Language Access Coalition Discusses Language Barriers
On Tuesday, June 24, 2008, the Language Access Coalition held a public forum for community and organizational leaders to discuss the issues surrounding language access for individuals with limited English proficiency (LEP).
The Language Access Coalition is a collaborative group of area nonprofits that serve the greater New Orleans area and are interested in improving services for LEP individuals. According to the Language Access Coalition, individuals with LEP often do not have to access to basic services because of their very inability to negotiate the English language. Communities in other parts of the United States recognize the human dignity issue at stake and the need to provide adequate and equitable services for all, and in doing so install various strategies that are designed to address the language barrier experienced by LEP individuals.
The forum provided a brief presentation on the local implications and the national context of language access issues. Citing local experiences, Ms. Karla Sikaffy spoke about the dearth of English as a Second Language (ESL) classes in the New Orleans area. Many of the recent immigrants in the community cannot attend or afford traditional higher education programs and therefore rely on programs offered by area community providers, such as the Hispanic Apostolate. However, with limited funds, these programs can only offer a limited number of classes, leaving a large number of unserviced individuals who wish to learn the English language. The appropriate response from a public services, therefore, according to the forum panelists, is to provide a combination of translated documents and interpretation services in order to assist LEP individuals until they are able to learn English.
Ms. Mai Dang, a community organizer with the Mary Queen of Vietnam Community Development Corporation, spoke about the need to have a city that provides accessible services to the elderly Vietnamese community living in New Orleans. According to Ms. Dang, elderly Vietnamese citizens face similar language barriers to new immigrants, often relying on young family members to provide translation and/or interpretation.
Dr. Marc Rosenblum, an immigration policy expert from the University of New Orleans, cited successful implementation of policies and legislation in communities across the United States that recognize the need to be able to adequately and equitably service individuals with LEP. Where there is sufficient community will, cities have enacted language access laws that mandate language accessibility.
The Language Access Coalition invited community leaders to participate in future planning and discussion around language access issue. Both New Orleans City Councilman Arnie Fielkow and James Carter were in attendance and expressed their support of the coalition’s work. Councilman Carter also expressed his desire to see a city ordinance proposed that he could present to the entire New Orleans City Council.
Members of the Language Access Coalition include the Mary Queen of Vietnam Community Development Corporation, Advocacy Center, Oxfam America, Puentes New Orleans, Inc., the Hispanic Apostolate Community Services Catholic Charities, the New Orleans Public Defender’s Office, the Tulane University School of Public Health, the New Orleans Red Cross, and more. For more information about the Language Access Coalition, please send an e-mail to: languageaccesscoalition@google.com.
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