"After this I saw a vast crowd, too great to count, from every nation and tribe and people and language, standing in front of the throne and before the Lamb. They were clothed in white robes and held palm branches in their hands." Revelation 7:9

Mission of the Project

The goal of fostering language justice and inclusivity rests on recognizing the diversity of languages as a human right and assisting multilingual speakers in attaining equitable participation in society. This will be achieved through overcoming language barriers by way of advocacy, education, and extensive implementation of inclusive practices to ensure equitable access for services, opportunities, and resources to people of distinctive language backgrounds. Therefore, the mission aims to instill cultural awareness, strengthen community bonds, and create spaces for authentic communication and upliftment of each and everyone.

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Bridging The Gap: Real Stories of Language Barriers

By interviewing others and sharing their experiences, I hope to bring attention to the importance of embracing linguistic diversity and challenging the idea that only one language is the standard for success or professionalism.

"We may have different religions, different languages, different colored skin, but we all belong to one human race." - Kofi Annan

About Me

My name is Merveille, I'm Cameroonian, and French and Patois are my native languages. When I moved to the U.S., I learned English, but it was not easy. My family asked me to pause speaking French until I became fluent in English. Once I did, I was allowed to resume, but ever since, I've been trying to catch up with my French and culture. I always treated the language as an incredibly individualistic and powerful thing for connecting and expressing oneself. In an environment where multiple languages are spoken, I feel and realize what it means to speak in a native tongue and be generally regarded as less professional or inauthentic than a mainstream tongue. In my point of view, no one should feel the need to hold themselves back from speaking their native language due to certain settings or the dominant language of a country.

Linguistic discrimination is an unfair issue that affects many people, such as those who speak a different language from the dominant one or even those who cannot speak English fluently. Speaking English as a mode of communication is perceived by society as one acceptable "professional" method of speaking. Different verbal forms are deflected, with the assumption that they are less than individuals. That is true in job markets where an otherwise capable candidate may be ignored just because they cannot speak perfect English. It creates a system that makes language a hurdle on the way to success instead of being an instrument. By doing so, we could make a community that is more inclusive, appreciating every citizen regardless of the language he or she speaks.