The National Language Service Corps Salutes its Membership

Having a diverse membership with varying professional skill sets and backgrounds proves to be an asset to the National Language Service Corps (NLSC). With approximately 4,300 Members representing 287 languages, the NLSC continues to proactively manage its current membership. Hosting Regional Member Meet & Greets is one component of the NLSC’s Member management.

Over the past few months, the NLSC hosted Meet & Greets in New York, NY, Seattle, WA, Chicago, IL, Minneapolis, MN, and Omaha, NE. Regional Meet & Greets provide attendees the opportunity to share their cultural background, network with one another, and receive NLSC program updates. Member’s languages represented over the past few events have included Burmese, Korean, Chinese, Tamil, Arabic, Hausa, and Portuguese; there are just as many cultures represented as well. At an event in Seattle, WA on April 19th, one Member presented a native Cameroonian garb and highlighted the social hierarchy represented by the culture’s clothing; in Chicago, IL on April 26th, another wore traditional clothing from India known as a dhoti—an eight foot cloth worn as a skirt. Each engaging event presented an opportunity for Members who have participated on NLSC assignments to speak to their experiences. More importantly, Meet & Greets offer the NLSC a face-to-face opportunity to thank those Members who graciously volunteer to be on-call for a potential NLSC assignment.

Around this time of the year, when volunteers around the world are being recognized, the NLSC would like to distinguish its Members who are integral to the government’s way ahead in recognizing not only the language capacity need in the US Federal Government, but also their willingness to provide persons with Limited English Proficiency access to government services. The NLSC salutes you.