Federation Forms New Division in Texas

Federation Forms New Division in Texas

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The Braille Monitor – October 2000 Edition

Federation Forms New Division in Texas
by Kevan Worley

From the Editor: Kevan Worley is the energetic new President

of the National Association of Blind Merchants. He recently sent the Braille

Monitor a report of an August meeting in Texas which several dissidents tried

unsuccessfully to disrupt. The result of all the furor was a new state organization

of blind vendors and a much closer working relationship with a state agency

trying to assist its vendors. Here is Kevan's report:

On Saturday afternoon, August 12, 2000, at the Capitol Marriott

Hotel in Austin, Texas, sixteen Federation merchants met to form the Texas Association

of Blind Merchants. As President of the National Association of Blind Merchants

I addressed the group, providing a national perspective on a variety of issues

confronting blind vendors and discussing Federation philosophy, expertise, and

the collective action necessary to confront our challenges nationwide and in

Texas. The group then paid dues and unanimously indicated their willingness

to form a new division. They developed and adopted a constitution, and elections

were held. Officers are Jeff Pearcy, President; Mark Harris, Vice President;

Manny Sifuentes, Secretary/Treasurer; and board members Ronnie Watson and Cathleen

McGurk.

The new division then drafted a letter to Michael Hooks, Director

of the Texas Commission for the Blind's Business Enterprise Program. The letter

informed Mr. Hooks and Commission staff of the formation of the Texas Association

of Blind Merchants and its willingness to work collegially to solve the problems

confronting the Texas BEP. The letter acknowledged the creative and energetic

work done on behalf of blind vendors by Terry Murphy, Commission director; Michael

Hooks; and Commission staff.

This organizing meeting was the successful culmination of a

wild weekend in the Lone Star State. The Texas Business Enterprise Program was

conducting an upward mobility conference for its managers. Federation vendors

asked if I could come to make a presentation on the agenda. The idea was wholeheartedly

endorsed by Terry Murphy and BEP Director Michael Hooks. However, some on the

elected committee of blind vendors attempted to keep the Federation's perspective

off the agenda.

On Friday evening we held an initial information and organizing

meeting. It was lively, friendly, and informative for about the first twenty

minutes. That's when five or six members of an outfit called the Randolph- Sheppard

Vendors of Texas came in and attempted to take over the meeting. They were bullying

and belligerent. They made false accusations about Dr. Maurer and other Federation

leaders. I am proud to say that we Federationists kept our cool and attempted

to conduct a respectful dialog with the intruders, but they continued their

oral assault on Federationists from President Maurer to our local leaders. When

RSVT member Allen Thorp began to berate Jeff Pearcy with a string of expletives,

I announced as calmly as I could, "I want to thank you all for coming, but this

meeting is now over." The need for reason, common sense, and mutual respect

in the Texas Business Enterprise Program was obvious. It was the reason we had

come to organize the Texas Association of Blind Merchants.

The next day I addressed the entire upward mobility conference

about the need to work together--state licensing agency and blind entrepreneur--

to protect, defend, and expand business opportunities. I said, "The time for

frivolous appeals, altercation, and litigation must give way to a new day in

which blind vendors set aside petty differences and stand up for reason, respect,

and results." The speech was very well received considering the climate in Texas

in which a very few continue to impede progress using tactics that divide operators

and create strife for SLA personnel. Later that afternoon the establishment

of the Texas Association of Blind Merchants ensured a new day for the Texas

BEP.

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