1. Cachet Wells, a native of Jacksonville, Florida, educated and employed locally prior to becoming visually impaired in 2002. I enjoy volunteering and mentoring in various capacities with Local Schools, Nonprofit Organizations and Businesses. I am a Mother and a grandmother who loves to travel, write, dance, sing and spend time with others. In my free time, I also enjoy volunteering and mentoring in various capacities. Through my work experiences I have acquired many skills that has afforded me opportunities to go and grow. Positions that utilize my strengths to organize, create and develop avenues that yield problem-solving solutions to build allies, inspire others and that advocate for the Blind and Visually Impaired. My personal motivation has always guided me to volunteer, advocate and give back to the causes for which I am passionate about that include Blindness Awareness. As a candidate, it is my desire to seek a position on the Board of Publications because I am committed to pursuing and exploring new avenues to expand our reach of advocacy and inclusion for all who are blind and visually impaired. Understanding and recognizing that my confidence and resilience to learn and be challenge is one that is contagious. That as I grow, you grow and as we grow, so does the impact of our cause for continued advocacy and support.
2. Reflecting on what my strongest contribution would be to ACB would be empathy. My dedication, work ethic and passion have contributed for many years and in many ways to the things that I have accomplish through mentoring, public speaking, volunteering and in my work as a published author. It has been humbling to serve others, but it has also yielded way for me to empathize with the need to be understood, recognize and heard. The ability to bridge inabilities and disabilities with our voice, through our words and through our passions is my goal. To bring vision to a sighted world that no matter what we can accomplish much when we unite and work together Harmoniously. Connecting individuals, initiating new pathways and resolving concerns one at a time through empathy of the challenges that come with being blind and visually impaired. Developing new systems like initiating activities with elementary students through story time with those who are blind and visually impaired locally. Vigilantly seeking opportunities to bridge the gap to increase membership and opportunities for employment for those who are blind and visually impaired has been my goal on a state level. As a facilitator and host with community calls I have had the privilege to meet and engage with persons across the ACB organization to hear their heart’s concern for growth.
3. Considering that we all are unique and recognizing that we all have many things in common because we are blind or visually impaired. As we continue to grow as an organization so does the need to always challenge ourselves to overcome that which hinders our growth. Inclusion of person, inclusion of opinions and inclusion processes in all of our publications. Whether written or auditory works on all forms of platforms or social media sites every person’s voice should be heard and acknowledged. Developing new ways to make our messages engaging and inclusive are very important. Creating processes that clarify the expectations and requirements needed to pursue a cohesive message as an organization. Changing the very heartbeat of our environment that not only states that we are inclusive, but gives a life breathing message that every person matters, that every message matters and every word said matters. That when we come together, we grow together and we win together every time.