Executive Summary
Language access for all San Franciscans
2021 marked the 20th anniversary of the San Francisco Language Access Ordinance ( LAO ), established to ensure equal and meaningful access to information and services for all residents , regardless of their primary language . Since San Francisco enacted one of the strongest and most comprehensive local language access laws in the nation , the Office of Civic Engagement & Immigrant Affairs ( OCEIA ), San Francisco Immigrant Rights Commission ( IRC ), community leaders and language access advocates have continued to emphasize the need for communityfocused language access approaches , particularly during crisis , emergency , and public health and safety situations .
This year ’ s LAO report features direct feedback from community members via a comprehensive Language Access Community Survey conducted in 11 languages from June-September 2021 by OCEIA , in partnership with the IRC and the Language Access Network of San Francisco ( LANSF ). Survey results from over 2,000 City residents demonstrate that even with a clear commitment , a strong local language access law , and extraordinary efforts by emergency , public health and other City departments , not everyone was able to access the same information and services at the same time during a major public health crisis . The survey also illustrated that City residents communicate and obtain their information in diverse manners and modes . It is our hope that the survey findings place a greater community focus on language needs that will inform City policymakers and leaders as they work to improve access to information and services for all San Franciscans .
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