All posts for the JCDA website’s Voices feature are formatted and published using the following guidelines.

If you’re interested in adding your Voice to the ranks of our contributors, please send an email to [email protected]. And thanks!

  1. Posts range in size from 300 to 700 words.
  2. Content has to fit within one of the three themes developed by the Strategies Committee: Community Wellbeing, Voting and Power, and Economic Fairness. Each post will be labeled in one of these categories.
  3. Formatting style is done by the website theme to standardize presentation.
  4. If the article references other sources, then the writer should acknowledge those sources. If they are internet based, then a link should be provided.
  5. Each contributor to the website will be identified in the site as a User with privileges to post directly or not to the website. If Users can’t post directly, then they can submit articles to the JCDA Google Drive Messaging folder (https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1tbKvWEQCFpFHE03TRcSS6NC2knEcDNGS)
    Submissions can also be emailed to the Voices editor, currently Jim Bauman ([email protected]). Email Jim to indicate your interest in becoming a Voice.
  6. Each contributor will be asked to submit a short bio and headshot to identify them on the website.
  7. Each article posted will be supplemented with a) a Title, b) an Image file, c) a single paragraph Excerpt or summary, and d) one or more content identity Tags. The point of these additions is essentially to stimulate interest in reading the complete article. Writers can at their preference leave these details to the Posts editor.
  8. Images must be in the public domain or have a Creative Commons license. Writers can submit their own photos or art as well. A caption on images is not required.
  9. Another category of posts include articles reflecting the Association’s public position on some issue. These will be identified by the category Our Positions. These position statements will not have images. All position statements will be formally authored by the JCDA president (currently Troy Miller). 
  10. Recent articles will be referenced in the JCDA’s Blue Jefferson’s Got Something to Say newsletter by title, image, author, theme, and a short intro along with a link to the full article on the website.
  11. If a writer submits a post that has been published elsewhere, such as a letter to the editor or an op-ed, then we will cite that location in the version we post. 
  12. Author articles will be posted under the Our Voices menu, subcategorized by its theme category. Short descriptions of the themes are on the homepage (BlueJefferson.org)
  13. References to posts on JCDA social media accounts will include the JCDA logo and article title with a prompt to followers to click the link in our bio to the article if TikTok/Instagram, and to the link in the caption if FaceBook.