By Jennifer Dunnam

(The following is taken from the presidential report delivered at the 2014 annual convention of the National Federation of the Blind of Minnesota, and includes some updates since then).

Last year at this time we knew that many important changes would be coming, but we had no idea exactly where those changes would lead.  However, we were confident that we would come through the changes even stronger than before.  A year later, there is no doubt, and we can unequivocally say that the prediction turned out to be true!  We have a great deal of which to be proud.

At this time last year, we had just learned that we would need to find a new executive director for our adjustment-to-blindness training center here in Minnesota, Blindness: Learning in New Dimensions (BLIND) Incorporated.  We worked diligently to find just the right person.  Dan Wenzel has become the executive director, and as I am sure you agree after what you heard from him at the sessions yesterday and from getting to know him at this convention, we definitely have found the right person!  Dan is a strong leader with a background in the Federation philosophy and great ideas for moving the training center forward — we are very fortunate to have him here.  I would also like to acknowledge Dick Davis for his great commitment and exceedingly hard work to lead BLIND Incorporated through the transition.

We also learned that at the same time, there would be a director change at State Services for the Blind (SSB).  Following the retirement of Richard Strong in December 2013, there was a long process for recruiting and hiring a new director.  Because we believe that it is critical for the SSB director to be able to set the right tone and support good decisions that affect people's lives, the NFB of Minnesota was involved all along the way, and we appreciated the fact that our involvement was welcomed by the management of SSB and the Department of Employment and Economic Development. We participated actively in seeking out the best director, and I also think that you'll agree from hearing Carol Pankow yesterday that her common sense, no-nonsense approach and her "get things done" attitude will be very helpful to those who receive rehabilitation services from SSB.  She has a long career in public service and rehabilitation and a strong belief in the capacity of blind people and the importance of good training as the foundation for rehabilitation.  As always, we will continue to let her know how things are going from the consumer perspective.

Fourteen Minnesotans attended the Washington seminar, and all participated in making the case to our representatives and senators for our bills.  On HR831 Fair Wages for Workers with Disabilities Act (AKA bill to eliminate subminimum wages): Of the 77 cosponsors, one was from Minnesota, Representative Keith Ellison.  On HR3505 Technology Equality and Accessibility In College and Higher Education (TEACH) Act: Of the 31 cosponsors, three were from Minnesota: Representatives Keith Ellison, Rick Nolan and Collin Peterson.  We will continue to work on these, and we know that we have a good foundation from which to start.

March 11 was our Day at the Capitol in Minnesota.  An enthusiastic and hard-working crowd gathered to inform our state senators and representatives about the need for legislation dealing with the following issues:

1. Ensure that all working Minnesotans receive the minimum wage by removing disability-related exemptions in state contracts

2. Ensure that seniors losing their vision can live independent lives in their communities by increasing resources for services to blind seniors through Minnesota State Services for the Blind;

3. Improve opportunities for blind Minnesotans and others by increasing investment in public transportation.

As a result of that effort, a bill (House File 3269) was introduced, which would, if enacted, indicate that the state government could not contract with entities that hold special certificates permitting the payment of subminimum wages to workers with disabilities.  Although this bill was not heard this year due to timing and the short session, it will be a very helpful tool as we work to build support on this issue at all levels.

We have worked over many years to make sure that blind citizens have the opportunity to vote privately and verify their votes via accessible voting machines.  We have also worked to be sure that the new online voter registration system is also accessible to blind voters.  We continue to give feedback to governmental and other purveyors of online content to let them know if their Web sites present barriers to nonvisual use.

Of course, our members volunteered with the summer programs at BLIND Inc. — the Buddy Program for children ages 9 to 13, and the PREP program for students a little older.  Our members serve as role models for those students and help to bring up a generation of blind people who know about the Federation and who know that blindness need not hold them back.

We held a Possibilities Fair in August, to provide information to blind seniors about living independently while losing vision and about the benefit of making connections with other blind people.  Our seniors division and other Federationists helped to put on the event, and there were over 100 participants.  We talked with them about how to mark their cooking appliances and games, how to get around using a long white cane, and the importance of the support they can get from being a part of the National Federation of the Blind.

We had a table this year at the Education Minnesota Conference, which is an excellent opportunity to reach out to the teachers of the state of Minnesota, so that if they have a blind child in their class, they know of our resources of information and people to work with.

We have worked to update our online presence with the new NFB logo and tag line.  We have new NFB of Minnesota buttons, which we debuted at the Walk for Opportunity in Rochester in September.  Our Rochester chapter always does a fantastic job hosting the walk.  We raised some much-needed funds, and we had a great time as always, walking in beautiful Rochester.

Our newly formed Twin Ports chapter, chartered last year, is thriving and doing very well.  We have worked with this chapter as part of our 75 Days of Action here in Minnesota, to strengthen it and help keep it moving in a good direction. 

We are making very good progress on starting an "at large" chapter and to re-activating the Riverbend chapter.  By the end of 2014, each of these groups had held two meetings and has a plan of action for moving forward.  The 75 Days of Action campaign has been a catalyst here in Minnesota and all around the country to help us focus on building.  We need to continue the work of building around the state, and I know that we will keep moving from the momentum of this effort.

Give to the Max Day is a day on which Minnesota nonprofits focus on fund-raising.  This online event was held on November 13 this year.  We encouraged our friends, relatives, colleagues, and anyone else to help support the work of our organization, and we raised close to a thousand dollars this year.

You heard earlier about some advocacy we have been involved in with the State of Minnesota to make sure that their online information is accessible, and we will keep working in that area as well.  We also continue to work with individuals as they struggle to get past some of the unnecessary barriers that are put in their way.

Looking forward, we will be conducting a Braille Enrichment for Literacy and Learning (BELL) program in the summer of 2015.  This is a two-week day program to give children intensive instruction in braille and provide them with exposure to other skills and role models through classes and other fun activities.  Brook Sexton will coordinate the program; Carlton Walker of Pennsylvania (president of our national Parents of Blind Children division) will be the primary teacher; Martha Harris will be providing much-needed assistance and expertise; and many other members will be called upon to help, just as we do with the BLIND Inc. summer programs.

We will also be part of a national effort to improve accessibility to museums.  In 2015, the Science Museum of Minnesota will participate in a program, and we look forward to working with them to make improvements so that blind children can learn there as well.

I would like us to think about things that each of us can do to keep the momentum going for building our organization.  First, think about someone that you know, and invite him or her to join.  Everyone knows blind people who are not involved with us, who perhaps do not know or understand what we are about. 

Second, we often need for each one of us to make our voices heard by calling, e-mailing, or tweeting to our legislators when they need to pay attention to and act on our issues.  That's something that each person can do.

Third, If you find a problem, whether it's a problem that someone is having that we in the NFB can help with, or a problem that you as an individual member can help get solved, if we all help with the solutions, we are able to make more progress.

Fourth, stay informed.  The Minnesota Bulletin and the Braille Monitor may not seem to some to be as compelling reading as a mystery novel, but it is helpful and important for all of us to have the background about the issues that occur.  There are often many things going on that we cannot stand up once or twice a year at conventions or once a month at chapter meetings and talk about very thoroughly.  The more of us with in-depth knowledge, the more agile we are and able to get the work done.

Fifth, and by no means least, bring your own ideas.  This organization runs on all of us as volunteers contributing our time, our talents, our resources, and our ideas as well.  If you think of recommendations of something we should do differently or additionally, please make it known.

Working on something bigger than ourselves is what keeps us here — we know there is so much to be done, and in many cases we as a consumer organization are the only ones in a position to do it.  We make a difference for more than just we as individuals do, or even for just the circle of people that we know.  Often we may never get the chance to know the people we affect.  I appreciate our work together so that we can live the lives we want and help others to do the same by transforming dreams into reality.  Thank you for such a good year, and I look forward to another one coming up.