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</o:shapelayout></xml><![endif]--></head><body lang=EN-US link="#0563C1" vlink="#954F72" style='word-wrap:break-word'><div class=WordSection1><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt'>Hello Beautiful NFB Family and Friends, <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt'>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.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt'>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.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt'>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.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt'>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.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt'>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.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt'>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.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt'>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.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt'>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.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt'>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.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt'>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.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt'>With appreciation and love,<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt'>Shara<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt'>Shara Winton<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt'>President, National federation of the Blind of Massachusetts<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt'><a href="http://www.nfbma.org/"><span style='color:#0563C1'>www.nfbma.org</span></a><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt'><a href="mailto:sharawinton@gmail.com"><span style='color:#0563C1'>sharawinton@gmail.com</span></a><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt'>617-304-0347<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p></div></body></html>