Hi Jane,
I have heard similar things from folks at multiple state agencies for a few years now. It seems to line up chronologically with the departure of a certain staff member who was running the Independence Market from the national center and reorganization that was happening at that time.
Anytime state agencies are critiquing the NFB, I tend to wonder whether it gets as much air time as it does because people like critiquing the NFB, but that doesn't mean that it isn't true. Sometimes, out of love for our movement, people don't want to say anything that may be taken by our opponents and used against us. The downside is that there is a risk that we can get into an emperor's new clothes situation.
We talked about this a little bit during a breakout session at the national convention. I do think it could be helpful for us, as a group of practitioners, to get to some kind of consensus about how widespread this issue is so that we have an accurate assessment of the problem, if it exists. Once we have a read on that, maybe we can present our collective understanding, in some helpful and low-publicity way, to President Riccobono to help him understand what the collective experience is in our space.
Aloha,
Justin
Justin MH Salisbury, MEd, NOMC, NCRTB
English Pronouns: He/Him/His
Email: President@Alumni.ECU.edu
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“Until the lion learns how to write, every story will glorify the hunter.”
Chinua Achebe
-----Original Message-----
From: Jane Lansaw via NOMC