Language Access: What does it have to offer?

Coalition members discuss language access rights

What is language access and why does it matter to service providers? What government agencies are covered by the DC Language Access Act? What rights does the Language Access Act give to DC residents and workers? How do I let my clients/neighbors/members know about their rights? How do I file a language access complaint if my rights are violated? 

This week’s DCLAC meeting answered these questions and many more! Coalition members and community members came together to learn more about the mechanics of our Language Access Act here in the District. These questions affect the work many of us do on a daily basis, and knowing our rights and how to ensure they’re respected is integral to doing our jobs. Several of our knowledgeable members shared information on the Language Access Act, breaking down how it applies to service providers and community members who don’t speak English well, as well as on the processes in place for remedying situations where someone’s rights are denied.

David Steib describing rights to interpretation and translation services under the Language Access Act

David Steib, Language Access Director at Ayuda, presented on the rights provided by the Language Access Act and its applications to government and non-government agencies. Allison Miles-Lee, Senior Supervising Attorney at Bread for the City presented on the process currently in place for filing complaints when Language Access Act violations occur, and Matthew Handley, Director of Litigation at the Washington Lawyers’ Committee, presented on the Human Rights Act and its respective process used to file complaints.

Coalition members learning about processes for filing complaints if language access rights are violated

To learn more about the Language Access Act and your language access rights, come to a DCLAC meeting - held the last Tuesday of every month from 10:00AM-12:00PM at 3166 Mt. Pleasant St. NW, Washington, DC - or contact our Coalition Coordinator at [email protected].