<div dir="ltr"><div dir="ltr"><div dir="ltr"><div><div class="gmail_default" style="font-family:tahoma,sans-serif;font-size:large"><span style="font-family:Tahoma,sans-serif;font-size:14pt;background-color:transparent">National Federation of the Blind of New Jersey community,</span></div>

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<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0in 0in 6pt;font-size:14pt;font-family:Tahoma,sans-serif;border-width:medium;border-style:none;border-color:currentcolor">On Thursday, August 20th, I sent an email containing private information to the entire listserv. I want to apologize to the entire affiliate for my mistake,
explain how it occurred, and explain how I will ensure it does not happen again.</p>

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<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0in 0in 6pt;font-size:14pt;font-family:Tahoma,sans-serif;border-width:medium;border-style:none;border-color:currentcolor">As most of you know, I help watch my grandson while his parents are at work; being affiliate president is a full-time job, but so is being a Nana, especially in the summer. Our state convention is less than two months away, and it is a busy season, so I was trying to multitask and answer emails on my phone while watching Lucas, and I mixed up the emails  I had open.</p>

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<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0in 0in 6pt;border-width:medium;border-style:none;border-color:currentcolor"><span style="font-family:Tahoma,sans-serif;font-size:14pt">In addition</span><font face="tahoma, sans-serif" size="4"> </font><font face="Tahoma, sans-serif"><span style="font-size:14pt">to multitasking, I was completing this task while trying to use my limited remaining eyesight, as I am admittedly not as comfortable yet using VoiceOver on my phone as I would like to be. Either one of these raised the risk of a serious error, but I created the perfect storm for an accident to occur, and I am truly and deeply sorry for this. I say this not to excuse my actions, but to explain how this
happened, as I believe accountability requires transparency.</span></font></p>

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<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0in 0in 6pt;font-size:14pt;font-family:Tahoma,sans-serif;border-width:medium;border-style:none;border-color:currentcolor"><span class="gmail_default" style="font-family:tahoma,sans-serif;font-size:large"></span>T<span class="gmail_default" style="font-family:tahoma,sans-serif;font-size:large">his week I am talking t</span>o the individuals whose private information was shared to apologize personally and ask for
their forgiveness. I have also spoken with members of the affiliate board and determined that I need to become more comfortable using assistive technology; I <span class="gmail_default" style="font-family:tahoma,sans-serif;font-size:large">will be </span>enroll<span class="gmail_default" style="font-family:tahoma,sans-serif;font-size:large">ing </span>in courses to develop the VoiceOver
skills I currently lack.  I do believe that with stronger technology skills, I will significantly reduce the risk of this happening again.</p>

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<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0in 0in 6pt;font-size:14pt;font-family:Tahoma,sans-serif;border-width:medium;border-style:none;border-color:currentcolor">Everybody makes mistakes; however, this mistake should never have occurred, and I apologize for the failures that led to it. Nobody is above accountability, including your affiliate president. I own
the consequences of these actions and will work to prevent them in the
future.  I offer my sincere apology to the entire National Federation of
the Blind of New Jersey community and commit to doing better moving forward.</p>

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0in 0in 6pt;font-size:14pt;font-family:Tahoma,sans-serif;border-width:medium;border-style:none;border-color:currentcolor"> <span style="font-size:14pt;background-color:transparent"> </span><span style="background-color:transparent;font-family:Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;font-size:small">--</span></p></div><div dir="ltr" class="gmail_signature" data-smartmail="gmail_signature"><div dir="ltr"><p style="color:rgb(34,34,34)"><font face="tahoma, sans-serif" size="4">Warmly,<br>Linda Melendez<span>, </span>President<br>National Federation of the Blind of New Jersey</font></p><p style="color:rgb(34,34,34)"><font face="tahoma, sans-serif" size="4"><span class="gmail_default" style="font-family:tahoma,sans-serif;font-size:large">`</span>Phone: 908-590-1747<br>Email: <a href="mailto:president@nfbnj.org" style="color:rgb(17,85,204)" target="_blank">president@nfbnj.org</a></font></p><p style="color:rgb(34,34,34)"><font face="tahoma, sans-serif" size="4">Website: <a href="http://www.nfbnj.org/" style="color:rgb(17,85,204)" target="_blank">www.nfbnj.org</a></font></p><p style="color:rgb(34,34,34)"><font face="tahoma, sans-serif" size="4">Stay connected:<br>Events Calendar: <a href="https://nfbnj.org/events%5C" style="color:rgb(17,85,204)" target="_blank">https://nfbnj.org/events\</a><br>Facebook: <a href="https://m.facebook.com/NFB-NJ-353099574776238" style="color:rgb(17,85,204)" target="_blank">https://m.facebook.com/NFB-NJ-353099574776238</a></font></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="color:rgb(34,34,34)"><span style="font-family:tahoma,sans-serif;font-size:large">To set up a 30-minute meeting to  talk about the National Federation of the Blind of NJ, please click on the link below</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="color:rgb(34,34,34)"><font face="tahoma, sans-serif" size="4"><a href="https://calendly.com/lindamelendez220/30min" style="color:rgb(17,85,204)" target="_blank"><span></span>https://calendly.com/lindamelendez220/30min</a> </font></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="color:rgb(34,34,34)"><font face="tahoma, sans-serif" size="4"> </font></p></div></div></div>
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