New Orleans Expands Access with Citywide Language Translation Initiative

Building Equity Through Real-Time Translation and Data-Driven Policy

New Orleans has joined a growing number of cities integrating Pocketalk into public service delivery. With 150 available Pocketalk devices distributed across departments, the city is helping bridge communication gaps and ensure every resident and visitor can engage with the community, regardless of the language they speak.

The Mayor’s Office of Human Rights and Equity learned about cities using Pocketalk through use in cities like Seattle, Washington and the Municipal Language Access Network (MLAN), a coalition of government workers who support one another’s language access efforts and share experiences, best practices, information and resources, including services organizations have used, such as Pocketalk.

To evaluate the solution’s impact, the city launched a pilot program focused on departments with direct public contact. Pocketalk’s ability to translate more than 92 languages in real time using a single device offered a cost-effective way to meet communication needs, even in the face of budget uncertainty.

Language Access Rooted in Culture and Community

New Orleans is known for its cultural vibrancy and global reach. The most commonly spoken languages in the area include Spanish, Vietnamese, Haitian Creole, Mandarin, and German, reflecting both a diverse resident base and a tourism industry that draws millions of international visitors. However, official census data does not always reflect the full scope of linguistic diversity. Many languages are not tracked, but the community has made its needs clear.

“It’s been surprising to see what languages are being used,” said Shakira Gonzalez, Equity & Inclusion Program Manager, Office of Human Rights & Equity.

This demand for language access has been building for years. Hurricane Katrina underscored how dangerous language barriers can be during a crisis. Since then, both residents and frontline staff have advocated for better solutions. The Office of Human Rights and Equity was established in 2019 by Mayor LaToya Cantrell via executive order. When ARPA funding became available, it was the community that rallied together and pushed for those dollars to be dedicated to language access. Their advocacy led to the creation of the Language and Communication Access Pilot Program and helped build the city’s language and communication access infrastructure.

Practical Tools with Long-Term Value

The pilot prioritized departments with high public interaction, such as libraries, emergency services, and public health. The public library system quickly became one of the most engaged adopters, since libraries serve as trusted, accessible hubs where residents go for events, community resources, and local services. These spaces are viewed as the heartbeat of the city.

About one-fifth of the city’s Pocketalk devices are now in active use across the library system, helping ensure language is never a barrier to participation. Gonzalez said Pocketalk devices can be explained in under five minutes at pickup, and with the help of the quick guides, adoption has been simple. “The Pocketalks have been a hit,” she said. “People really like how small, compact, and easy to carry they are.”

The New Orleans Health Department has found strong value in using Pocketalk during community outreach efforts, including pop-up vaccine events, where quick, accurate communication helps staff engage residents more effectively. For teams working with vulnerable populations, the ability to provide translation without a third-party interpreter offers increased privacy and dignity. And because the technology meets HIPAA standards, both staff and residents feel safer discussing sensitive topics.

Language access also supports civic participation. Residents use Pocketalk at public offices and community events. Each new use case helps normalize language equity and increases visibility into the city’s diverse linguistic landscape. The more the community used the devices, the more languages Gonzalez and the City saw appear in the data.

Measurable Growth That Tells a Story

To support adoption, the city uses Pocketalk’s Ventana platform as a digital hub where staff can learn about the devices, access resources and request checkouts. Ventana tracks usage and helps demonstrate impact to city leadership. Through the platform, the team monitors key metrics such as which languages are used and how often. They can bring that data to the city council and other decision-makers to show the real need. Because everything is centralized and easy to interpret, it is simpler to make their case. The data also provides a clearer picture of the community’s needs.

Kahlida Lloyd, director of the Mayor’s Office of Human Rights and Equity, said Ventana has been especially helpful because it lets them pull clear reports and present how often the devices are used, which streamlines their case for language access. She said it has also been eye-opening to see language trends emerge when multiple departments are out in the community at the same time.

Usage data has shown strong growth. In the first month of their Pocketalk program, only four devices were checked out, with eight recorded uses. By the second month, the number rose to 17 devices and 204 uses, and by the third, more than 60 devices were in circulation, indicating growing comfort and demand across departments.

Pocketalk is no longer a novelty. It is becoming a standard tool in the city’s broader effort to build equity into public services. Staff sometimes compare its ease of use to translation apps, but the priority is ensuring language is never a barrier to health, safety or civic participation. That requires accuracy, privacy protection and strong security and compliance standards, only Pocketalk can provide.

Language Access as a Habit, Not a Trend

The initiative is transforming how departments approach accessibility. Language access is now seen as a habit that needs to be built, both within city agencies and across the community. In the past, many departments lacked the resources for language services, which led some residents to assume interpretation would not be available and stay away from public events.

That mindset is beginning to shift. New Orleans is committed to making language support a consistent part of how the city serves its people. By building daily habits around access and raising awareness that these services exist, the city is creating a shared expectation of safe, accurate, and immediate communication.

This shift is not just practical; it is energizing. Staff describe a renewed sense of momentum around inclusion efforts. Kahlida Lloyd, director of the Mayor’s Office of Human Rights and Equity, said, “Some of our staff who don’t speak other languages hesitated when interacting with residents because they worried about being understood. Now they feel confident using Pocketalk to connect with people and provide the support they deserve. Our Crescent City ID team brings Pocketalk devices to distribution events, which helps them communicate with residents more comfortably and effectively.” The introduction of these tools is doing more than improving communication. It is helping set a new expectation for what equitable, resident-centered service can look like.