Their dream of passing a bill to improve access to state services for Texans who don’t speak English or Spanish was dashed. Woori Juntos activists fought until the end seeking at least a study of their ideas.
Asking to be Heard
A Houston community group has a straightforward, solvable problem — Korean-speaking people face daunting language barriers trying to interact with Texas government. This year, the staff of Woori Juntos is asking state lawmakers to knock down language barriers that may impede hundreds of thousands of Texans, many part of the state’s fast-growing Asian populations, from getting the help and services to which they are entitled. When the people ask, will the Legislature listen? These stories follow that quest.
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Asking to be Heard
After months of struggle, Korean language access advocates find their voice at a legislative hearing
In a key step on their quest to make state services more easily available to non-English speakers, advocates from Houston’s Woori Juntos community group testified before a panel of lawmakers.
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Asking to be Heard
As the legislative clock ticks, Houston language advocates angle for a committee hearing
The window is closing for Woori Juntos in its pursuit of legislation to improve language access to state health programs.
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Asking to be Heard
Houston language advocates race to keep their one small request from disappearing in Capitol bedlam
Woori Juntos began the legislative session hoping to win over a majority of legislators to their cause — making it easier for Texans who speak no or limited English to communicate with state agencies and access crucial services. First, they needed a lawmaker to file their bill.
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Asking to be Heard
At a Korean community center in Houston, the struggle immigrant Texans face with language barriers is clear
Texas largely conducts its state business in English and Spanish. It falls to interpreters like Terry Yun to help people scale the wall dividing them from crucial government services.
