[Massachusetts-NFB] To reiterate and to let you know that my whole heart and most of my energy goes into the betterment of our affiliate

[sharawinton at gmail.com]

Hello NFB Family,

Leadership sometimes requires making decisions that may be uncomfortable or
may not please everyone.  I understand that some people may feel that the
recent changes to our affiliate-wide email list are directed personally at
them. I want to be very clear that this is not the case. This decision was
not made to target any individual, chapter, or group of people. It was made
because I believe we have a responsibility to protect our members and to
make sure our communication practices serve the organization as a whole.

I have encouraged anyone who has concerns about these changes to reach out
to me directly, and I genuinely mean that. I want to hear from you. If you
have questions, concerns, or suggestions, please do not hesitate to contact
me. I would much rather have an open and constructive conversation than have
people make assumptions about why a decision was made.

I have also learned that a meeting has been scheduled to discuss this
matter. Unfortunately, our affiliate first Vice President nor I were not
invited to participate, nor were we contacted to determine whether the
proposed date and time would work for us. Wednesdays are generally reserved
for our convention planning meetings, and next week I will be traveling and
therefore unable to attend. Kyra will also not be available at this date and
time. 

Had I been asked to participate in a meeting about this issue, I certainly
would have made every effort to find a time when we could come together and
have that conversation. I believe that when we are addressing issues that
affect our entire affiliate, it is important that we talk with one another
directly and work toward understanding together.

Please know that, as always, my first and foremost responsibility is to
advocate for, support, and protect our members and to do what I believe is
in the best interest of the National Federation of the Blind of
Massachusetts. Leadership sometimes requires making decisions that may be
uncomfortable or may not please everyone. I understand that, and I respect
that people may have different opinions.

I also want to sincerely apologize for not providing everyone with 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. I recognize
that better communication from me would have helped prevent some of the
confusion and frustration, and I take responsibility for that.

Over the past couple of years, we have received numerous concerns that our
affiliate-wide email list has become overwhelming and difficult to keep up
with. We have also experienced an increase in spam and other unwanted
messages. Most importantly, there have been occasions when someone intended
to reply to only one individual but unintentionally shared personal
information with the entire list. 

 

Once information is sent to a large distribution list, we cannot take it
back. Depending on the information involved, this can compromise someone's
privacy, confidentiality, and potentially even their personal safety. That
is something I cannot simply ignore.

Our affiliate-wide list also includes people who are not currently members
but who are interested in learning more about the NFB, as well as donors,
agencies, media representatives, and other friends and supporters. Because
of the broad audience receiving these messages, we have a responsibility to
be thoughtful about what information is shared with the entire list.

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 is shared through our
affiliate-wide email list.

I want to emphasize again: this is not personal. It is not about silencing
anyone, excluding anyone, or preventing people from communicating. It is
about creating a communication system that is more manageable, protects our
members' privacy, reduces unnecessary email traffic, and allows important
information to reach the people who need it. I have gotten more positive
feedback about these email list changes than negative ones. I truly am here
for you, with my whole heart and most of my energy . All of what  I do is
for the betterment  of our affiliate.

I know we will not always agree. That is okay. We are a diverse organization
made up of people with different experiences, perspectives, and ideas. What
matters is how we handle those differences.

We are a family. Families do not always agree, but they can listen to one
another, give one another grace, speak honestly and respectfully, and
continue working together toward something bigger than any one individual.

My door remains open. If you have concerns about this or want to talk with
me, please reach out. I would much rather listen, explain, and work toward
understanding than allow misunderstandings to divide us.

Thank you for taking the time to read this and, most importantly, thank you
for your continued commitment to the National Federation of the Blind of
Massachusetts. I appreciate each of you and all that you contribute to our
movement.

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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