When the pandemic hit, it became apparent how vital it is for a community to be able to unite for the greater good and ensure equitable access to reliable, updated public health information. Without it, people could be stranded without the knowledge they needed to stay safe and protect those around them.
Many challenges can stand in the way of effective communication, and language barriers are among them. The pandemic helped us realize the importance of being able to reach everyone in a community, and that collective recognition helped World Speaks—a nonprofit that provides language accessibility services—take off.
“We were definitely ahead of our time,” said Leah Whitney Chavez, Executive Director and Founder of the organization.
The organization was established in 2016 and Chavez said that if folks didn’t “get” the importance of language access before the pandemic, they did once it arrived.
“A lot of times when people don’t speak English as a first language, they’re left out of critical and vital information in our community,” she added.
With the goal of removing barriers to achieve a more connected Omaha, World Speaks partners with educational institutions, the city, and social organizations to provide community translation and interpretation services in 29 languages.
For example, it has worked with the ACLU of Nebraska to provide its Know Your Rights flyer in five different languages, and with the Center for Immigrant and Refugee Advancement to offer cultural orientation sessions to help acclimate refugees and immigrants to what it’s like to live here. Through its Open Doors program, World Speaks partners with affordable housing nonprofits to offer interpreting and translation services for housing-related needs at no-cost.
“We know that when folks speak another language, it may be very difficult to communicate with their landlord,” Chavez explained.
It also offers free language classes, including Spanish, English as a second language, and ASL.
Chavez said that while Omaha has a lot of diversity, especially linguistic diversity, it’s very segregated.
“World Speaks is a place where people are coming together on purpose to get together with people who may not look like them or have the same cultural background,” Chavez said.
Chavez emphasized that it’s important that interpreters are local and understand Omaha’s unique setting and dynamics. They onboard language professionals who are certified or otherwise skilled and experienced, often members of the communities they serve, and their process includes a level of oversight to verify accuracy.
“We’re always learning new things from them. It helps us to be culturally competent,” she said about the interpreters.
World Speaks will also help prepare its interpreters in advance, providing background that allows them to draw from their own cultural experiences while equipping them with additional information to bridge any gaps effectively.
The impact is palpable, even when it’s felt one person at a time. Chavez said seeing the impact is a driving motivator, along with the opportunity to get to work and meet with different people and challenge people to “think just a little bit differently.”
With growing AI technology and other tools available, some may be tempted to use Google Translate or a similar service and call it a day. Chavez warned that while these resources can be a helpful starting place, they aren’t reliable enough to fully replace humans.
Some of their clients will use an online service to initially translate materials, and World Speaks can step in to proofread, serve as the human eye, and ensure they are culturally competent. They never recommend sending out documentation without having it proofread by a person.
“You always need that human touch to partner with technology,” she said.
World Speaks does utilize technology in other ways. On Zoom, interpreters can provide a dedicated audio channel for their translated language, allowing attendees to select it when they join a meeting.
For in-person events, they use devices where the interpreter wears a transmitter and listeners use receivers to hear the interpretation in real time.
To create spaces and communications more accessible and welcoming to all, Chavez said disseminating materials like social media posts and flyers out in multiple languages—focusing on the languages of people who solicit their services the most—is a great place to start.
She also recommends forming a language access plan. These plans outline how the people they serve can receive services, information, and resources in a language they can understand.
When hosting events, invite attendees to share any accessibility needs or accommodations. This ensures that any necessary arrangements, like hiring an ASL interpreter, are integrated into the planning process from the start.
Chavez said that accessibility should not be an afterthought, and we should always be striving to expand our reach and make improvements. With many immigrant and refugee communities currently facing uncertainty, World Speaks is focused on continuing its work and looking for ways to step in and partner with others to ensure rapidly changing information reaches those who need it efficiently. Officials are also reminding people that while English and Spanish are widely spoken, there are many other languages to consider.
As far as where she sees the future of language and accessibility services heading, she said the vision is for community systems to be more inclusive and for language access to be the norm. They are working towards that vision by partnering with the City of Omaha and recently fostered a relationship with the Omaha Police Department.
“It’s important that everyone feels connected. Different backgrounds and perspectives always add more to our community,” she said.
Accessibility matters. When everyone is included, it makes us a stronger, more connected community. And a connected community is a thriving one. World Speaks will be hosting Language Access Week starting June 9, which will help educate the public about why language accessibility is important. As part of the event, there will be an in-person experience featured in a non-English language. Participants will have the opportunity to use interpretation devices to follow along and engage in a hands-on cultural cooking activity.
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