CEC Partner Spotlight: Rooted Language Justice

The Community Environmental Council is expanding its work in the areas of language access and language justice with the guidance and support of local partner Rooted Language Justice (RLJ). Founded by Javi Infante Varas and Nayra Pacheco Guzman, RLJ is an immigrant women-led Language Justice enterprise that provides Spanish-English language interpretation services for many of CEC’s outreach materials, webinars, meetings, and more (including this spotlight!). With RLJ’s guidance, CEC is on a mission to deepen our commitment to Language Justice in all of our programs.

"Integrating language justice is crucial to the fight for environmental justice,” explain Javi and Nayra. “Providing language services such as translation and live interpretation for CEC’s events is one way we make this movement accessible to the communities most affected by climate change.  Language is not an impediment to deeply engaging in this work but rather an opportunity to expand & learn from everyone’s perspective & lived experiences, enriching our interconnected movements & struggles."

On its website, Rooted Language Justice explains the difference between Language Access, and Language Justice:

Language Access — The use of language assistance (i.e. interpretation and translation) so that people who speak non-dominant languages can have access to information, public services, and civic engagement.

Language Justice — The just systematic treatment of people from all linguistic communities and respect for fundamental language rights of all people through which no language dominates over the other.  

Both Javi and Nayra have played integral roles in Helping CEC develop thoughtful frameworks around both Language Access and Justice to guide our internal and external communication and outreach efforts. CEC is grateful for its partnership with RLJ, and excited about continuing to deepen our Language and Climate Justice work.