Louisville, KY: How Community Advocates Made the Case for Inclusive Communications

Louisville residents gather at a meeting

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…

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Montgomery County, MD: How Local Youth Supported Culturally Resonant Communications Around Mental Health

Young girl stands in the hallway at school

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…

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Lancaster, PA: How City Officials Prioritized Inclusion in COVID-19 Communications

Young man smiles at the camera as a woman smiles out of focus in the background

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…

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Statement on the ICE Shooting in Minneapolis

We are writing in the wake of the tragic death of 37-year-old Renee Nicole Good. She was shot and killed by an ICE agent in Minneapolis yesterday while serving as a legal observer for her immigrant neighbors. Outrage, anger, fear and pain are justified responses. Renee Nicole Good was a U.S. citizen doing what many…

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Welcome to Gunnison: A community modeling rural belonging

Group walks together through downtown Gunnison holding banners during the annual Diversity Walk during Welcoming Week 2024

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…

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