Commission director Bernice Davis highlights community, 30 years in Human Services

Bernice Davis, executive director for the Commission for the Blind and Visually Impaired, told the commission that human services "is not just a job, it's a way of being" and reflected on three decades working in the Department of Human Services.

Davis said providing services means offering people the tools and an environment where they "feel supported so that they can move beyond barriers and limitations." She described client gratitude as a key measure of impact: "The most rewarding aspect of my job is receiving thank you letters, emails, encountering people that, are incredibly grateful for the services that the commission provides."

Davis highlighted the commission's role in connecting people experiencing blindness or vision loss, saying those connections foster "a sense of community" and mutual support. She urged listeners to "lean in and surround yourself with people that support you," and closed by quoting Maya Angelou: "it's great to be the rainbow in someone else's cloud."

Her remarks were personal reflections on the work of the commission; the transcript records no motion, vote, or formal committee action tied to this statement.