The Dr. Jacobus tenBroek Award

Presented by Pam Allen

PAM ALLEN: Dr. Jacobus tenBroek was one of the most influential minds in the field of civil rights. He was a staunch advocate, respected attorney, and legal scholar whose legacy continues more than five decades after his death. His writings and teachings on equality were pivotal to the landmark case Brown v. Board of Education, the Supreme Court decision that desegregated schools in America. He founded the National Federation of the Blind in 1940 and served as our first president. His work in the blindness field shattered stereotypes and revolutionized how the blind live in the world. As a testament to the immense and lasting impact his contributions have on society, we hold an annual disability law symposium which carries his name.

The National Federation of the Blind awards this prestigious honor only when an individual meets its rigorous criteria, and 2023 is one such year. As an organization, it is the highest honor we bestow. The recipient must embody the characteristics that are synonymous with Jacobus tenBroek: an unwavering commitment to civil rights, a heart for service, and contributions that result in transformative change for the blind.

This year's recipient was born in a small community west of the Atlantic Ocean and south of the North Pole. [Laughter] This person learned early the importance of reading and writing Braille. After being diagnosed with a degenerative eye condition and enrolling in the local public school, this person was expected to read print, which they could not and therefore did not read or write well for many years.

When the individual was thirteen, their parents enrolled them in the state school for the blind, hoping they would receive a better education. After several years of struggling with reading and writing print, a doctor told this person what they perceived as bad news, that the individual would need to learn Braille.

Though learning Braille was a gamechanger and a relief, it opened up a world of opportunities for them to achieve academic success.

This person learned early that educating young blind people would be a lifelong passion. In high school, our winner learned to wrestle, a skill that would later earn them extra money in the early days of teaching.

While taking a college speech class, this individual met a local schoolteacher, and they struck up a friendship that would prove valuable for many reasons in the years to come. When our winner was ready to do a teaching internship, the adviser advised them to pursue an internship at the state school for the blind. However, this year's recipient wanted to teach sighted children, which the adviser stated would be impossible. The schoolteacher, who this individual met earlier in the speech class, told them that they wanted them to do the internship in their third‑grade classroom. The principal at the school agreed with and supported the plan. You can only imagine how surprised and perplexed the adviser was when his low expectations were proven to be that: low expectations.

Our award recipient had cleared his first discrimination hurdle and began to change for so many what it means to be blind. Our recipient this evening began to know the power of advocacy. He knew about how important strong skills of blindness were in holding an unwavering confidence in combating discrimination.

In 1982, this individual was invited by the leadership of the state affiliate of the National Federation of the Blind to speak about his experiences at their state convention. This invitation, along with his attendance at the National Federation of the Blind's National Convention the following year, changed his life. And like so many of us can relate from our own experiences, when asked about that convention, the individual said, “I realized that I was not alone in facing challenges and discrimination and that I had the Federation family behind me. I also learned that the progress I had been able to make and that other blind people were making was due to the work that the National Federation of the Blind had been doing since its inception in 1940.”

This individual, our 2023 Jacobus tenBroek Award winner, Adelmo Vigil, [cheers and applause] had found a home in the National Federation of the Blind with like-minded blind friends.

Throughout the years, Adelmo has held various leadership positions in the National Federation of the Blind of New Mexico, including serving as president for more than a decade, along with several other offices, and currently serves since 2016 on the National Federation of the Blind Board of Directors.

In 1993 Adelmo began a second career with the New Mexico Commission for the Blind as director of the New Mexico Commission for the Blind Adjustment to Blindness Center. In this capacity, Adelmo served as a mentor and encouraged young students who came to the Center to learn the foundational skills of blindness to build a positive philosophy of blindness necessary to be successful in whatever career they chose. Eventually Adelmo became the deputy director of the New Mexico Commission for the Blind.

Many young people throughout the years, those in this room and those listening virtually, have benefited greatly from Adelmo's firm admonitions and gentle and loving encouragement. He is a professional who has successfully built strong friendships with blind people that have made the difference between a life of mediocrity and a life of tremendous fulfillment.

Through his speeches at state conventions, national presentations, and through his writings, he has shared the message of the National Federation of the Blind and helped others realize they can dream big and live the lives they want.

In his current role as president of the National Blindness Professional Certification Board, he works tirelessly to promote professional development and training opportunities for individuals and agencies to offer Structured Discovery training, which truly powers blind individuals.

Since 1975, Adelmo has been married to his beloved wife, Soledad, who contributes in so many ways to our organization, and they have two children, Adrienne and Gabriel, and six grandchildren so far.

Adelmo says of his involvement in the National Federation of the Blind over the past forty-plus years, "When I think about why I'm in the National Federation of the Blind, my greatest reason is that I want to give back what has been given to me, because I have been blessed. I want to share that blessing. I want to pay what I have been given by giving encouragement and hope to future generations of blind people.”

I am honored and grateful to call Adelmo a cherished friend and to work side-by-side with him in our movement. Please join me in recognizing our 2023 Jacobus tenBroek Award recipient, Adelmo Vigil.

I want Adelmo to have a moment to speak, and I want to mention today is also Dr. Jacobus tenBroek’s birthday. So it is extra special that you are receiving this on July 6. Adelmo is receiving a beautiful plaque, which has Braille and print on it. I'm going to hold it up, and I'm going to present it to you, Adelmo. Here you go. I will read what is on it.

JACOBUS tenBROEK AWARD
PRESENTED TO

Adelmo Vigil

WHENEVER WE HAVE ASKED, YOU HAVE ANSWERED. WE CALL YOU OUR COLLEAGUE WITH RESPECT, WE CALL YOU OUR FRIEND WITH LOVE.

JULY 6, 2023

ADELMO VIGIL: I don't know what to say. I am shocked, I am surprised, I am honored to receive this prestigious award. There are many out there who are worthy, but I am very thankful to you, all of you, because your successes have been my successes.

I just told President Riccobono just a minute ago, I said, I am going to retire sooner or later. [Laughter] I have been threatening to do that for a while, but I haven't done it yet.

But it is an honor to receive this award, and I thank all of you, my Federation family, for this. Thank you very much. Thank you, Pam. [cheers and applause]

PAM: Congratulations again, Adelmo. Let's have a round of applause. You can tell Adelmo's humility and gratitude. Thank you so much for your service, Adelmo, and for all the ways that you have contributed. I want to also thank the members of our tenBroek Committee: Dr. Maurer, Norma Crosby, Ron Brown, and Barbara Loos. Thank you so much for serving.