D.C. Language Access Coalition

05/01/2019

Take a minute and help us get the Amended Language Access bill funded by signing on to this petition and by writing and calling DC Council, particularly CM Mendelson's office to get this bill funded without further delay!

Council emails: ([email protected] and/or [email protected]
Phone: (202) 724-8032

81 signatures are still needed!

02/07/2019

Because many states and localities don’t use tested court interpreters and ignore federal rules for when interpreters are required, many criminal defendants and civil litigants with limited English skills are not equipped to navigate the complex legal system, jeopardizing their constitutional righ...

12/05/2018

Non-English speakers make up a considerable portion of Metro's ridership. What is the agency doing about it?

11/13/2018

UPDATE : OUR AMENDMENT JUST PASSED THE FIRST VOTE UNANIMOUSLY but with weak language about staffing in schools. Stay tuned for how to help us fight further!

Here today keeping watch on our Bill as DC Council members assemble to vote on it AT LONG LAST. Concerned as the version Chairman Phil Mendelson plans to present for vote today does NOT include our crucial ask for hiring dedicated staffing in schools for students!! Hoping that other council members especially Grosso, Brianne Nadeau, Charles Allen heed our repeated requests today to introduce provisions in this Bill to allocate $$$ for our District's immigrant youth!!

11/07/2018

Call-In Day to DC Council on 11/12!!!

Tell DC Council to Protect Immigrant Rights!!! If DC claims to be a "sanctuary city" then Council should vote on a Language Access Amendment for Education that ensures:

(1) HIRING specialized staff (Language Access Coordinators) DC schools
(2) Providing a true ENFORCEMENT mechanism in the form of a fine levied against agencies that continue to breach language access laws and discriminate against our immigrant families; and
(3) Dedicated funding to ensure language access.

Sign up here: http://www.slottr.com/sheets/12874960
Read more here: http://www.dclanguageaccesscoalition.org/language-access-act-amendment.html

At a time where the rights of vulnerable communities in our city are continually being infringed upon, we urge you to stand for and with us in protecting immigrant communities. Right here in DC, a supposed "Sanctuary City," our elected officials leave us disappointed. For the past 18 months, Council...

10/16/2018

As of 2016-2017 school enrollment data, 8,432 students enrolled have a limited English proficiency; 5,868 of which are in and 2,564 in .
It can be projected that 54 DCPS and 41 DC charter schools are expected to comply with 3% threshold i.e. a public agency that serves or encounters Limited English Proficient (LEP)/Non English Proficient (NEP) population that constitutes 3% or 500 individuals, whichever is less. This is why it is very important that Language Access Coordinators be hired in these schools, which we asked DC Council to include in the amendment it is about to vote for. It's also critical that Council Members vote for a funded and enforceable amendment

10/16/2018

The DC Language Access Act obligates the DC government to provide equal access and participation in public services, programs, and activities for residents of the District of Columbia who cannot (or have limited capacity to) speak, read, or write English. No matter what language you speak, you have the right to receive information and services from the DC government. Whether or not individuals can speak English, they are part of our community and entitled to applicable government benefits and services.

10/16/2018

DC Council will soon be voting for Bill 22-75: Language Access Amendment for Education, tentatively, in their next legislative meeting (read about it here http://www.dclanguageaccesscoalition.org/language-access-act-amendment.html). We are asking all of you to tell your council members - call or write them- to vote for a bill that secures

1) hiring specialized staff (Language Access Coordinators) in DC schools
2) provide effective enforcement by fining public agencies that breach the
Language Access laws
3) allocate funds for a meaningful implementation of Language Access laws

A true city would protect immigrants' rights at all cost.

CMs contacts:

Chairman Phil Mendelson (202) 724-8032 | [email protected]

At-Large
Elissa Silverman (202) 724-7772 | [email protected]
Anita Bonds (202) 724-8064 | [email protected]
David Grosso (202) 724-8105 | [email protected]
Robert C. White, Jr. (202) 724-8174 | [email protected]

Ward 1 – Brianne K. Nadeau (202) 724-8181 | [email protected]
Ward 2 – Jack Evans (202) 724-8058 | [email protected]
Ward 3 – Mary M. Cheh (202) 724-8062 | [email protected]
Ward 4 – Brandon T. Todd (202) 724-8052 | [email protected]
Ward 5 – Kenyan McDuffie (202) 724-8028 | [email protected]
Ward 6 – Charles Allen (202) 724-8072 | [email protected]
Ward 7 – Vincent C. Gray (202) 724-8068 | [email protected]
Ward 8 – Trayon White, Sr. (202) 724-8045 | [email protected]

10/01/2018

Tomorrow Tuesday, Oct. 2, 2018, during the Committee of the Whole are going to vote on proposed Bill-22-75 that does not incorporate what DCLAC has been advocating for i.e.
Providing crucially needed resources to our District schools – such as hiring a dedicated Language Access Coordinator so that immigrant students, their families, staff, and teachers have a trusted and culturally appropriate point of contact.
Allocating a dedicated budget to directly supplement the capacity and resources of district "covered entities" for implementing LEP/NEP communities’ Language Access needs
Providing an enforcement mechanism by imposing an assessed fine on agencies that do not comply with the D.C. Language Access Act.

Follow this link http://www.dclanguageaccesscoalition.org/language-access-act-amendment.html to see on our website the letter we sent to Council Members so they postpone voting on this Bill as the Whole and tell them what you think! Your CMs contacts:

Chairman Phil Mendelson (202) 724-8032 | [email protected]
At-Large
Elissa Silverman (202) 724-7772 | [email protected]
Anita Bonds (202) 724-8064 | [email protected]
David Grosso (202) 724-8105 | [email protected]
Robert C. White, Jr. (202) 724-8174 | [email protected]
Ward 1 – Brianne K. Nadeau (202) 724-8181 | [email protected]
Ward 2 – Jack Evans (202) 724-8058 | [email protected]
Ward 3 – Mary M. Cheh (202) 724-8062 | [email protected]
Ward 4 – Brandon T. Todd (202) 724-8052 | [email protected]
Ward 5 – Kenyan McDuffie (202) 724-8028 | [email protected]
Ward 6 – Charles Allen (202) 724-8072 | [email protected]
Ward 7 – Vincent C. Gray (202) 724-8068 | [email protected]
Ward 8 – Trayon White, Sr. (202) 724-8045 | [email protected]

After stalling for 18 months to release a Committee Draft Print and ignoring our requests over the past 7 months for updates, it has just come to our attention that the Committee of the Whole has...

09/17/2018

¿Qué es la Ley de Acceso Lingüístico del D.C.?

La finalidad de la Ley es ofrecer un mayor acceso y participación en los servicios, programas y actividades públicas a los residentes del Distrito
de Columbia que cuentan con un dominio limitado del inglés o que no lo hablan.
La Ley exige cuatro medidas a los programas, departamentos y servicios gubernamentales del Distrito que tienen un contacto público importante. Estas cuatro medidas son:

• Proporcionar la traducción por escrito de los documentos esenciales en cualquier idioma que hable una población con un dominio limitado o nulo del inglés y que constituya el 3% o 500 personas, lo que sea menor, de la población a la que ofrezca servicios o encuentre la entidad o a la que probablemente ofrezca
servicios o encuentre la entidad;
• Establecer e implementar un plan de acceso lingüístico;
• Designar a un coordinador de acceso lingüístico.
• Evaluar la necesidad que existe de brindar servicios de lenguaje oral y ofrecerlos;

Pase a una de las secciones:¿Qué es el Programa de Acceso Lingüístico? • ¿Cuáles son mis derechos al amparo de la ley de Acceso Lingüístico? • ¿Cómo puedo solicitar ayuda en mi idioma? • ¿Puedo usar mi propio intérprete? • ¿Qué debo hacer si se violan mis derechos de acceso...

07/15/2018

Here is an important tool that helps to provide more accessibility.

*this is not an add, I’m just merely sharing a tool that is a Free public editor to help you create public video and subtitles.*

Amara is a free online platform that makes adding subtitles to any video a breeze. It also has an option for language translation
https://amara.org/en/subtitling-platform/

*Also YouTube offers a similar option/tools for creating video captions for any uploaded video.

Amara's award-winning technology enables you to caption and subtitle any video for free. For larger subtitling projects the platform makes it easy to manage teams of translators. And you can always purchase high-quality captions or translations from our passionate team of professional linguists. Ama...