[Massachusetts-NFB] A Sincere apology and moving forward together

Wed May 6 18:25:15 UTC 2026

Hi pam,

I am sorry you have felt this way. I will give you  a call later this week to discuss this further with you. Thank you. We are glad you are part of our affiliate. 

Warmly,

Shara Winton

President, National federation of the Blind of Massachusetts

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

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

617-304-0347

From: Massachusetts-NFB <massachusetts-nfb-bounces at nfbnet.org> On Behalf Of Pam Kalinoski via Massachusetts-NFB
Sent: Wednesday, May 6, 2026 5:56 AM
To: massachusetts-nfb at nfbnet.org
Cc: Pam Kalinoski <pamsyk52 at gmail.com>
Subject: Re: [Massachusetts-NFB] A Sincere apology and moving forward together

Hi Shara, 

Thanks for your heartfelt email. I sincerely appreciate that, as I've felt stood up, too, especially when I've attempted to get the codes to meetings and have received no reply. I understand, however, that you're busy; I've been going through a lot of scheduling conflicts myself. However, I would like to know what took you all so long to develop a North Shore committee? I'd be happy to help wherever and whenever I can; I've advocated to my representative many times about certain issues, and he's been happy to hear from me. We are all friends and family here, and going forward, we should all treat each other as such. I have a bone of contention with Brian mackey. I don't ask him questions very often, but when I do, they're essential, and he tells me to "do a freakin' Google search!" That's no way to treat anyone, is it? By rights, i should've written to you right away, but where would you have been? Going forward, I'd like us all to treat each other like friendly neighbors who can call upon each other at any point in time of need. Can we do that, or at least meet me halfway, Madam President? Please? Thank you. After all, I've felt afraid to speak up to you or anyone for fear of getting myself or other parties in trouble, and that shouldn't be the case. I don't want to burn bridges with any of you, either. I respect you all; you're like brothers and sisters to me. I should hope you feel the same way about me and wish to receive the same respect in return. After all, my high school stood me up this year, and they won't talk to me because I took took up singing for 2 years and graduated last week. It was as if to say, "good ridence!" to me. I do not wish for that to happen here; after all, I'm still trying to piece together the friendships that were lost at my high school reunions, some of which I may never get back. My apologies for the lengthy email, and thanks for listening. 

With respect, gratitude, and hope, 

Pam 

Sent from my iPhone

On May 5, 2026, at 10:43 PM, Shara Winton via Massachusetts-NFB <massachusetts-nfb at nfbnet.org <mailto:massachusetts-nfb at nfbnet.org> > wrote:

Hello Federation Friends and Family,

I hope this message finds you well and enjoying the beautiful weather we’ve been having.

I am writing today with a heavy heart. It is not always easy to acknowledge when we have fallen short, but after taking time to reflect, I want to offer my sincere apology to everyone who participated in the resolutions discussion at our recent convention-and especially to  Sengil Inkiala aka Inky.

I want you to know that we have taken this seriously. Both the Convention Committee and the Board have discussed how we can improve, and we are committed to handling resolutions in a more thoughtful and productive way moving forward. As part of this effort, we have named Al Sten-Clanton as our new Resolutions Chair. We are also looking to expand the committee and would welcome additional members to help ensure a stronger process.

As your President, I never want anyone to feel unheard or undervalued. That matters deeply to me. I am continuing to work on myself so that I can lead more effectively and serve you better. With your support and honest feedback, I am confident we can grow and improve together.

This affiliate—and each of you—means a great deal to me. I want us to continue building something strong, inclusive, and impactful for the blind of Massachusetts and beyond.

If you are interested in joining the Resolutions Committee, please reach out to me off-list. And if there is anything you would like to discuss, I welcome you to contact me so we can set up a time to talk or meet.

Thank you for your understanding and for all that you do.

With Love, Hope and Determination,,

Shara Winton

President, National federation of the Blind of Massachusetts

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

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

617-304-0347

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