As the case is with most millennials, my attention was divided between the material world and my phone. I was anticipating an email; the results determining my proximal future. If, by chance, the email was in affirmation, then I would be spending my summer in Baltimore, Maryland. If the email reflected rejection, I would be doing the same old thing that I normally do–school, school, and more school.

As the soft ‘ding’ resonated from my headphones, indicating the reception of an email, my heart began to race…fast forward six weeks, and we have arrived to this moment in time. My world has been irrevocably altered.

From my first day as a National Federation of the Blind Jernigan Institute intern, I knew that I had found my home. Though I have only been actively involved in the work of the Federation for about a year, I had never realized how much I did not know. That is to say, I assumed that the surface level fundraising, legislative advocacy, and membership recruitment approximated seventy-five or eighty percent of our total efforts. However, from day one I have been  shown that what I assumed was only a minor, if integral, fraction of our total efforts.

I was quickly given an opportunity to experience the intricacies of our educational programs (Braille Reading Pals,  NFBEQ, The BELL Academy, etc.), our governmental affairs department (meeting with congressional delegations, examining regulations, public relations, NFB NEWSLINE®, etc.), and member development, through an opportunity to act as a mentor for high school students in the NFBEQ program. All of these experiences have been instrumental in my time at the Jernigan institute, in showing me that the fight for equality, opportunity, and security for the blind is still a battle, which we must all wage and in demonstrating to me concretely, that the success of the movement starts with the members of the movement. If one of us succeeds, we all succeed. If one of us fails, we all fail.

As we go into National Convention (only my second convention) I find myself musing over the purpose of our convention, and contrasting my thoughts and feelings with last year. In comparison, I possess more anticipation than fear, more joy than trepidation, more purpose than confusion. I know now, National Convention is a family reunion–a time for brothers and sisters to reunite, to fan the flames of our passions, and for us as a vehicle of collective action, to demonstrate to the world that security, equality, and opportunity are our right. To quote a dear mentor of mine, Mr. Anil Lewis, “The National Convention of the National Federation of the Blind is a revitalization of our movement,” it is a time for us to come together and stand as one. I love you, my Federation family. Thank you for giving me the opportunity to serve you, and I hope to continue serving for many years to come.