American Action Fund for Blind Children and Adults
Future Reflections Convention 2024 CONVENTION PERSPECTIVES
by Kate Garcia and Sonia Timmons
From the Editor: A key purpose of the National Organization of Parents of Blind Children (NOPBC) is to build parent leadership across the country. The Parent Leadership Program (PLP) began in 2006 to bring parent leaders together, introduce them to Federation philosophy, and strengthen the bonds of community. For parents in the PLP, attending the NFB National Convention for the first time can be a life-changing experience. In this article two members of the 2024 PLP cohort reflect on their experiences.
Kate Garcia: In October 2023, by a very lucky chance, I met Carol Castellano, founding president of New Jersey Parents of Blind Children (NJPBC) and a long-time leader in the NOPBC. Carol nominated me to take part in the 2024 Parent Leadership Program (PLP). At that point I hardly knew anything about the NFB or the NOPBC, but I decided to seize this opportunity and learn as much as I could.
As a PLP participant I visited the NFB headquarters in Baltimore and attended the 2024 Washington Seminar. In Baltimore our cohort of parents enjoyed three days of intensive training and discussions conducted by Carol, Melissa Riccobono, and other parent leaders from across the country. We also met powerful NFB leaders including Mark Riccobono, Pam Allen, and Anil Lewis. I felt genuine love and appreciation from the people I met. They extended a genuine welcome!
Until I went to Baltimore I really didn’t understand what the NFB is and how it carries out its mission. My meetings with deeply committed blind leaders awakened my sense of purpose. The NFB values and welcomes parents of blind children, yet it is clear that blind people themselves are the experts on what blind people need. I haven’t found that balance in any other blindness organization.
Our time at the NFB National Center was incredibly intense! Carol kept us busy thirteen or fourteen hours each day! We laughed, we cried, and we devoured reams of information. The PLP gave each of us a heavy binder full of articles, factsheets, and national resources. The idea was for us to take all that information back to our home states and pay it forward. Fortunately the National Center gave us plenty of wonderful cookie breaks. Believe me, we needed them!
Sonia Timmons: I lead the Parents of Blind Children chapter in South Carolina, so I knew a fair amount about the NFB before I went to Baltimore for the Parent Leadership Program. Even so, I learned so much during my days at the National Center! Federation leaders educated us about the history of the NFB and tied it to advocacy in our individual states. We met blind people who use blindness skills such as Braille and cane travel every day. They were employed and living active, independent lives.
One very special thing we did was brainstorming to design a program that would include our blind children in our state conventions. I used some of those ideas to create a children’s track for this year’s South Carolina convention. The kids did some entertainment at the reception, we had interactive games, we had a workshop on Braille skills, and we gave two of the children the chance to speak from the podium about their experiences. It was the first time children took on some leadership roles and showcased their skills. It went over very well! As our NFB leaders age we need to build a new generation of blind leaders, and this was a chance to start doing just that. I’m grateful that our state president is open to progressive ideas!
Kate Garcia: After our trip to Baltimore and our experience meeting legislators at Washington Seminar, we had the total immersion of the NFB National Convention in Orlando. On my first day I got lost in the convention hotel. I saw a guy with a cane and asked him for directions. He led the way unerringly to where we wanted to go. It was great for my daughter to connect with another blind person who was able to offer help.
At Convention I reconnected with everyone in my PLP cohort and met lots of parents who weren’t in the program. We had plenty of rich discussions, and I heard lots of stories. Everyone was eager to share, and we could connect people with resources right on the spot.
Sonia Timmons: My entire family, including my parents, attended the NFB National Convention for the entire week. It was our first convention, and at first it was overwhelming to see so many blind people—children and adults—all in one place. My parents got to see blind adults traveling, engaging, and learning independently. They’ve had a lot of concerns about my blind daughter, and being at Convention helped reassure them. The agenda was very well organized, and we were able to choose the activities we wanted. We even found time for karaoke and for hanging out around the pool. We’re already booked for New Orleans in 2025.
All across the NFB the leadership is phenomenal. The spirit of welcome toward newcomers is amazing! It’s not an overstatement to say that the knowledge and philosophy of the NFB have changed our lives!