This website is for City employees.

Looking for Teams Phone training? Visit our Teams Phone resources page.

Reaching All Audiences (Equity and Accessibility)

Consider all the audiences who should be able to read the information you are creating. Here are some guidelines to help ensure your article or event is accessible to all audiences.

  • Style: Plain language; AP style conventions; avoid jargon; define acronyms on first use. 
  • Images & Privacy: Use City approved imagery; obtain permissions when photographing identifiable individuals. 

Translation 

Who is the audience of your article, program, or event? The City does not currently translate all news articles and events, but targeted press releases and events should be translated where it most benefits the intended audience. The website includes an auto-translate feature and internet browsers will also default to the primary language setting on the browser.

  • How to get your article translated? – The City currently relies on a combination of staff and third-party services for translation support. Check with your Department to see what resources you have on hand. If your Department does not have a translation solution, contact the City Manager’s Office for direction on translation support.
  • What needs to be translated?  – Articles/programs/events specifically targeted to the Spanish speaking population, the Canal neighborhood, and tenant protections/housing-related information.

ADA accessibility 

The website includes built-in tools to support ADA accessibility for screen readers and devices. Here are important considerations when publishing content to ensure accessibility of content.

  • Images – Do not include text on images unless that text is also published in the article or on the web page. Screen readers cannot read text on an image so that content is not accessible. Be sure to use “alt text” feature when uploading an image so screen readers can describe what the image is displaying.
  • PDFs – Be selective in how you rely on PDFs for conveying information to the public, including forms, flyers, or news content. Information should be published directly to the website and PDFs can be supplemental tools to be offered as a print resource.
  • Colors – Be considerate of the fact that 7% – 8% of the world is colorblind. Use high contrast colors in flyer designs and be aware of colorblind accessibility.

Promotion & Support 

If you want your news article, event, or program to reach a wider audience please reach out to the Communications Team for support. We can help you develop a strategy to reach a wider audience and ensure that your information is distributed to the right channels.

Close window