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2022 Session - Ep. 9, A Failure to Communicate

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A student learns Kinh, the official Vietnamese language.
Chau Doan
/
World Bank Photo Collection
A student learns Kinh, the official Vietnamese language.

Our state is home to quite a few under-served and underrepresented communities, like our 23 Indigenous tribes and our sizable immigrant communities. Their neighborhoods tend to not get the resources they need for infrastructure issues, or to fund the public services most of us take for granted. Perhaps the most basic need is the ability to communicate what our needs are. Today on #YNMG we’ll talk about language access. New Mexico does an OK job with Spanish speakers, but that leaves out so many people who need help and can’t overcome the communication barriers that keep them from aid.

Our guest today is Yasmin Khan, a reporter from KUNM radio who has dedicated much of her life to helping shine light on under-served communities. Earlier this week she hosted KUNM’s “Let’s Talk New Mexico'' where she talked to advocates for language accessibility and people who are suffering because of a lack of translation services. She’s also recently covered Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and basic income support for immigrant families. We’ll touch on all of these and some related bills moving around the legislature in today’s conversation.

KUNM and New Mexico PBS would like to thank the Thornburg Foundation for generously supporting the Your New Mexico Government project. Find more from us by following #YNMG on social media, and please subscribe to our podcast on iTunes or Spotify so you don’t miss an episode.

This time next week we’ll be wrapping up the legislative session, but we still have a bunch of great listening coming your way so stay with us.

If you have questions for us or our guests, or you want to point us toward something you think is important, email us at ynmg@kunm.org.

Legislation Discussed In This Episode:

  • HB 22 Limited English Access To State Programs
  • HB 213 Public Peace, Health, Safety & Welfare (Child Tax Credit)
  • SB 12 AG Office For Missing Indigenous Persons
  • SB 13 "Missing in New Mexico Event"
  • SM 18 Missing & Murdered Indigenous Women

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This public service is part of our Your New Mexico Government project, a collaboration between KUNM radio and New Mexico PBS. Support for public media provided by the Thornburg Foundation.

Kaveh Mowahed is a reporter with KUNM who follows government, public health and housing. Send story ideas to kaveh@kunm.org.
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