Build Trust With Community-Focused Comms: A How-To Guide for Organizations & Local Governments
As local governments and organizations serve growing numbers of multilingual audiences, many are using communication strategies that promote trust, engagement, and access.
Read MoreLouisville, KY: How Community Advocates Made the Case for Inclusive Communications
In 2021, Amos Izerimana, director of the Office for Immigrant Affairs in Louisville, KY, rallied community members to deliver a message to city council. In a community where the newcomer population had grown rapidly and 150 languages were spoken in public schools, leadership couldn’t afford not to invest in language access and inclusive communications. “I…
Read MorePhiladelphia, PA: How a Census Outreach Campaign Paved the Way for Inclusive Communications
Home to newcomers from across the globe, Philadelphia has a long history as a welcoming city. With commitments to workforce inclusion, equitable education opportunities, and language access, the City of Brotherly Love and Sisterly Affection has worked to ensure all residents are included in civic life. However, prior to the 2020 Census, city leaders recognized…
Read MoreMontgomery County, MD: How Local Youth Supported Culturally Resonant Communications Around Mental Health
Maryland’s Montgomery County, located just outside Washington D.C., is home to a growing and diverse Asian American community, comprising 39% of the state’s Asian population. With over 26 ethnic subgroups and even more Asian languages spoken across the county, language access and inclusive communication are essential. Public health officials understand that linguistically and culturally relevant…
Read MoreChampaign IL: How Local Partnerships Boost Capacity for Inclusive Communications
As home to a Big Ten university and major farming operations, central Illinois’ Champaign County attracts people from all over the world, including international students and agricultural workers. This vibrant newcomer community made Champaign one of only nine Illinois counties with a growing population between 2010 and 2019. The local government, including the “twin cities”…
Read MoreLancaster, PA: How City Officials Prioritized Inclusion in COVID-19 Communications
Lancaster, a community of 60,000 residents, welcomed 500 people displaced from Puerto Rico after Hurricane Maria in 2017. Their arrival underscored the importance of inclusive communication, prompting the city to develop a linguistically and culturally responsive infrastructure that served it well in responding to the COVID-19 pandemic just three years later. “We are a very…
Read MoreThe Evolving Landscape of Language Access
Language access is essential for belonging and public safety. When information is available in various languages, it improves access to healthcare, emergency help, and fairness in legal situations. But what does language access look like today, and how is it changing? Through shared examples and stories that show new opportunities and give hope for a…
Read MorePost-Welcoming Interactive Webinar Series
This webinar series revisits some of the top-rated breakout sessions from the 2025 Welcoming Interactive.
Read MoreWelcome to Gunnison: A community modeling rural belonging
Surrounded by mountains and sage brush landscapes, Gunnison, Colorado may look like other rural mountain towns: quiet, remote, perfect for connecting with nature, and a hub for seasonal workers. Look closer, though. Among local organizations and leaders, growing efforts for connection and belonging are in bloom. Despite its small population of 16,000 residents, Gunnison County…
Read MoreLanguage access: Our history and protected right
By Jodie Stanley, Municipal Language Access Network For the first time in U.S. history, an official language has been named. Executive Order 14224 designates English as the official language of the United States—a largely symbolic move, but one with real implications. While this order does not establish legal restrictions on other languages, it signals a…
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