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LHON Collective Policy Center

Policies that protect and guide our community.

The LHON Collective Policy Center makes it easy to find information on general policy topics.

Table of Contents

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Non-Discrimination Policy

Last updated: June 3, 2026

LHON Collective is an equal opportunity employer. We will not discriminate and will take affirmative action measures to ensure against discrimination in employment, recruitment, advertisements for employment, compensation, termination, upgrading, promotions, and other conditions of employment against any employee or job applicant.

LHON Collective will make decisions regarding recruitment, volunteer participation, vendor selection, services, and other organizational activities based on qualifications, experience, merit, organizational needs, and other lawful considerations, without regard to protected characteristics.

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Accessibility Statement

Last updated: June 3, 2026

Our Commitment

LHON Collective is committed to making this website accessible to everyone, including people with disabilities. We strive to meet the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.1 at Level AA, and where possible, Level AAA. Accessibility is not an afterthought — it is central to our mission of supporting a community that includes people living with vision loss.

If you are having difficulty viewing or navigating the content on this website, or notice any content, feature, or functionality that you believe is not fully accessible to people with disabilities, please email us at connect@lhon.org with “Accessibility Feedback” in the subject line and provide a description of the feature you feel is not fully accessible or a suggestion for improvement.

We take your feedback seriously and will consider how to incorporate it as we endeavor to accommodate all who use our website to continuously improve our overall accessibility.

Conformance Status

This website is conformant with WCAG 2.1 Level AA.

Known Accessibility Issues

We have audited this website and identified no accessibility issues as of June 10, 2025.

What We've Done Right

We want to be transparent about what is already in place:​

  • The site language is declared (lang="en"), helping screen readers pronounce content correctly.

  • A Skip to Content link is available at the top of every page, allowing keyboard users to bypass repetitive navigation.

  • Decorative images are correctly marked with empty alt attributes (alt=""), so screen readers do not announce them unnecessarily.

  • All internal and external links are live and functional — no broken or dead links were found.

  • BACK and NEXT navigation links throughout the site accurately describe their destinations.

Assistive Technologies We Test With

We aim to support the following assistive technologies:

  • Screen readers: VoiceOver (macOS/iOS), NVDA (Windows)

  • Keyboard-only navigation (no mouse)

  • Browser zoom up to 200%

How to Get Help or Report an Issue

If you encounter an accessibility barrier on this site, or if you need any content in an alternative format, please contact us:

We aim to respond to accessibility inquiries within 5 business days. Your feedback directly shapes our improvement priorities.

Our Improvement Timeline

We are committed to resolving all issues identified in a timely manner. Our target is to address all Level A and AA issues within 90 days of a non-compliance issue’s identification, and to continue improving toward AAA compliance on an ongoing basis.

Technical Approach

This website is built on Wix. Some accessibility limitations may be inherent to the platform's components. Where platform constraints exist, we will document them here and pursue available workarounds. We conduct manual accessibility reviews and use automated tools (including axe DevTools) to supplement our testing.

This statement was prepared following a manual audit conducted in June 2026. It will be reviewed and updated whenever significant content changes are made to the site.

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Code of Conduct

Last updated: June 3, 2026

This Code of Conduct applies to all attendees and participants of meetings, events, or conferences, whether in person or virtual. LHON Collective, as well as those in the United States LHON community who lead LHON-related meetings or events, are committed to providing a safe, respectful, and inclusive environment for all participants, regardless of gender, gender identity and expression, sexual orientation, disability, physical appearance, body size, race, ethnicity, religion, or any other personal characteristic. 

Expected Behavior

  • Treat all participants with respect, kindness, and professionalism.

  • Be in a sober and alert state throughout the meeting. Be aware that consuming excessive alcohol or other substances may impair your judgment or communication.

  • Speak courteously and allow others to finish before responding.

  • Give everyone an opportunity to contribute. Do not dominate the conversation.

  • Respect differing viewpoints and experiences. 

  • Avoid interrupting, talking over others, or using offensive language.

  • Use inclusive language and avoid discriminatory remarks.

  • Dress appropriately, remembering you may be photographed or on camera.

  • Follow the instructions of administrators or staff and any on-site venue rules.

Unacceptable Behavior

  • Harassment, intimidation, or discrimination in any form.

  • Disruptive, disrespectful, or unsafe conduct.

  • Unwelcome physical contact or attention.

  • Recording or photographing individuals without consent.

  • Attempting to sell products or profit financially from attendees without prior authorization from LHON Collective Leadership or appointed meeting leaders.

Privacy & Confidentiality

  • Do not share meeting content, recordings, or chat messages without permission.

  • Respect the confidentiality of sensitive information discussed.

Technical Etiquette for Virtual Attendance

  • Test your audio/video before the meeting starts.

  • If able, try to use tools like the mute button on Zoom to avoid having background noise disrupt the meeting.

  • When possible, keep your camera on to encourage engagement.

  • Keep in mind that if you have trouble breaking into the conversation, you can use the chat or “raise hand” feature, or physically raise your hand, to signal you’d like to speak.

  • If you need to multitask, ensure that you are on mute/camera off so you do not distract others from the meeting. 

  • The Zoom administrator has the right to, and will, mute your microphone or turn off your camera as necessary if your behavior is deemed discourteous.

Reporting Concerns

If you experience or witness unacceptable behavior, please contact a conference/meeting organizer/leader immediately. All reports will be handled confidentially and respectfully.

Consequences

Failure to abide by the policies set forth in this code of conduct may result in being removed from an event and/or meeting. No refunds for fees will be given, and the individual will not be allowed to return for the remainder of the event and/or may be barred from attending future events.

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