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From May 14 through May 16, 2004, a meeting was held at the Conklin Center in Daytona Beach. The meeting had been arranged by the Florida Network on Deaf-Blindness (FNDB). The purpose of the consumer meeting was to bring together DeafBlind individuals from around the state to determine the interest in starting a statewide DeafBlind group run for and by DeafBlind individuals. A leadership group was established, and Florida DeafBlind Association was born. The
leadership group presented a slate of nominees to run for officers and
adopted the following mission statement:
The mission of the Florida DeafBlind Association (FDBA) is to advocate for the DeafBlind individuals to have the right to achieve their maximum potential through autonomy, productivity, and integration into the community.
The purpose of this organization is to be a vehicle for collective action by the DeafBlind; to function as a mechanism through which the DeafBlind and interested individuals can come together to plan and carry out programs to ensure the maximum quality of life for the DeafBlind; to promote the vocational, cultural, and social opportunities for the DeafBlind; and to provide resources that encourage opportunities to integrate into the society to children, adolescents, adults, and seniors who are DeafBlind.
Lara "Rose" Wall, President
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