PUBLIC TESTIMONY
Testimony by Ana Juarez on Language Access Services
3:18:01
·
134 sec
Ana Juarez, an immigrant from Mexico, testified about the importance of language access services, particularly in healthcare settings. She shared her personal experience of using translation services while her son was receiving treatment for leukemia, emphasizing how crucial these services are for communicating with doctors and understanding medical instructions.
- Juarez highlighted that language access is vital for immigrants seeking medical attention, as fear of language barriers can prevent them from seeking care.
- She stressed the importance of translation services in schools and other city agencies, noting that New York City is home to people of many nationalities.
- Juarez concluded by requesting increased funding to expand language services in New York City agencies.
Ana Juarez
3:18:01
My name is Ana Juarez.
3:18:02
I'm an immigrant from Mexico and the community bear fruit in bearish community.
3:18:07
There's a lot of things I saw such as my son being in medical treatment.
3:18:12
He has leukemia, blood cancer.
3:18:16
Many times I had to use the translating services be it physically or online.
3:18:23
Thanks to local law 30, I had the opportunity to get help with public agencies and receive the needed attention to take care of my son.
3:18:31
I saw that it's very necessary to have translation for people who do not understand the language to be able to communicate with the doctors that help their children, their sick children, be it little ones or teenagers, also for family members who are taking care of an adult who is sick.
3:18:49
The translation service is very important for people because their treatment depends on the guidance of the doctor for the parents or for themselves.
3:18:59
Because this is a life or death situation, the guidance they give such as how to use medication, what to do with the child with cancer, and shows fever, how to go to the ER quickly without waiting, and that could cause their life.
3:19:16
It's also necessary to have translation services for people who come from other countries looking for a better life in this country, who feel that that's their salvation in life.
3:19:26
And those who come to work and give back to the economy.
3:19:30
Many are not looking for medical attention because they're afraid of not finding anyone who understands their language or simply they don't find a translation service.
3:19:40
Transation services are very important for all of us who live in this city and for schools.
3:19:46
The city is formed by many people of many different nationalities.
3:19:51
It's also a job So it's also something that supports a family to have translation be it physically or online or on telephone.
3:20:04
That's why a day like today as an immigrant as a mother and as a New Yorker, I ask that you please give more funding to have more languages in the agencies of the city of New York.
3:20:14
Thank you very much.
