Description

SESSION 1

Language, Culture, Identity, and Language Access: Exploring the Intersections

This session will focus on the relationship between language, culture, and identity. Participants will explore how cultural factors impact language access and discuss strategies for providing culturally responsive language access services. Participants will gain insights into the intersectionality of language and cultural identity, enabling them to support diverse populations better.  

Objectives:  

• Participants will explore the relationship between language, culture, identity, and language access.  
• Participants will recognize how cultural factors impact language access and the provision of culturally responsive services.  
• Participants will develop strategies to effectively support diverse populations based on understanding the intersectionality of language and cultural identity.  

Presenter:

Jose Juan Lara Jr., MS, Systems and Advocacy Senior Program Manager, Asian Pacific Institute on Gender-Based Violence - is a national trainer and advocate with 25 years in the anti-gender-based violence movement with expertise in cultural competence and responsiveness, dynamics of gender-based violence, language access, organizational development, and victim advocacy. Jose Juan has presented on these issues, engaging a broad spectrum of multidisciplinary professionals from criminal justice, social services, policy, and health. Cultural responsiveness and language access are fundamental principles in Jose Juan's advocacy, firmly believing that recognizing and valuing cultural identity is crucial in creating safe and inclusive spaces for survivors.

This training was supported by Grant No. 2020-WF-AX-0043, 15JOVW-21-GG-00555-STOP, and 15JOVW-22-GG-00412-STOP awarded by the state administering office for the Office on Violence Against Women, U.S. Department of Justice's STOP Formula Grant Program. The opinions, findings, conclusions, and recommendations expressed in this training are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of the state or the U.S. Department of Justice.