Des Moines, Iowa — The National Federation of the Blind of Iowa (NFBI) will hold a public protest to demand accountability and transparency from the Iowa Department for the Blind (IDB) and to oppose harmful policy changes being advanced by its new director. Blind Iowans and allies will gather to call for leadership that respects the legacy and positive philosophy of the 100-year-old Iowa Department for the Blind and its historic Iowa Empowerment and Independence Center. Director Stacy Servenca, who resides in Nebraska, was appointed by Governor Reynolds in May, and began her employment July 7, has silenced staff and demonstrated that she does not believe that blind Iowans deserve high expectations and the best training available. The Iowa Model of blindness training was pioneered at IDB in the 1960s and is recognized nationally as the most effective method for preparing blind people to live independently and achieve their full employment potential. A central part of this model requires students to train under sleep shades so that they build reliable non-visual skills and confidence in those skills instead of relying on inconsistent or unsafe vision-based methods. Director Servenca’s implementation of changes through the use of “exceptions to policy” to bypass Commission authority prior to taking time to learn about the current situation in Iowa is eroding consumer control and undermining the integrity of the training program. It is creating a dangerous hierarchy of sight among students. These changes erode confidence, engender feelings of inferiority, reduce safety, and return Iowans to outdated dependency-based services. The NFBI urges the Iowa Commission for the Blind to: • Reject the proposed changes to the Center manual. • Establish a safeguard policy requiring Commission approval before any exceptions can be made to Center policies. • Ensure that thorough research and input from clients, employees and stakeholders is gathered and considered before any programmatic changes are made. “Iowans deserve leadership that works with staff, clients, and stakeholders, not against them,” said National Federation of the Blind of Iowa President Helen Mejia. “The Iowa Model has transformed thousands of lives. We will not allow it to be dismantled.” The protest will take place Tuesday, September 16 from 11AM-1PM outside the Iowa Department for the Blind building, 524 4th St., Des Moines IA 50309 About the National Federation of the Blind of Iowa: The NFBI is the state affiliate of the National Federation of the Blind, the transformative organization of blind Americans that advances the lives of its members and all blind people. We believe in the full capacity of blind people and work to ensure blind Iowans have equal access, opportunity, and respect. Media Contact: Helen Mejia Phone: 570-983-7867 Email: hmejia@nfbi.org