MOIA Commissioner Details Language Access Coordination and In-House Translation
MOIA Commissioner Faiza Ali discusses MOIA's role in monitoring language access compliance across 46 city agencies and highlights the work of the in-house language services team.
I also wanted to provide an update on Moya's language access work, an area that impacts nearly every aspect of city government.
Moya oversees and monitors and provides technical assistance to more than 46 city agencies in implementing language access services.
Language justice is not simply a compliance obligation.
It is a core equity and public trust issue.
New Yorkers cannot fully access critical services or exercise their rights or meaningfully engage with city government if language remains a barrier to information, to care or participation.
This work impacts approximately 1.8 million New Yorkers with limited English proficiency and is essential to ensuring equitable access to city services.
On April 17th, Moya convened all of the city's language access coordinators for a historic citywide meeting and launched working groups focused on strengthening relationships and with language service providers, multilingual strategic communication and engagement, bilingual talent and language access training, as well as language access and data and evaluation.
In addition, Moya has built an in-house language services team that provides translation and interpretation support to mayoral offices and city hall.
Thus far in FY26, the team has delivered translation and interpretation services to 37 mayoral offices and agencies.
The LS team has also provided on-site language support at migrant centers and played a critical role in rapidly translating updated shelter protocol for recent arrivals.