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City equity manager pitches bilingual ‘community connectors’ to broaden Madison outreach
Summary
Christy Kumar, the city’s equity and social justice manager, told the Common Council Executive Committee that Madison’s Community Connector program leverages bilingual local media, WeChat groups and in-person trusted messengers to reach Spanish, Mong/Mung and Chinese speakers and to surface policy input beyond translated documents.
Christy Kumar, the city’s equity and social justice manager and language-access manager, told the Madison Common Council Executive Committee on June 23 that the City’s Language Access Program is intended not only to translate documents but to create meaningful two-way access that informs city decision-making.
Kumar, speaking during consideration of legislative item 93623, described a three-language Community Connector model focused on Spanish, Mong/Mung and Chinese speakers. She said the program hires bilingual connectors who use culturally relevant platforms — local Spanish radio segments with Facebook Live interaction, Chinese-language WeChat groups and a city sub‑YouTube show, and Mong/Mung radio and Facebook outreach — to relay service information and gather community feedback.
“Kumar said the goal is to create access so residents, community members and visitors can meaningfully engage with city programs and inform public decision making,” an excerpt of her remarks showed. She emphasized that “it’s not just about translating a document,” but about designing outreach that meets community members where they already interact.
Kumar gave examples of connector‑led outreach that city staff have used: a Spanish radio segment hosted by connector Enosh Malarejo, which is broadcast with Facebook Live and averages roughly 1,400 live views per episode; Chinese-language posting through WeChat groups that reach more than 1,000 users; and a Mong/Mung connector who organized a bus “field trip” led in-language that enabled elders who had avoided transit to try Metro in a low‑stress setting. She said a connector’s radio appearance also led a fire department outreach request at a mobile home park, underscoring the connectors’ ability to accelerate emergency communications.
Kumar advised alders to involve connectors early when designing engagement and surveys. She recommended in‑language online surveys distributed through connectors’ channels to reduce burdens — child care, safety concerns and travel — that can prevent people from attending in-person meetings. On existing supports, she reminded the committee that the Department of Civil Rights pays for a language line interpreters service available to alders through a two‑digit agency code and a departmental client ID.
During question-and-answer, Kumar said the 2018 language access plan is being updated for 2026 using ACS data and call‑utilization metrics; she named Spanish, Mong/Mung and Chinese as the top three communities by need, and confirmed that American Sign Language is among the most requested interpretation services after those languages. She also said the department can make connector-produced materials available in the three target languages upon request.
The presentation concluded with Kumar offering to provide hyperlinks and materials to the committee for distribution and to coordinate with alders who wish to partner with connectors on specific outreach efforts.
What’s next: Kumar asked alders to reach out early when planning engagement so connectors can help design outreach that lowers barriers to participation and surfaces community input for policy decisions.
