{"id":39010,"date":"2025-12-09T17:44:11","date_gmt":"2025-12-09T17:44:11","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.vosa.tv\/eng\/?p=39010"},"modified":"2025-12-10T14:13:56","modified_gmt":"2025-12-10T14:13:56","slug":"mayor-adams-issues-directive-to-city-agencies-to-identify-ways-to-improve-communications-with-non-english-speaking-new-yorkers-by-using-language-technologies","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.vosa.tv\/eng\/archives\/39010","title":{"rendered":"Mayor Adams issues directive to city agencies to identify ways to improve communications with non-english speaking New Yorkers by using language technologies"},"content":{"rendered":"

NEWYORK: New York City Mayor Eric Adams issued a directive to city agencies to evaluate how they can further incorporate language technologies into their day-to-day interactions with the public to improve communications with all New Yorkers, including non-English speaking communities.<\/strong><\/p>\n

To start, the city is planning to install language apps on all city-owned smart devices \u2014 more than 100,000 in total \u2014 to make city services more accessible to New Yorkers as part of the City of New York\u2019s push to become the most language-friendly city on the globe.<\/p>\n

The New York City Office of Technology and Innovation (OTI) will provide support to city agencies to facilitate downloads and usage of tools like Google Translate and Apple\u2019s built-in Translate app, while continuing to evaluate advances in technology to ensure effective, safe, and quality communications.<\/p>\n

Additionally, the New York City Police Department (NYPD) will immediately begin using language technology to communicate with New Yorkers they interact with on a day-to-day basis, while New York City Public Schools has begun development on Hello, a new app to help bridge language gaps that will be rolled out in the spring of 2026.<\/p>\n

In order to reach New Yorkers in the languages they speak, NYC311 already provides interpretation services in over 175 languages. Residents can text 311 at 311-692 to receive help through translation services. In 2024, these language resources were used in more than 320,000 customer interactions across 104 languages.<\/p>\n

Additionally, MyCity, which connects New Yorkers to city services and benefits, is available in the city\u2019s 10 most common languages.<\/p>\n

\u201cFrom the very start, our administration has continually expanded our use of technology to keep New Yorkers safer, stronger, and more informed, but to be a more inclusive and accessible city, we must also be the most language-friendly city on the globe,\u201d said Mayor Adams.<\/p>\n

\u201cToday, we are taking another step forward by expanding the use of language technology to improve communications with all New Yorkers, no matter what language they speak. This is a global city, where you can hear over 175 languages spoken on every street, every store, and every stoop. That is why we are issuing a directive to our city agencies that will make it possible to expand the use of language apps in their work. The city will kickstart this process by ensuring every city-owned smart device has language apps, like Google Translate, available at their fingertips. Additionally, the NYPD is updating its Patrol Guide Policy to allow officers to use translation apps while interacting with the public, and, in our school system, we will begin developing a new custom app to bridge language gaps in school communities. Today\u2019s announcement further builds on the work we have done to improve service delivery and make New York City government more inclusive and accessible because when we embrace technology, we are able to deliver every part of our vision more effectively \u2014 making our city safer, more affordable, and the best place to raise a family.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cOur administration has made it clear that we need to use every tool we have to meet New Yorkers wherever they are; for me, that mission has always been personal. Growing up in a community full of immigrants, like my own, I learned first-hand how important it is for government to speak to every person, with every tool, in every language. But, too often, language and cultural barriers have made it hard for our city\u2019s residents to understand what\u2019s happening in their neighborhood, to learn what resources are available, and to know where to turn for help in a crisis,\u201d said Deputy Mayor for Communications Fabien Levy.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe Adams administration is changing that by being laser-focused on speaking to all New Yorkers. With this new directive, we will double down on that mission by giving our agencies new tools to meet New Yorkers where they are, deliver the information they need, and help our city government connect with every New Yorker, regardless of their background or the language they speak as we make it easier to live, work, and raise a family in the greatest city in the world.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThe Adams administration has ushered New York City into the 21st century with bold technology strategies that make city services and benefits more accessible to all New Yorkers,\u201d said\u202fNew York City Chief Technology Officer (CTO) Matthew C. Fraser.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe announcement builds upon the mayor’s forward-thinking efforts to deploy technology in fresh ways to remove barriers to government resources for those who need them most. By putting language technologies at the fingertips of more than 100,000 public sector workers, the city is significantly expanding its ability to deliver the services and support that non-English speaking New Yorkers deserve. That is a success in any language.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cLanguage should never be a barrier to safety or access to city services,\u201d said New York City Department of Citywide Administrative Services (DCAS) Commissioner Louis A. Molina.<\/p>\n

\u201cBy equipping city-owned smart devices with language technology, we can help ensure that the public servants who keep New York City running can communicate more clearly with the New Yorkers they serve. At DCAS, we value equity\u202fand inclusion for all, and we\u2019re proud to support\u202four agency partners in making the city more accessible to every community.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cClear communication is essential to public safety,\u201d said NYPD Commissioner Jessica Tisch.<\/p>\n

\u201cOur officers interact with New Yorkers who speak dozens of different languages, often in situations where time and understanding matter. Expanding access to real-time translation tools helps officers communicate more clearly, respond more effectively, and better serve the people who need help. I thank Mayor Adams for supporting this update and ensuring that our officers have practical tools that make interactions safer for everyone involved.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cEvery day our schools work hand-in-hand with families to provide a world-class education and critical supports for our students,\u201d said New York City Public Schools Chancellor Melissa Aviles-Ramos.<\/p>\n

\u201cParents and families are our first partners in the success of our youngest New Yorkers, so it is essential that we have effective, efficient, and robust communication pathways between families and our schools. When our educators and school leaders work in close partnership with our families, our students thrive.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAs the office responsible for overseeing language access citywide, we are committed to finding new and better ways to communicate\u202feffectively and responsibly with immigrant communities, including the\u202f2 million New Yorkers with limited English proficiency,\u201d said New York City Mayor\u2019s Office of Immigrant Affairs Commissioner Manuel Castro.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe\u202fare\u202fproud\u202fof the progress we\u2019ve made over the last four years, including significantly growing our internal capabilities and our\u202fpartnership with over 40 city agencies and more than 30 mayoral offices to advance language access implementation across New York City.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

NEWYORK: New York City Mayor Eric Adams issued a directive to city agencies to evaluate how they can further incorporate language technologies into their day-to-day interactions with the public to improve communications with all New Yorkers, including non-English speaking communities. To start, the city is planning to install language apps on all city-owned smart devices […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":5,"featured_media":39015,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1469,31,1378],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-39010","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-new-york","category-news","category-us"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.vosa.tv\/eng\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/39010","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.vosa.tv\/eng\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.vosa.tv\/eng\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.vosa.tv\/eng\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/5"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.vosa.tv\/eng\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=39010"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/www.vosa.tv\/eng\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/39010\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":39011,"href":"https:\/\/www.vosa.tv\/eng\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/39010\/revisions\/39011"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.vosa.tv\/eng\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/39015"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.vosa.tv\/eng\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=39010"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.vosa.tv\/eng\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=39010"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.vosa.tv\/eng\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=39010"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}