Language Justice & Access

The Cambodian Association of North Carolina (CANC) is dedicated to promoting Language Justice & Access to ensure that all members of our community can fully participate in civic and social life, regardless of their language proficiency. Our initiative focuses on breaking down language barriers and fostering an inclusive environment where everyone’s linguistic rights are respected.

Language Justice

Our language justice efforts are centered around recognizing and addressing the linguistic needs of the Cambodian community. We provide:

Translation Services: We offer translation of essential documents, forms, and informational materials into Khmer to ensure that community members have access to vital information in their native language.

Interpretation Services: During meetings, workshops, and community events, we provide interpretation services to facilitate clear communication between English and Khmer speakers.

Language Advocacy: We advocate for language rights by working with local government agencies, schools, and healthcare providers to ensure they offer language support services and respect the linguistic diversity of our community.

Access CANC?

To enhance access to information and services, we implement the following:

Bilingual Support Services: Our team provides bilingual assistance to help community members navigate various services, such as healthcare, legal aid, and government programs. This includes helping them fill out forms, understand procedures, and communicate with service providers.

Educational Programs: We offer English as a Second Language (ESL) classes to help community members improve their English proficiency while valuing and preserving their native Khmer language. Additionally, we provide Khmer literacy classes for those who wish to strengthen their skills in their mother tongue.

Multilingual Outreach: We create and distribute educational materials in multiple languages, including Khmer and English, to ensure important information reaches all community members. This includes flyers, brochures, social media content, and newsletters.

Community Empowerment

By addressing language barriers, we aim to empower our community members to engage more fully in their surroundings. Our efforts include:

Workshops and Training: We conduct workshops on various topics such as healthcare access, legal rights, and civic participation, ensuring that language is not a barrier to understanding and benefiting from these sessions.

Cultural Events: We organize cultural events that celebrate Cambodian heritage, providing a platform for community members to share their language and culture with others, fostering a sense of pride and unity.

Partnerships and Collaboration

We work closely with other organizations and stakeholders to amplify our efforts:

Local Collaborations: We partner with local non-profits, schools, and government agencies to expand language access services and advocate for the needs of the Cambodian-speaking population.

Resource Sharing: We share resources and best practices with other community organizations to strengthen language justice initiatives across the region.

Translation Services

Helping Cambodian-Americans translate documents and text.

Petition: Include Cambodian language for DMV exam and other occupational licensing in North Carolina

Presently in the State of North Carolina, there is a sizable and growing population of Cambodian Americans and immigrants. Due to our state’s growing economy, competitive tax codes, and living standards, each year more and more Cambodian-Americans and Cambodian immigrants are moving to our state.

These thousands of Cambodian-Americans are one of the hardest working groups of immigrant communities who are contributing to the state’s economy in the form of direct economic activities such as entrepreneurialism, as small and medium-sized business owners, as well as in the form of sales and property taxes to our state, cities, and towns.

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Language Justice & Access