters in Boston.
I really enjoyed being able to help others. As a blind person, we are often the ones who are thought to need help. It was very rewarding to be able to help others who really need it.
Below is a poem I wrote several years ago, when I was 16. It talks about homelessness and how our society views it. For as long as I can remember, homelessness has always been a concern of mine. I believe that in order to truly understand and empathize with another person, one must first try to imagine himself in their situation. The character I describe in the poem is a homeless man who has a family to look after. My goal was to place myself in his shoes and write the poem from his perspective. I believe that this is what makes it so powerful. I hope you enjoy it.
Untitled Poem - Revised February 1999
-By Milissa Garside
*A man stands alone
By himself
In the darkened streets
Stripped of his pride*
Stripped of his sense of self
He roams the streets of the city
Searching for food, a job
A way to help his family
Searching for a person who cares
And although he searches,
He finds nothing and no one
Filled with anger shame and hatred
He turns to drugs and violence
For they are his only salvation
The drugs are a way to escape the pain
Bringing a temporary solitude
The drugs help him to ignore the overwhelming shame
A man who is so strong
Is looked upon as week in the eyes of society
He is considered a person who does not count
He's worth nothing
He turns to violence to protect his family in the ghetto
Also to protect himself from his enemies
A man with a heavy heart
Will not shed his tears
He refuses to reveal his pain to the world
The fear of pity
Keeps him silent
Though he suffers,
He won't give up
For his faith in God keeps him going
His growing children are a continuous glimmer of hope
He shamefully moves from trash can to trash can
Sacrificing the scraps of food for his family
Leaving himself with nothing
And still, society does not see this strong, courageous man
This man who knows so much
It is our ignorance and selfishness that holds him hostage on the streets
A man who wants so desperately to succeed
Is denied the opportunity
Because of his low class
To society, this admirable man is a nobody
And because of our narrow beliefs,
He will never amount to anything
The Hand Guide™: A Review
-By Nickie Coby
If you're a cane user, like me, you've probably wished your cane wasn't so long. Whether you're shopping at the mall, going to a football game or just trying to get to your next class in the high school, traveling through crowds with a cane can be a drag! The only way to get through the group is to try to find openings, and at one time or another, you're bound to tap some ankles. If this describes your thinking, you're in luck. There's a new product out on the market that just might be able to help. This product is called the Hand Guide.
*The Hand Guide is a hand held device that uses an invisible light beam to detect obstacles. When it does, it will either vibrate or beep to notify you.* You can choose whether the Hand Guide vibrates or beeps with a large three-position switch located on the top. Not only does it vibrate when it detects an obstacle, but you can tell how far away the obstacle is by the intensity of the vibration or the speed of the beeping.
I found that the Hand Guide fits extremely comfortably in the hand I'm not using for my cane. It also comes with a holster I clip onto a pocket of my pants for convenient stowing.
It took a little while for me to get used to the extra information provided by the Hand Guide. I had to figure out that there are times when the Hand Guide is helpful and times when it's not. You can't use the Hand Guide without a cane or dog guide because it won't tell you about changes in elevation and it can't always detect glass. If you're in a really open area where you're not worrying about obstacles, don't use it. You'll waste your batteries.
I love the Hand Guide for crowded areas. My school has an area affectionately known as senior square. It's where everyone congregates during passing time. And, it's been one of my worst nightmares. With the Hand Guide I can scan for an opening in the people because the Hand Guide will stop vibrating when there's nothing blocking my path.
Another awkward situation is the lunch line. I hate trying to follow someone and always bumping into them. With the Hand Guide I point the Hand Guide at the person I'm following and wait for the vibrating to decrease so I know it's okay to move up.
It's important to remember that the Hand Guide won't do everything, and it will take some time and experimentation to become accustomed to using it.
The Hand Guide is manufactured by Guideline Technologies www.guideline-technologies.com
Announcement: An All-Paid Opportunity
for Rehabilitation Councilors or Rehabilitation Counseling Students
*The Rehabilitation Research and Training Center (RRTC) on Blindness and Low Vision at Mississippi State University is offering an Academic Certificate Program specializing in working with people who are blind or visually impaired.* The Rehabilitation Services Administration (RSA) has provided funding for the program for the past 2 years and will continue for 2004 and 2005. The purpose of the program is to provide specialized training in vision disabilities for people who are employed in rehabilitation agencies serving persons who are blind and/or people who are in graduate training programs leading toward a Master's degree in Rehabilitation Counseling.
The stipend-supported 2004 summer program (which covers travel, housing, food, books, tuition, etc.) provides four graduate courses for 12 semester credit hours, including a field experience, on specialized issues, techniques, services, and technology that are specific to the rehabilitation of people who are blind or visually impaired.
A brochure is available upon request for the 2004 summer program. Program classes will begin on Tuesday, June 1 and conclude on Friday, July 9 on the MSU campus. The remaining field experience course can be completed in your home state. Space is still available but not for long.
For more information, contact:
Stacy Butler, Project Coordinator
RRTC on Blindness and Low Vision
Voice: 662/325-2001
TDD: 662/325-8693
FAX: 662/325-8989
http://www.blind.msstate.edu/vspecialist1.html
Announcement: Internship Opportunities
Still Available Through the Washington Center
*The Washington Center for Internships and Academic Seminars and The American Association of People with Disabilities to Bring 39 Highly Qualified College Students to Washington, DC this Fall*
"This experience is one of the most memorable things that I have ever done in my life!" -Andrew Bandoh, Spring 2004 Participant and Scholarship Awardee
The recently announced Washington Center Scholarship Program for Students with Disabilities is still accepting applications for the fall semester. This program includes a full-time internship, classes with noted professionals, job skill sessions and interaction with high-level politicians and leaders in the business, non-profit and advocacy fields.
The Washington Center (TWC) has a number of scholarships available. These scholarships will cover 90 percent of the Washington Center's total program and housing cost of $8,430. The application deadline is June 14, 2004.
Current undergraduate students of all majors and interests are encouraged to apply. Internships are available in every area in the Federal government- on Capitol Hill, in an executive agency (Department of Labor, Department of Education, etc), or in the Judicial Branch of the U.S. government.
Andrew Bandoh, a junior at the State University of New York, Oswego says that the reason he applied to TWC was to "see a new place, explore our nation's capital, and meet people from all kinds of backgrounds." As an intern at the U.S. Department of the Treasury, Andrew is learning about the sort of work he hopes to do after graduation. He likes his position because "it is basically a self-paced job… I feel that I am in control of my own work and education. Each week my supervisor has me help a different co-worker so I learn what everyone in the department does so I can learn all about the Treasury Department from different perspectives."
Most importantly, Bandoh insists that he is "learning to become more independent and gaining more experience in the field [in which he is] studying. The people are great [at the Washington Center], all the accommodations that I needed were available to me and I'm looking forward to being in the workforce… in fact I'm looking for ANOTHER DC internship for the summer… I don't want to go home yet!"
This program is made possible due to a partnership between The Washington Center for Internships and Academic Seminars and the U.S. Department of Labor's Office of Disability Employment Policy. The Washington Center is also working closely with the American Association of People with Disabilities to ensure that all accessibility needs are met during the application process and during the course of the semester.
For more information about the scholarship program and eligibility requirements please visit our website at http://www.twc.edu/diversityingovernment.htm
Or contact:
JT Taransky AAPD/TWC Internship Logistics Coordinator
Phone/TTY: 202-457-0046
Fax: 202-336 7609
Email: jennyt@twc.edu
Accessible Format Application: http://www.aapd.com/Internships/washintern.html
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