D.C. Language Access Coalition

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

Sign now 👉Implement the Fine Structure in the Language Access for Education Amendment Act! 81 signatures are still needed!

How bad translation by court interpreters can turn misunderstanding into injustice 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...

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!!

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

Tell DC Council: Protect Immigrant Rights! - Slotr.com: Simple Time Slot Management 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...

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

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.

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]

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]

Language Access Act Amendment 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...

¿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;

https://ohr.dc.gov/page/acceso-ling%C3%BC%C3%ADstico-en-espa%C3%B1ol-language-access-information-portal-spanish

Acceso lingüístico en español (Language Access Information Portal - Spanish) | ohr 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...

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: Caption, Subtitle and Translate 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...

“Language is another form of violence. Euphemisms are one of the ways through which language exerts violence. In his essay, Wittgenstein’s Dictionary, John Willinsky wrote “the schooled representation of meaning sets language in the hands of those who hold the proper definitions.” Language is not innocent (semicolon) it is used for certain political purposes. In the case of the names given to the places where immigrants are locked up before deportation, language imitates a mask that covers reality to make it softer, more bearable. Hidden behind it lays the world as it is, protected by a layer resistant to the world that could be.”

“No son centros, son cárceles!”

Detention Centers - Literal Magazine Language is another form of violence. Euphemisms are one of the ways through which language exerts violence. In his essay, Wittgenstein’s Dictionary, John Willinsky wrote “the schooled representation of meaning sets language in the hands of those who hold the proper definitions.” Language is n...

The DC Language access coalition is having our annual retreat May 22,2018 from 12:00 TO 5:00 PM http://www.DCLAC2018annualretreat.splashthat.com

2018 Annual Retreat DCLAC - Splash The DC Language Access Coalition (Coalition) is an alliance of community-based and civil rights organizations that advocates forlanguage access rights within the District of Columbia.Our annual retreat is an opportunity for coalition members to come together and learn. It provides a safe space fo.....

February 21 - 24
The Mother Tongue Film Festival, a collaborative Smithsonian annual event, initiated by the Recovering Voices Program of the National Museum of Natural History, celebrates the United Nations International Mother Languages Day by showcasing recently produced feature and short-length films about the cultural richness of Indigenous and endangered languages.

Mother Tongue Film Festival The Mother Tongue Film Festival, a collaborative Smithsonian annual event, initiated by the Recovering Voices Program of the National Museum of Natural History, celebrates the United Nations International Mother Languages Day by showcasing recently produced feature and short-length films about the c...

Wow!! Why it’s important to acknowledge differing languages and culture within ethnic groups!

TV commentator blurts Chinese skiers 'all look the same' Yikes.

Watch one of DCLAC members, a non-native English speaker, immigrant and DC resident, holding the chairman of the council accountable for bottlenecking the Language Access Amendment bill!

www.facebook.com

In Washington D.C Dogs are prioritized over Immigrant communities and tax payers!

Today the DCLAC (non native English speaking members) came to the Wilson Building in support of the bill final vote. This bill had the financial support of national progressive organizations to push it forward. It took lots of outreach, including from many of us in the immigrant community to support it!

But at today’s council legislative agenda meeting we were FRUSTRATED to read that the bill: “DINING with DOGS Act of 2017” was voted on. Meanwhile our immigrant Language Access Bill has been ignored for 3 years. Meaning that 90k English Language Learning (ELL) students and their parents 19% district (LEP/NEP) residents have and continue to be discriminated by the council leadership. Specifically chair Phil Mendelson who refuses to mark-up our immigrant bill!

A Multilingual app for the refugee community. This is good!

Dallas caseworker develops app to help refugees find their way in new cities It’s a tough time for refugees around the globe, and Derek Smith, a Dallas resettlement caseworker, wants to ease their entry once they’ve been...

The DC Mayor's Office on Asian and Pacific Islander Affairs would like to hear your thoughts on the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD). Your answer and any information shared for this survey will be kept confidential. We rely on your feedback to help us improve our work with MPD and your input is greatly appreciated.

Cultural Competency Survey DC Mayor’s Office on Asian and Pacific Islander Affairs (MOAPIA) would like to hear your thoughts on the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD). Your answer and any information shared for this survey will be kept confidential. We rely on your feedback to help us improve our work with MPD and your in...

data:

Census Bureau Reports at Least 350 Languages Spoken in U.S. Homes (nov. 2017, using 2015 ACS data)

Washington metro area:
* At least 168 languages are spoken at home.
* 26 percent of the metro area population age 5 and over speak a language other than English at home.
* One of the smaller language groups found there is Amharic, with 43,125 speakers.

Download reports here:

https://www.census.gov/newsroom/press-releases/2015/cb15-185.html

https://content.govdelivery.com/accounts/DCWASH/bulletins/1cc966b

End of the year newsletter by the Mayor's Office on African Affairs

The African Beat Please add [email protected] to your address book, email safe senders list, or contact list to ensure that our emails reach you!

Congratulations to Local Second Generation African-American Immigrants doing wonderful things and representing immigrant communities in a world-wide platform!

"On Saturday, Maame Biney became the first African American woman to qualify for the U.S. Winter Olympics in speedskating, with two victories in the 500 meters.

“I can’t believe it, aww geez,” said the Reston, Va., native of Ghanaian parents. “It’s a really good feeling, but it has to set in first because it takes me a while. I’m like, ‘Holy cow.’”"

17-Year-Old Maame Biney Becomes First Black Girl to Make U.S. Olympics for Speedskating We bout to see all the during the Winter Olympics, now that a 17-year-old from Virginia has bust through.

Wonderful to gain the support of Councilmember Elissa Silverman and Chief of Staff Michele Blackwell today for the DCLAC's proposed amendments to the Language Access Act. We continue to push for Chairman Phil Mendelson to hold a markup ASAP so schools and other agencies get the resources they need to succeed in language access compliance!

We're pleased to hear that our amendment is Chairman Phil Mendelson 's #1 PRIORITY! And so appreciative for the support Ward 6 Council member Charles Allen expressed to us today! Let's get this Bill passed!

Chairman Mendelson is continuing to stall on a critical piece of legislation for DC's immigrant communities. Please sign up for quick 5 minute call to his office on Friday and help us demand a mark up date for the Language Access Amendment!

Sign Up Here ---> http://www.slottr.com/sheets/7806470

Had a wonderful meeting with our newest council member, CM Robert White At Large & his staff this afternoon discussing our proposal to amend the DC Act. We thank you for your leadership and commitment to working with our District's communities!