Boston, MA – In response to Governor Baker’s approval of the Economic Development Bill – which included a provision expanding language access resources for non-English speakers – Elizabeth Sweet, Executive Director of the Massachusetts Immigrant and Refugee Advocacy (MIRA) Coalition issued the following statement:
“The MIRA Coalition is thrilled that, for the first time, Massachusetts will be setting aside funding to bolster language access for non-English speakers at the Registry of Motor Vehicles. Providing critical documents in multiple languages, as well as hiring and training multilingual staff, will make it far easier for immigrants and refugees to interact with one of the state’s most public-facing state agencies.
“Moving forward, we urge the state to expand language access opportunities at other public-facing state agencies, like the Department of Children and Families. As the recent passing of Question Four makes clear, the people of Massachusetts are eager to expand access and opportunities for immigrants and refugees.”
MEDIA CONTACT: Alex Psilakis
apsilakis@melwoodglobal.com | (508) 641-9761