Episode 23: Linguistic Agency and Language Access in Education

In this conversation, I had the privilege to speak with Nadia Romanazzi, Director of Legal Education and Policy at Massachusetts Appleseed Center for Law and Justice. She discusses her journey into education justice, focusing on language access and the impact of language barriers on families' ability to advocate for their children. She speaks on how her journey into education justice was influenced by her teachers and mentors, and how advocacy can take many forms, including legislation and community education. It's crucial for individuals to be informed of their rights, especially in education. She emphasizes the challenges faced by non-English speaking families, and the misconceptions surrounding education justice. Nadia stresses the need for qualified interpreters and the importance of recognizing the agency of marginalized communities. Despite the challenges, she finds hope in the dedication of her colleagues and the small victories achieved in advocacy work. Thank you so much, Nadia!