Commission data committee begins partner outreach, highlights 2-1-1 resource and translation gaps

Members of the Asian Affairs Commission’s data and research committee outlined early findings from partner conversations and said the group will continue compiling a community resource guide and partner map.

A committee representative described starting outreach with local organizations and noted a conversation with Wes Mitchell, executive director of 2-1-1 Eastern Oklahoma. “If you don't know what 2-1-1 is, it's like 911, but not for an emergency,” the representative said, adding the service maintains roughly 9,000 listings and updates them annually; committee members reported staff told them the database is about 85% accurate.

The committee said 2-1-1 provides translation services for most languages needed by Tulsa’s communities but that Marshallese and Chuukese remain gaps. Committee members reported 2-1-1 recorded about 250,000 calls last year; it does not routinely collect caller demographic data unless translation is requested. Committee members said calls in Asian languages were comparatively low in the sample cited: 854 calls in Spanish and fewer than 10 in Asian languages during the reviewed period.

The committee said it plans to continue structured interviews with community partners to document services, identify underutilized resources, and recommend areas where the commission can elevate needs (for example, translation support when agencies request it). The committee invited other commissioners to join the outreach; staff indicated the process uses a conversation guide and templates to keep interviews consistent.

What happens next: the committee will continue partner interviews, refine its resource guide approach, and coordinate with other commissions and community groups to publicize existing resources.