🎨 Content Standards & Style Guide
This guide outlines how we create campaign materials that are accessible, empowering, and aligned with our values.
All contributions—text, graphics, photos, videos, or code—should reflect the dignity and grit of working-class communities.
🗣️ Tone & Language
- Speak directly to real people, not policymakers.
- Use plain, active language (8th–10th grade reading level).
- Be confident, not condescending—we lead with belief in our people.
- Center working families, not just policies.
- Avoid acronyms and insider jargon unless clearly defined.
🧑🦽 Accessibility Guidelines
We’re committed to making this campaign accessible to all—online and offline.
For Visual Content:
- Alt-text required for all images.
- Avoid color-only meaning (e.g., red vs. green alone).
- Use high-contrast colors for text and backgrounds.
- Choose readable fonts and sizes (min 16pt for body text).
For Videos:
- Captions required for all public-facing videos.
- Avoid flashing/strobing effects.
- Include descriptive titles and summaries.
🪧 Messaging Style
-
Affirmative > Negative
→ “We believe 40 hours should be enough to raise a family.”
← not: “We oppose the current system.” -
People > Problems
→ “Low income families in Mechanicsville are organizing for fair rent.”
← not: “Housing policy in Atlanta is broken.” -
Actionable > Abstract
→ “Join this week’s field training”
← not: “Stay involved over the long term”
🖼️ Image & Media Guidelines
- Use original photos or Creative Commons–licensed images (CC0, CC-BY).
- Include photographer credit in the image README or PR description.
- Avoid tokenizing or exploitative imagery—show real dignity and joy.
- Don’t upload images of minors unless you have documented consent.
📄 Licensing & Reuse
To support remixing, reuse, and shared organizing power:
- Code contributions → MIT License
- Content (text, graphics, docs) → Creative Commons BY 4.0
- Official logos, wordmarks, candidate likeness → All Rights Reserved
- Campaign-produced media (photos/videos) → Creative Commons BY-NC 4.0
📘 For full details, see our Licensing & Brand Guidelines.
✍️ Copywriting Do’s & Don’ts
| ✅ Do | ❌ Don’t |
|---|---|
| Use short, direct sentences | Use 4-line paragraphs or academic tone |
| Ask people to take action | Stay abstract or policy-only |
| Celebrate victories | Only post critiques or failures |
| Translate into plain language | Leave jargon or legalese unedited |
| Uplift working-class stories | Rely on data alone |
🧭 Need Help?
- Ask in the Design & Content Discussion.
- Tag
@design-leadson your Pull Request if you want content review.
Let’s make this campaign readable, beautiful, and powerful—for everyone.