Language Justice for All: Advancing Health Equity in Wisconsin
Dr. Chu May Paing, Executive Director at Winnebago Area Literacy Council
Dr. Juan Garcia Oyervides, Director, Chicana/x & Latino Studies Program at University of Wisconsin Oshkosh
Amanda Martinez, Senior Policy Analyst at Kids Forward
The Winnebago Area Literacy Council, in partnership with Kids Forward, is developing a community-informed Language Justice Framework to improve access to health care and public services in Wisconsin. This project recognizes that language access is not simply a service issue but a fundamental equity issue that enables individuals to fully participate in their communities using their primary language.
Using a community-based participatory research approach, the project will convene five Language Justice Circles to identify barriers to language access, document the experiences of multilingual communities, and develop policy and practice recommendations to advance health equity. The project will engage approximately 40–60 multilingual community members and 40 stakeholders, including providers, interpreters, advocates, and policymakers.
Led by a multiracial, multigenerational team that includes immigrants, non-native English speakers, and children of immigrants, the initiative centers lived experience and community expertise. Through direct engagement, it aims to reduce communication barriers, improve access to care and essential services, strengthen trust between providers and communities, and address disparities in health outcomes.
This interactive presentation will share the project’s approach and invite literacy educators and language workers to identify language access challenges and opportunities they see in communities across Wisconsin, helping inform a statewide framework for language justice.
