Language is a Human Right, Not a Service

Language sovereignty is a fundamental human rights issue for Indigenous migrant communities. A cornerstone of CIELO’s work is the training and development of indigenous language interpreters to act as cultural mediators in a context dominated by a Western mindset.

Odilia Romero is the co-founder and executive director of Comunidades Indígenas en Liderazgo (CIELO). She is also an independent interpreter of Zapotec, Spanish, and English for indigenous communities in Los Angeles and throughout California. Organizing indigenous migrant communities has been a part of her work for over a decade. Among her numerous academic publications, awards, and lectures, she has been a guest lecturer at John Hopkins University, USC, and UCLA. Ms. Romero has published on the challenges of organizing indigenous communities, developing women’s leadership, and preserving the culture of indigenous communities. She has also been featured in the Los Angeles Times, the New York Times, Vogue, TIME, and Democracy Now!