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:

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.

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. Our biggest project, is the translation of the entire DMV Handbook into Khmer which we have used to create a weekly driver’s education and safety class.

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

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 a weekly Driver’s Education class in Khmer, and have successfully helped over 15 students obtained their permits and licenses after graduating our class.

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.

Cambodian Association of North Carolina was recognized by the City of Greensboro as one of the key-players and non-profits making a difference in Language Access. We were invited to the annual Language Access Appreciation Breakfast for 2025.

DMV handbook Translation

North Carolina became the 4th State in the US to have a fully translated Driver’s Manual handbook. It may be the first to have the project initiated and funded by the community itself.

Our work have received endorsements and support from local and county government agencies such as Guilford County Sheriff Departments, Greensboro Police Department, City of Greensboro, and Guilford County Commissioner Frankie Jones.

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