New city office to create more language access

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    KANSAS CITY, Missouri (KCTV) — In May, a new office will start breaking language barriers for people in Kansas City. It’s called the ‘Office for Language Access’.

It’s a part of the the city’s language access plan, passed in July 2023.

“Our city deserves better than Google translate,” said Kansas City Mayor Quinton Lucas.

Kansas City City Council approved the new office in February 2024.

Over 30 different languages are spoken in Kansas City.

The city sent out a survey to non-English speaking communities to learn about their experiences with city services.

The city found that 54% avoided KCMO city services altogether and 61% faced difficulties when trying to get services.

“Whether you speak a different language at home or you have a disability, sometimes engaging with city hall has been too difficult over the years,” said Mayor Lucas.

This pushed KCMO City Council to eliminate barriers for everyone when accessing city services.

The need is big and constantly changing and moving.

Flores Advisors Owner, Gabriela Flores, has worked in language access for over 20 years.

Flores helps provide language access in hospitals across the metro.

She said for those who don’t speak English or refugees resettling in KC, it can be challenging to get a driver’s license or find a job.

“All of those things are anchored to language access so it is just tenfold more difficult when there are not those support systems like language access in place to help refugees get to that independence,” said Flores Advisors Owner, Gabriela Flores.

The Office of Language Access strives to change that at the city level.

“These are substantial populations in our city. We are making sure fundamentally with the Office of Language Access people have not only opportunities to access city services, but they have support for things like having language help to enroll your kids in school, language help to deal with utilities, language help to help you find a job,” said Mayor Lucas.

The city budgeted about $900,000 for the first year of the new office.

Mayor Lucas expects a manager or director to run it with about a dozen employees helping with interpretation, translation, and technology.

Flores said with specific needs for each person. She added the city will need to continuously look at what’s working and what’s not working.

“This commitment by the city affirms their commitment to be a welcoming community for immigrants and refugees,” said Flores. She added, “It’s not that they are not trying to learn English, it is just that it takes some time just as it does when we travel abroad.”

The new office is starting up in May 2024, a year that is also planned to be a record-breaking for refugee resettlement in Kansas City.

“You’ll see more multi-lingual events you will see more for those who are hard of hearing and any number of other issues as well, we are really making sure that Kansas City is doing right by all,” said Mayor Lucas.

Mayor Lucas said the events and changes at KCMO City Hall will continue to grow and become more available this May into the summer.

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