Language Access is Social Justice: What Nonprofits Need to Know

Language should open doors, not build barriers. Yet, for many communities, the inability to communicate in a dominant language creates obstacles that can mean the difference between receiving life-saving services or being excluded entirely.

As our world becomes more diverse and interconnected, ensuring language access isn’t just a matter of convenience but equity, dignity, and social justice. Nonprofits play a vital role in bridging this gap by ensuring everyone has equal access to information and resources, regardless of language.

The Impact of Language Barriers on Marginalized Communities

Language barriers create real-world consequences that can limit access to vital services, civic participation, and justice. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, more than 25 million people in the United States have limited English proficiency (LEP).

These barriers can lead to:

• Denied or Delayed Services — People may be unable to complete application forms, understand medical instructions, or access social services, resulting in missed opportunities for care and support.
• Misinformation and Confusion ­— Without accurate, culturally sensitive translations, people may misunderstand crucial information related to health, legal rights, or educational access, often with serious consequences.
• Exclusion from Civic Engagement — From voting to community organizing, those who don’t speak the dominant language fluently are often excluded from participating in democracy and shaping the policies that affect their lives.

Pro Tip: Survey your community to discover which languages they speak and prefer.

Language barriers can also impact employment, climate/disaster response, and housing assistance. For example, a non-English speaker might struggle to understand safety instructions during a disaster, increasing their risk. In the job market, language barriers can limit opportunities and perpetuate economic inequality. When nonprofits don’t prioritize language accessibility, they may unintentionally reinforce the inequities they seek to address.

The Ethical Responsibility of Nonprofits

Nonprofits exist to serve the public good. That mission ensures that programs, services, and advocacy efforts are inclusive, equitable, and accessible.

Ethical considerations for language access include:

• Equity and Inclusion — Multilingual resources level the playing field, ensuring everyone can access essential services regardless of their language background.
• Building Trust and Engagement — Providing services in multiple languages shows respect and builds lasting relationships with diverse communities.
• Advocating for Systemic Change — Nonprofits can drive public policy by pushing for language accessibility in education, healthcare, legal systems, and beyond.
• Compliance with Legal Standards — In the U.S., federal law (e.g., Title VI of the Civil Rights Act) requires organizations that receive government funding to provide language access and prevent discrimination.

Pro Tip: Budget for translation and interpretation services every fiscal year.

Language Access vs. Language Justice

Language access refers to providing tools like translated documents and interpreters so people can understand and communicate essential information. Language justice goes further. It recognizes language as a source of power, identity, and agency, and promotes the right to communicate in one’s preferred language. Language justice seeks to dismantle structures that elevate some languages while marginalizing others.

Here’s the difference in action:

Language access might mean offering translated forms at a clinic.

Language justice means hiring bilingual staff and designing the system so patients can advocate for themselves in their language.

It also includes sign language interpretation, captioning, and accessibility for people with disabilities so that no one is left out.

Pro Tip: Offer language preference options on your intake and contact forms.

Steps Nonprofits Can Take to Ensure Language Access

1. Assess Language Needs — Identify the primary languages spoken by your community and prioritize accordingly. Don’t guess—ask.
2. Invest in Professional Translation and Interpretation — Use trained, culturally competent professionals. Avoid relying on volunteers or machine translation alone.
3. Create Multilingual Digital Content — Ensure websites, social media, and outreach materials are available in the languages your audience speaks and understands.
4. Train Staff and Volunteers — Offer ongoing training in cultural awareness and inclusive communication strategies.
5. Partner with Community Organizations — Collaborate with grassroots groups already serving multilingual populations to build trust and expand your reach.

Pro Tip: Ensure digital content is mobile-friendly in all languages to make it accessible to a wider audience, especially in communities that primarily access information via smartphones.

Whose Voices Are We Not Hearing?

Language access is not a bonus feature of inclusive work, it’s the foundation. For nonprofits committed to justice, equity, and community empowerment, prioritizing translation, interpretation, and inclusive communication is non-negotiable.

The real question isn’t if you should invest in language access—it’s how soon can you start?

We create stronger, more connected, and more just communities by removing language barriers.

Did You Know?: The INS Group provides language translation and interpretation services in Spanish, French, Tagalog, Russian, Arabic, Burmese, Karen, and more.