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About the Language Access Collaborative – EN

About the Collaborative

Shifting patterns of migration have direct implications on the daily life of communities across North Carolina. The Institute for the Study of Americas (ISA) at UNC Chapel Hill views language access as an important first step towards civic engagement, representative leadership, and public participation of newly arrived residents of North Carolina. The Language Access Collaborative strengthens efforts to build capacity, develop expertise and experience, and inform public policy.

Towards this end, ISA and the Building Integrated Communities Initiative (BIC) launched the Language Access Collaborative in 2023, bringing together teams of North Carolina local governments and community-based organizations to build bridges of communication.

Nine local governments partnered with community-based organizations to form teams of Collaborative participants. Teams from Apex, Buncombe, Concord, High Point, Morrisville, New Hanover, Raleigh, Wilmington and Winston-Salem are highlighted in yellow on the map below.

A map of North Carolina showing the locations of different teams in the state

What We Do:

Through in-person language access summits and monthly virtual workshops, the Language Access Collaborative provides teams with the opportunity to learn about current language access best practices and policies and hear directly from immigrant leaders and language access practitioners.

The Collaborative also hosts periodic “chats” for more informal exchange of ideas and resources between teams. Local teams collect data and conduct assessments to create language access plans, with BIC staff providing technical support when needed.

Visit resources for Collaborative videos and handouts on promising practices in language access.

The Spotlight – El Enfoque

My Experience attending the NC Governor’s Advisory Council on Hispanic/Latino Affairs meeting
As part of her work with BIC, Communication Specialist Kassandra Ciriza- Monreal attended the first 2024 meeting of the Governor’s Advisory Council on Hispanic/Latino Affairs. She reflects on her experience attending the meeting, providing student insight for BIC’s work on immigrant integration, civic participation, and leadership.
Read in English
Lea en español

Contact Us

Susan Clifford

Susan Clifford

Language Access Coordinator
susan.clifford@unc.edu
Habla español

Logo for Institute for the Study of Americas and The Latino Migration ProjectThe University is committed to providing an inclusive and welcoming environment and to ensuring that educational and employment decisions are based on individuals’ abilities and qualifications. Consistent with these principles and applicable laws, it is therefore the University’s policy not to discriminate on the basis of age, color, disability, gender, gender expression, gender identity, genetic information, national origin, race, religion, sex, sexual orientation or veteran status as consistent with the University’s Policy on Prohibited Discrimination, Harassment and Related Misconduct . No person, on the basis of protected status, shall be excluded from participation in, be denied the benefits of, or be subjected to unlawful discrimination, harassment, or retaliation under any University program or activity, including with respect to employment terms and conditions. Such a policy ensures that only relevant factors are considered and that equitable and consistent standards of conduct and performance are applied.

La Universidad se compromete a proporcionar un entorno inclusivo y acogedor y a garantizar que las decisiones educativas y laborales se basen en las capacidades y cualificaciones de las personas. De acuerdo con estos principios y las leyes aplicables, es política de la Universidad no discriminar por motivos de edad, color, discapacidad, género, expresión de género, identidad de género, información genética, origen nacional, raza, religión, sexo, orientación sexual o estatus de veterano de acuerdo con la Política de la Universidad sobre Prohibición de Discriminación, Acoso y Falta de Conducta Relacionada (solo en inglés). Ninguna persona, sobre la base del estatus protegido, será excluida de la participación, se le negarán los beneficios o será objeto de discriminación ilegal, acoso o represalias en virtud de cualquier programa o actividad de la Universidad, incluso con respecto a los términos y condiciones de empleo. Dicha política garantiza que solo se consideren los factores relevantes y que se apliquen estándares de conducta y desempeño equitativos y consistentes.