[acb-hsp] ACB-HSP President Message

[Carmella D Broome]

I'm  rather enjoying observing the group process around all this.  The dialogue is, shall we say, quite animated.  Since I'm not involved or invested, I can  observe it with detached curiosity and consider what each person is saying and  analyze  the situation and so on.   Not all of you have that luxury.  Others may not have the interest.

Obviously, there are strong feelings and  wounded feelings and frustration. I appreciate everyone's  I messages and   clearly there  are issues that need to be hashed out.    Validation done.  I have done my due dilligence as  a counselor.  All of your thoughts and feelings are important.  You all come to the discussion with unique perspectives,life experiences, and  strengths, and   have chosen to take the time to  share your feedback.    Good job to each of you. Good job  to me for  being affirming and   all that stuff.   

My question becomes, why does  ACB HSP need to exist? what can an org specifically for blind people involved in a very wide range of   professions that are human services 
related do for me as a member?  Why should I pay money to join that   organization?   So what that we all happen to be blind? I can get what I need from  my colleagues who are blind on this list  or others for free without having to   invest more than a minimum of time or other resources.    What's the point  other than that we  all are blind and work in vaguely similar professions?    If I put time and energy into such an organization, why would I be doing that?    Do I really want to  travel to different places to hang out with   people who happen to also be blind and do some work that is vaguely similar to mine?  Not really.    

What's the vision?  What are the specific goals? If I got involved, what would I be trying to help the organization accomplish? I'm not talking about broad mission statements. I'm talking specifics.  How is it relevant to me personally?  Why is there a need for such an organization?  Is it for support, for advocacy, for   professional development, or what?  Is it really needed?  Does it do something unique enough to justify its existence?    

Are we going to advocate for more accessibility to   journals and  other  publications put out by   sighted orgs for those in human services professions so that  people who are blind and in  whichever  profession can have greater access?    Are we  going to  put efforts towards making sure licensure exam preparation materials and exams themselves are available in accessible formats and administered fairly?  Are we going to be a presence at national conferences put on by   the national orgs for   various HS professionals to offer workshops on how to be more  culturally sensitive around blindness related issues or to help them understand that  there are blind people working successfully in their fields?  Are we going to offer CEUs for members and non members?    What are we offering?  Why should I want to be involved?

If its just that we are all blind and interested in similar work, that's just not enough incentive for me. I've got plenty of other personal and professional concerns to  take up my time with. I'm challenging those of you who really do want this and see the need to    give me your pitch  in specifics to  bring  what appears to be much needed  clarity here.   

I'm not a member of any  blindness organizations at this time.  I've never found   those memberships to be of particular interest or help to me. Sometimes, as in  previously in my life at various points, I've  joined one  out of some hope that it would be  more productive or out of some sense of "should," but I  don't wind up sticking with it because I just can't  drum up enough enthusiasm to last very long.  I've been asked to be on Boards or  to take positions of leadership, and have  agreed, but then  resented feeling obligated to do something I really am not that interested in and don't really have time for.  

I only have so much time  and only so much money (not much of either) and  have to choose how to best invest my resources. This is true for everyone else.  I believe God asks me to be a good steward of what I'm given.    If I take on  volunteer work, it is something  I can absolutely do on my own time when I have  the time and the energy to devote to it. I proof books for BookShare  when I  have time now, because there are no meetings, no group projects, and no time constraints.  That's why I chose to do that. 

Far as money and time.  There are so many orgs I could join, and   I find it more helpful to me to join   organizations more in line with my professional interests, such as the  American Mental Health Counselors   or the American Association for Marriage and Family Therapists and their state affiliates. These allow for networking, information, trainings, and other   benefits that are relevant to me personally and professionally.  

I appreciate the sharing of resources and dialogue that  go on   thanks to lists like this one.  Technology  allows  people with particular interests to come together virtually in ways they  could never do  in person and I find that very rewarding. I've gotten to know  a few people personally  through  this list and similar ones.  We get to  know each other because  we click a certain way or have other things in common.  Those closer relationships are  important to me.  Having access to a larger group personally is a great thing.   To me, its practical and supportive, so  the bases are covered. Its  nice to know other people are out there trying to do what I'm doing every day, which is  to  work and  live productively and  to  work around  blindness and pursue interests and ambitions.  I  appreciate the similarities such as  higher education and intelligence. What else do I need?  For me, personally,  there might not be anything else, other than a virtual community.  That's enough for me at this point unless someone can explain to me what else  I need that I don't  realize I need or why I should  want to  get involved.  

I'm putting this out there  for those of you who  say you want this affiliate.  Clarify  your vision and  nail down some goals  so people see what  you have to offer  that is truly of value and relevance to them.  That's  what makes people  want to be a part of something. 


Carmella Broome EdS LPC LMFT
Crossroads Counseling Center, Lexington SC
http://CounselorCarmella.WordPress.com
Author of Carmella's Quest:  Taking On College Sight Unseen (Red Letter Press 2009)
http://CarmellasQuest.LiveJournal.com
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