Dear MLOV family,

Thank you for your ongoing support of MLOV! I am immensely thankful for the staff, volunteers, community members, and supporters like you who have been integral to our growth.

Over the last two years, our youth programs have expanded, we are making great strides for language justice in DC through the DC Language Access Coalition (DCLAC), and we launched our new digital literacy program and new parent leadership program. We also opened a second office location in Petworth! We couldn't have done this without your unwavering support.

I am confident that our strong team, community, and supporters will allow us to face any attacks against our immigrant communities. We will work together to center and defend immigrant communities.

Thank you for being part of the MLOV journey! If you want to get more involved or reacquainted with our work, please view this page on volunteer opportunities or reach out to me at hiram@mlovdc.org!

–Hiram

DCLAC Meeting Tomorrow, Nov. 26!

Now is a critical time to advocate for stronger inclusion and language access for all DC residents.

Join us for our next DC Language Access Coalition on Tuesday, Nov. 26 at 10:00 a.m. on Zoom!

Contact Nancy, our Director of Advocacy, to register at nancy@mlovdc.org or 202-820-3418.

Election Season Recap

This election season, MLOV launched a new Civics for All program, conducted get out the vote outreach, and participated in the Paid Leave for All Day of Action. We were able to re-engage with 300 voters over two days!

We concluded with a watch party on election night. Although the election results may have stirred a range of emotions, our work and commitment to empowering the immigrant community in the D.C. area becomes even more important.

Read our post-election statement here and learn more about the Civics For All program in our blog!

Digital Literacy Program

With the support from UnidosUS, last fall we launched our new Digital Literacy Program. Since then, we have enrolled over 80 participants, making significant strides towards bridging the digital divide in DC.

Not only have participants gained digital skills, but they have also built a community with each other and can use the skills for applying for jobs, accessing information online, and connecting with loved ones.

Read our blog recap about what skills participants learned in the program!

Youth Program Updates

Since January 2023, we have enrolled over 110 students in our after-school program. Additionally, we have begun our Immigrant Youth Mentorship Program which provides support and guidance to immigrant youth ages 15-24 as they navigate their new communities and pursue academic and professional success.

Youth Summer Program

We held a 5-week program where more than 50 middle and high school students learned the basics of community organizing, focus on life skills for their futures, grow in their cultural and immigrant identities, and gain confidence in their leadership abilities.

Thank you for your support of this program!

DCLAC Update

We have been spearheading the DC Language Access Coalition, driving progress through monthly meetings, membership expansion, and advocating for the 2024 Language Access Enforcement Amendment. We crafted a proposal memo for the amendment and shared it with the offices of many council members. Additionally, MLOV coordinated DCLAC's advocacy day with over 10 testimonies in support of the amendment at the Office of Human Rights Performance Oversight Hearings. We hosted DCLAC’s first in-person meeting in over four years at our Georgia Ave Offices which marked a milestone in our ongoing advocacy, with plans to amplify our efforts moving forward.

Workers’ Rights

Thanks to our generous donors, MLOV continues its impactful work educating members on workers' rights. Recent achievements include:

Trained 300+ workers through Know Your Rights sessions
Trained 15 domestic workers as community leaders through our inaugural in-person training
Distributed over 6,000 flyers around the city

We continue to engage immigrant workers through advocacy opportunities, training, and community outreach. We're excited to empower more through upcoming training sessions and advocacy efforts.

Youth Leader Spotlight: Verenize

We’re so proud of our student Verenize who was recently spotlighted for being part of the DC Office of Human Rights Youth Human Rights Ambassador Program! Verenize is a bright example of how our programming is building up youth leadership in the city.

What inspired you to apply for the OHR Youth Human Rights Ambassador Program, and how did you first learn about it? “I was working as a Peer Assistant at Many Languages One Voice (MLOV), a nonprofit that empowers immigrants in the District. During one of the summer projects, I was involved in advocating for better language assistance in law enforcement for Limited or Non-English-Proficient immigrants. This work had a profound impact on me, and one of my mentors at MLOV introduced me to the OHR Youth Human Rights Ambassador Program. Since OHR leads language access efforts in DC and has programs that align with my interests and values, it felt like a perfect opportunity.”

Read her full spotlight here.

Parent Engagement Program

We launched our Parent Engagement Program which will help parents obtain the tools, resources, and additional knowledge to support their children’s education, and together advocate for increased resources for immigrant youth in DC schools.

Through this 8-week program, caregivers of middle school and high school youth learn about the U.S. Education system, options for post-secondary education, advocacy strategies, socio-emotional development, and strategies for supporting their children's education journey. Most participants are caregivers of youth that are enrolled in our youth programming.