[Massachusetts-NFB] IMPORTANT: email changes and explanation

Fri Aug 14 16:25:20 UTC 2026

Hi Justin,

It is simply that the messages will be reviewed before being posted. At least, that is the intention.  Technology is not perfect. For instance, your reply just came through and was not reviewed. 

Cullen, our affiliate secretary and I can post. If you want anything posted, you can send it to either of us or send it the typical way and it will simply be reviewed before it is posted. No stifling going on here. 😊 

Shara Winton

President, National federation of the Blind of Massachusetts

www.nfbma.org <http://www.nfbma.org/> 

sharawinton at gmail.com <mailto:sharawinton at gmail.com> 

617-304-0347

From: Massachusetts-NFB <massachusetts-nfb-bounces at nfbnet.org> On Behalf Of Justin Salisbury via Massachusetts-NFB
Sent: Friday, August 14, 2026 12:09 PM
To: NFB of Massachusetts E-mail List <massachusetts-nfb at nfbnet.org>
Cc: Justin Salisbury <PRESIDENT at alumni.ecu.edu>
Subject: Re: [Massachusetts-NFB] IMPORTANT: email changes and explanation

Hi Shara,

Since I was not at the meeting, I don’t know about all of the emotions involved or the actual changes that are being implemented. I hope that it’s okay for me to ask about it here.

What are the changes that will be implemented?

Since I’ve bounced around the country a fair bit, I’ve seen different things in different affiliates. I can tell you that I have lived in one state where the affiliate has no email list to which members are all allowed to post, and the email list is essentially an announce-only list where the president themselves gets to send all of the messages that get shared within the affiliate. If the president is sick, there’s no email method. I don’t know where the plans are headed for the Massachusetts affiliate email list, but I hope that we aren’t headed toward that. In my opinion, it unnecessarily stifles the process of dreaming up new ideas and learning about the things we do as an organization in the affiliate that has it that way.

With that said, I hope I’m not critiquing the very plan that you had in mind.

Go Sox,

Justin

Justin MH Salisbury, MEd, NOMC, NCRTB

English Pronouns: He/Him/His

Email: President at Alumni.ECU.edu <mailto:President at Alumni.ECU.edu>  

ResearchGate: https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Justin_Salisbury <https://www.google.com/url?q=https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Justin_Salisbury&source=gmail-imap&ust=1727538746000000&usg=AOvVaw3uZJqqJkT2wSVxJDa9dD7W> 

LinkedIn:  <https://www.google.com/url?q=https://www.linkedin.com/in/justin-salisbury&source=gmail-imap&ust=1727538746000000&usg=AOvVaw0XtyTG9WXXQ8TWe6UeU4Nz> https://www.linkedin.com/in/justin-salisbury

ORCID: https://orcid.org/0009-0009-1786-2786

Recent Public Scholarship:

Salisbury, J. (2025). Defining and understanding the blind community <https://ojs.scholarsportal.info/ontariotechu/index.php/id/article/view/323> . Including Disability, 6. 

“Until the lion learns how to write, every story will glorify the hunter.”

Chinua Achebe

From: Massachusetts-NFB <massachusetts-nfb-bounces at nfbnet.org <mailto:massachusetts-nfb-bounces at nfbnet.org> > On Behalf Of Shara Winton via Massachusetts-NFB
Sent: Friday, August 14, 2026 10:55 AM
To: 'NFB of Massachusetts E-mail List' <massachusetts-nfb at nfbnet.org <mailto:massachusetts-nfb at nfbnet.org> >
Cc: sharawinton at gmail.com <mailto:sharawinton at gmail.com> 
Subject: [Massachusetts-NFB] IMPORTANT: email changes and explanation

Hello Beautiful NFB Family and Friends, 

I want to take a moment to address some of the discussion that took place during our recent Cambridge Chapter meeting. There was a tremendous amount of conversation, and I know that some of you left the meeting with concerns, while others may have felt discouraged or deflated by what took place.

Please know that, as always, my first and foremost responsibility is to advocate for, support, and protect our members as much as possible. Sometimes, making decisions that I believe are in the best interest of our organization may be uncomfortable or may not please everyone, and I understand that.

I also want to sincerely apologize for not giving everyone more advance notice about the changes to our email list. The situation developed much more quickly than I anticipated, and, quite honestly, I was caught a little off guard myself by how quickly everything came together.

Over the past year, we have received many concerns that our email list has become overwhelming and difficult to keep up with. We have also experienced an increase in spam and other unwanted messages. In addition, there have been occasions when a member, believing they were replying to only one individual, unintentionally shared personal information with the entire list. Once that information is sent, we cannot take it back, and it can potentially compromise someone's privacy, confidentiality, and even personal safety.

Our email list also includes many people who are not currently members but are interested in learning more about the NFB, as well as donors, agencies, media representatives, and other friends and supporters of our organization. Because of this, we have a responsibility to be thoughtful about what information is shared broadly.

After speaking with and seeking guidance from other leaders within the National Federation of the Blind, I came to the difficult conclusion that we need to place some reasonable limits on what can be shared through our affiliate-wide email list.

I want to be very clear: this is not personal, nor is it directed at any one individual or small group of individuals. This decision is about protecting the privacy and safety of our members, reducing unnecessary email traffic, and creating a more comfortable and manageable communication environment for our affiliate as a whole.

I truly hope that you will receive this decision in the spirit in which it is intended—with care, respect, and a genuine desire to do what is best for all of us.

We are a family, and families do not always agree. But we can continue to listen to one another, give one another grace, and work together toward something bigger than any one of us.

Thank you for taking the time to read this, and most importantly, thank you for your understanding, compassion, and continued commitment to the National Federation of the Blind of Massachusetts.

With appreciation and love,

Shara

Shara Winton

President, National federation of the Blind of Massachusetts

www.nfbma.org <http://www.nfbma.org/> 

sharawinton at gmail.com <mailto:sharawinton at gmail.com> 

617-304-0347

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