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Hi Reader,
World Speaks is 9 years old, and in that time, we’ve grown a lot. From our start offering community language courses to expanding our translation & interpretation services, creating programs like Open Doors, and encouraging language access across our community – we’ve come a long way. We’re excited about where we are, and what the future will bring.
At the heart of our quest to expand language access in Omaha is our incredible team – Leah, Paulina, Ivan, Cruz – and (for the short term) our interim director, Naomi. Each of these professionals are passionate about language access and want to help make it a reality for the greater Omaha area.
Every summer, we take a moment to share our incredible team with you. This July, we wanted to let you know why our team is so passionate about language access.
First, you know Leah, our Executive Director (and new mom, who is currently on parental leave). Leah started World Speaks because “all members of our community do not have equal access to critical and vital information, as well as additional resources when English is not their first or preferred language. Interpretation and translation remove these barriers. The educational resources we offer help individuals and organizations look internally to assess how they can better serve their clients and constituents who would benefit from equity with language access."
Then there’s Naomi, our Interim Director, who is guiding World Speaks while Leah is on leave: “The consequences of inadequate language access are severe—from housing insecurity when eviction prevention resources lack translation, to physical danger when police interact with Deaf/hard of hearing individuals or non-English speaking residents. Language justice is a fundamental infrastructure rather than an optional add-on, working with organizations to build it into every program, communication, and service delivery model. My commitment stems from seeing firsthand how language barriers perpetuate systemic inequities and prevent communities from accessing critical resources they're legally entitled to receive.”
Next, there’s Paulina, our Programs Manager who just recently joined us back in Omaha! She says, “Working with my community has awakened something so powerful and beautiful in me that I don’t see myself doing any other work. Meeting so many wonderful people and organizations with the same goal – to create change and make a difference – powers me to continue to fight for a more open and equitable society where everyone is represented and heard.”
Now meet Ivan, our new Interpretation and Linguistic Strategist! He shares that “The lack of access due to lack of understanding is unjust and I am blessed to be able to have the opportunity to make an impact through my profession, passion, and now, World Speaks”
Finally, Cruz – our Interpretation and Linguistic Manager – says that “My passion is to help others. At World Speaks we are working with the community to help others in the most fundamental of ways, to communicate and understand each other.”
And now, we want to hear from you! We’d love to know why language access is important to you. To let us know, you can either:
We will share your quotes in a future newsletter so our community can learn why we all care about language access.
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There are many ways to help contribute to language access in our community. In many cases, language access is supported by system-wide action (i.e., from large scale organizations like governments, businesses or civic organizations), but we can all do our part. Here are some of the ways to promote language access at your organization or in your community:
- Develop a language access plan (i.e., how can your company/group/organization
- promote language access & address language access needs),
- Assess the needs of the community or populations your organization services,
- Train staff members in policies and procedures for providing language assistance
- services,
- Create cultural awareness among your teams & within the organization,
- Hire bilingual/multilingual staff members (navigators, liaisons),
- Designate a language service coordinator,
- Have Interpreters available (on-call contractors),
- Plan events with language accessibility in mind (information translated,
- interpreters on site),
- Translate your website or provide a contact for each language,
- Translate all your community resources, forms, applications, and information,
- Establish a constant evaluation plan, collect data and community feedback, and
- Add captions to videos available on your website, social media & presentations
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We are so excited to welcome Ivan Lopez to the World Speaks team! Ivan will be our Interpretation and Linguistic Strategist - with his extensive background in interpretation & translation, and passion for language access, he will be an incredible asset to the World Speaks team.
Here's a little bit about him:
Ivan is a certified medical interpreter, born and raised in Omaha, NE, with Mexican roots. He holds a bachelor’s degree in Spanish Translation and Interpretation, French Culture and History, and Health Sciences from the University of Nebraska at Kearney. Through learning a third language, he began to form a passion for communication which has driven him to share his experiences with the purpose of educating the importance of understanding. From a Spanish and French tutor at the university, to teaching abroad in Martinique, France, to teaching introductory medical and community interpretation courses, to presenting conferences for MICATA and NATI, he continues to share his experience with everyone who will lend an ear. For everyone to understand each other, they must be able to communicate.
“Working with both communities abroad and communities back home has shown me that communication and access are integral to the prosperity and health of each individual and their families. The lack of access due to lack of understanding is unjust and I am blessed to be able to have the opportunity to make an impact through my profession, passion, and now, World Speaks!”
Help us all welcome Ivan to the team!
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Summer Classes + Fall on the Rise
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The final class of the summer – ASL 1B – starts this week! If you missed our summer classes, don’t worry – Fall class registration will open in late August. Since you’re an email subscriber, you get first look at the new classes and registration! Watch this email on August 29 for your registration email! |
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Want to join World Speaks in our work? There are three ways you can do so!
- Volunteer! We are always looking for native speakers interested in being in-class mentors. We’d love to have you join us this summer!
- Donate – Every donation – large or small – improves language access in our community.
- Visit our store for shirts featuring our mantra wear!
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- August 29 - Early Enrollment for Fall Classes
- September 5 & 6: Nebraska Association for Interpreters and Translators
- Late September - Fall Classes begin!
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Thanks for being a part of World Speaks!
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