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Imagine...

Imagine that you are the mother of a child whose spleen just ruptured. You rush your child to the emergency room only to be unable to communicate the desperate situation to the doctors. Your child dies in the waiting room. Picture that you are an immigrant detained by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents unable to communicate that you must contact your family at home. Suppose that you are suddenly arrested by the police, who gives you your Miranda rights in a foreign language. Furthermore, you do not have any idea why you are detained. You cannot communicate with the lawyer assigned to your case and cannot testify in your own defense.

Imagine that you are in New Orleans on August 28, 2005. The entire city is evacuating, but all available news about where to go or what to do is in English-a foreign language to you. If you do find your way out of the city safely, how do you navigate through the English-only paperwork? What if your family somehow got separated? How do you contact them? Thousands Limited English Proficient people including Vietnamese and Hispanics did not have to imagine. For them, it was reality.

 

Participate in Upcoming Meetings
Meetings are held every 3rd Thursday of the month,11:30a-12:30pm, and alternate between conference call and in-person meetings. Please check the meeting listing for the location.

Conference Call: (218) 844 - 8230  Access code: 265972#