February 12 Blind Coloradan

 

 

Blind Coloradan Blog

February 12, 2025

Writer, aggregator: Kevan Worley

Contributors: Dan Burke & Erin Daley. With assistance from Lisa Bonderson.

National Federation of the Blind of Colorado, President, Jessica Beecham

jbbeecham@gmail.com

 

Why the NFB?

By JJ Aragon

JJ Aragon is the longtime President of our National Federation of the Blind of Colorado Greeley Chapter. She is an energetic, thoughtful leader. We welcome her writing to our Blind Coloradan Blog.

Why The NFB?

Periodically, I like to revisit my drive to work in the National Federation of the Blind. It keeps my motivation fresh and mindful. In my latest round of self-reflection, I voice the following.

I joined the NFB at age twenty-one, at the endearing persistence of Buna Dahal. I was looking for a scholarship at the time and instead found myself secretary of a newly formed chapter. When I attended my first state convention months later, still unsure of what I was doing here, I discovered a whole new world of blindness that made my head explode! There were dozens of adults living spectacular lives as lawyers, entrepreneurs, teachers, parents, and everything in between. I remember one moment in particular, when Scott LaBarre told Kevan Worley he would email him about something work-related. Such a mundane thing, but I remember thinking, “Wow! They’re such — capable adults! And they’re all blind!” 

Let me explain. I grew up an incredibly fortunate blind kid. I went to public school with two other blind friends, we had admirably hard-working teachers of the blind, and we learned braille at four years old. All my life, I was constantly told that “can’t” was not a word in my vocabulary, and that I must never feel sorry for myself for being blind. These felt like empowering words and certainly gave me confidence in myself as a blind person. However, as I reached adulthood, I began to sense a very different story. My family fretted and discouraged me from being a teacher, saying I would always be taken advantage of by young students. I did all of my homework in the disability services office of my community college. I felt lonely when I was repeatedly asked how I would do things. Despite those empowering words I grew up with, my blindness seemed like it would be a constant, well, darkening on my future.

More than a decade in the NFB later, and I know a very different truth. Or rather, I truly know that my blindness is not the characteristic that holds me back. You see, the members of the NFB model and substantiate what my family and teachers said to me in my formative years. The word “can’t” really isn’t part of my vocabulary, and I see it proven every day in the NFB. I work in the National Federation of the Blind to be one of those role models, to show other blind people that they *can* live the life they want, because I know the true empowerment of putting these words into action.

We want to hear from you. What brings you to the NFB? What drives you to do this work? If you’d like to share your reflections in our Blind Coloradan, please send your submission to kevan@nfbco.org.