PROTEST LOW VISION NEGLECT

My wife and I live in Golden Valley, Minnesota [link], a first-ring suburb located just west of downtown Minneapolis. Golden Valley is considered one of the best communities in the Twin Cities for many reasons: a stable tax base, diverse neighborhoods and progressive city leadership. Over 47% of residents over the age of 21 have a college degree, far above the national average.  

However, even though the people who live here in GV are bright, that doesn’t mean they are inclusive of people like me with low vision.

Case in point: Recently I received a postcard in the mail from the City promoting their annual Fall Clean Up. Here is a high-resolution scan of the postcard (actual size is 3.5” by 5”):

See any problems (pun intended)?

The postcard fails to communicate with folks like me who are experiencing low vision because it neglects the basics:

• TYPE SIZE: Too small.

• BACKGROUND: Too dark, doesn’t provide enough contrast.

• LAYOUT: Confusing, some sentences tilt for no reason, too much information.

• EFFECTIVENESS: Very poor.

Anyone with low vision knows the frustration of small size type found on labels of products, etc.  But this is an example of neglect by a governmental entity that we support by paying taxes. As citizens we aren’t getting our money's worth.

The City of Golden Valley failed to realize that a good number of its citizens can’t read this notification. Some people are left out.

LOW VISION NEGLECT AND MY PROTEST

Shep Harris

It is important that those of us with low vision speak up when we see messages we can’t read. I decided to notify Shep Harris, the Mayor of Golden Valley.  Here is my email to him:

DATE: October 21, 2016

FROM: KEN MILLS <publicradio@hotmail.com>

TO: SHEP HARRIS <sharris@goldenvalleymn.gov>

SUBJECT: Couldn’t Read Your Fall Clean Up Postcard

Hi Shep – I’ve been a resident of Golden Valley for over 18 years.  We met during your recent re-election campaign. I am the public radio fellow on Kelly Drive. You gave me your contact info and asked me to be in touch any time I had questions about the City.

In addition to working in public radio, I am also a blogger. I publish WELCOME TO LOW VISION [http://welcomelv.blogspot.com/http://welcomelv.blogspot.com/] where I report news and commentary about people like myself.  I have “low vision.” I am not blind but I do have impaired vision. In day-to-day life, I can’t read messages that are not legible and clearly presented. There are millions of other people like me with similar challenges.

My reason for contacting you is because of the City’s recent Fall Clean Up postcard.

I was not able to read the City’s postcard because of my low vision. Whoever designed the postcard failed to realize that many people also could not read it. I have detailed the reasons on my blog [http://welcomelv.blogspot.com/http://welcomelv.blogspot.com/].

I hope you will read my blog post and take steps to make certain printed pieces from the City can be read by citizens of the city.  If/when I get your reply, I will share it with my readers.

Thank you, Ken Mills.