MLOV's ED Sapna Pandya with the Director of DC's Office of Human Rights, Monica Palacio.
With the start of April, we know there may be several things on everyone's minds. Besides today being April Fool's Day (!), today is DC's Democratic Primary, our SMART youth organizers just launched a month-long online action (http://www.mlovdc.org/1/post/2014/03/dcps-immigrant-student-organizers-demand-a-real-seat-at-the-decision-making-table.html) a major Immigrant Rights Rally is coming up this weekend (http://www.notonemoredeportation.com/take-action/april-5th-day-of-action-against-deportations), and of course taxes are due right around the corner.
At MLOV, we are aware of one more thing April signifies -- this month, the DC Language Access Act will be 10 years old!! The DC Language Access Act borrows from the spirit of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, by providing for access to crucial government services for all residents of the District through interpretation, translation, bilingual staff and more.
Many may wonder, what is “Language Access”?
According to Cesar Watts, Director of Family Center at CentroNia, and member of the DC Language Access Coalition’s Executive Committee:
"Language access should not be a point of discussion. It should be something that everyone has access to because we have the law. Being an immigrant
myself I…know first-hand how hard it is to get the services we need and qualify
for…[this] will directly impact our more vulnerable people, which are our children."
DC is one of three jurisdictions in the US to have such a law. Also, DC is the only jurisdiction to name a community coalition, the DC Language Access Coalition (DCLAC), explicitly with the role of advising government agencies on how to make their services accessible.
DCLAC, while named in the law is not funded to perform its crucial government compliance role. Over the last 10 years, we have helped government agencies create Biennial Language Access Plans, create strong Regulations that govern how the Act is actually followed, and co-author a seminal report on the state of Language Access in DC (http://bit.ly/AccssDnd) with American University, pulling together over 200 community surveys that echo the sentiments of immigrants who have filed Language Access complaints when they haven’t received services.
How many more residents could we educate, how much more comprehensive could our consultation and data collection guidance to government agencies actually be, and how much stronger could we make our Language Access Act if the DCLAC was actually funded??
This year, we have received $10K in seed money from the DC Office of Human Rights to advance the word of the DCLAC. With this year’s goal set at $20K for the Fund for DCLAC, your donation brings us closer to that goal, and ensures community awareness of the Language Access Act and continued consultation to DC government agencies so our communities can receive the crucial services they need.
On April 17th, Many Languages One Voice will host “In My Own Words,” celebrating a decade of DC’s Language Access Act and government compliance work conducted since, to directly benefit the DC Language Access Coalition. To purchase a ticket visit http://bit.ly/LAA10 . If you are unable to attend, make a tax-deductible donation to the Fund for DCLAC here: www.mlovdc.org.
Thanks for your support & Happy Language Access month!!
At MLOV, we are aware of one more thing April signifies -- this month, the DC Language Access Act will be 10 years old!! The DC Language Access Act borrows from the spirit of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, by providing for access to crucial government services for all residents of the District through interpretation, translation, bilingual staff and more.
Many may wonder, what is “Language Access”?
- Language Access means more high school students in DC will graduate ready and poised for success.
- Language Access means beneficiaries of Medicaid and Alliance can maintain their public health benefits and receive medical attention when they really need it.
- Language Access gives *everybody* living, working & studying in DC a right to dignity by allowing for greater participation in DC’s public programs and benefits.
According to Cesar Watts, Director of Family Center at CentroNia, and member of the DC Language Access Coalition’s Executive Committee:
"Language access should not be a point of discussion. It should be something that everyone has access to because we have the law. Being an immigrant
myself I…know first-hand how hard it is to get the services we need and qualify
for…[this] will directly impact our more vulnerable people, which are our children."
DC is one of three jurisdictions in the US to have such a law. Also, DC is the only jurisdiction to name a community coalition, the DC Language Access Coalition (DCLAC), explicitly with the role of advising government agencies on how to make their services accessible.
DCLAC, while named in the law is not funded to perform its crucial government compliance role. Over the last 10 years, we have helped government agencies create Biennial Language Access Plans, create strong Regulations that govern how the Act is actually followed, and co-author a seminal report on the state of Language Access in DC (http://bit.ly/AccssDnd) with American University, pulling together over 200 community surveys that echo the sentiments of immigrants who have filed Language Access complaints when they haven’t received services.
How many more residents could we educate, how much more comprehensive could our consultation and data collection guidance to government agencies actually be, and how much stronger could we make our Language Access Act if the DCLAC was actually funded??
This year, we have received $10K in seed money from the DC Office of Human Rights to advance the word of the DCLAC. With this year’s goal set at $20K for the Fund for DCLAC, your donation brings us closer to that goal, and ensures community awareness of the Language Access Act and continued consultation to DC government agencies so our communities can receive the crucial services they need.
On April 17th, Many Languages One Voice will host “In My Own Words,” celebrating a decade of DC’s Language Access Act and government compliance work conducted since, to directly benefit the DC Language Access Coalition. To purchase a ticket visit http://bit.ly/LAA10 . If you are unable to attend, make a tax-deductible donation to the Fund for DCLAC here: www.mlovdc.org.
Thanks for your support & Happy Language Access month!!
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Sapna Pandya, MPH*
Executive Director
Many Languages One Voice (MLOV)
*Hablo español / में हिंदी बोलती हूँ / میں اردو بولتی ہوں
Sapna Pandya, MPH*
Executive Director
Many Languages One Voice (MLOV)
*Hablo español / में हिंदी बोलती हूँ / میں اردو بولتی ہوں