Editor's Note: This story has been updated to reflect language services available by the Kansas City, Missouri, Health Department.
A new push by KC Tenants is aiming to bring a comprehensive language access program to Kansas City.
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The advocacy organization says they're actively working with the Kansas City, Missouri, government to make programs, services and activities more accessible to residents who don't speak English.
"There are a lot of tenants and residents in Kansas City whose first language isn't English and it's extremely difficult for them to access basic services like the health department," explained Wilson Vance with KC Tenants. "We believe that language access is a human right."
The Kansas City, Missouri, Health Department says assistance to its Healthy Homes program is offered in English and four other languages. A spokesperson said if a resident speaks another language, the health department is able to use a language service to be able to provide services.
More than 57,000 people over the age of 5 in Kansas City speak a language other than English at home, according to the American Community Survey.
Over the summer, city council created a resolution tasking the city manager to come up with a plan to create a language access program for city residents.
KC Tenants says its role is to help the government gain crucial feedback from people closely impacted by the lack of language services, so they can tailor a program that meets their needs.
"We are working with the city manager and other city staff to help design what this program is going to look like," said Vance. "We're also working with members of the community to figure out what they want from this program. What is their vision?"
A series of public meetings have been hosted to continue gathering feedback.
The next public meeting will take place inside the northeast branch of the Kansas City Public Library from 3 p.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday afternoon.
The meeting will be hosted in English and Spanish.
KC Tenants plans on having additional listening sessions over the next several weeks.
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