by Cynthia Richie Terrell and Alex-Michelle Parr

There is a common misconception that English is the national language of the United States, when in fact, the U.S. has no official language at the federal level. And, although English remains the de facto language of the U.S., more than 350 languages are spoken across the country with roughly 91 million people speaking a language other than English at home. 

Despite the linguistic diversity that exists in the United States, language comprehension continues to be a structural barrier for many individuals—especially when it comes to voter education materials, electoral reform information, and candidate recruitment and training. With such a large percentage of our population having a native language other than English, many people remain at a disadvantage when it comes to understanding pertinent voting information, resources about running for office, and policy proposals that advance women’s representation and leadership.

For 15 years, "Know Your Value," my platform with NBC, has been committed to pay equity and equal representation. And it was my own personal story that led to my first book, “Know Your Value,” which is the foundation for the KYV platform. I teach women and minorities the part of the equation that they can control, which is based on effective communication and authenticity. Back in 2011 when I first wrote “Know Your Value” I could not believe that I would tell the story of my own pay equity issues at MSNBC and have it published with their endorsement. But this is who we are. As far as we’ve come over the past 25 years, I know there is a long road ahead for true equity across business, politics, education, and all facets of life.

Hello! My name is Sahana Raju and I’m originally from St. Louis, Missouri. I’ve always been interested in Government & International Relations which led me to Washington D.C. and The George Washington University! I’m now a senior studying International Development at The Elliott School of International Affairs.

My name is Victoria Owusu Ansah, and I was born and raised in France, but my motherland is Ghana, West Africa. I graduated in 2020 with a Bachelor’s in International Development and a minor in Political Science from McGill University. In college, I explored different fields of interest such as international labor rights, Artificial Intelligence, and peacebuilding tactics. Subsequently, I have always tried to discuss these issues through diverse lenses such as gender, socioeconomic background, or race. Intersectionality has been a constant theme during my college research. It has allowed me to create more comprehensive and inclusive work and I hope to continue using it throughout my career.

Hello! My name is Tiffany Kumar and I am honored and excited to be joining RepresentWomen this summer as a Research Intern. This coming fall, I will be a sophomore at Cornell University and majoring in industrial and labor relations while pursuing a double minor in Arab studies and women’s, gender, and sexuality studies through the university’s guaranteed transfer program. This program afforded me the opportunity to complete my Freshman year at a university of my choice; thus, I spent the last year attending American University’s School of Public Affairs.

My name is Silver Byrd and I live in San Jose, California. I am an International Research Intern for RepresentWomen. I am currently completing my B.A. in Politics & International Affairs and Anthropology at Wake Forest University. After completing my bachelors, I hope to pursue a master’s degree in International Studies, followed by a JD in International Law.

Hi! My name is Paige Chan, and I am a Research Intern at RepresentWomen. I recently graduated summa cum laude from Rutgers University - New Brunswick with a double degree in Political Science and Philosophy. Growing up, I always knew I wanted to work in politics, but I was confused about how exactly to apply myself outside of the stereotypical working on a campaign or as a representative. It was at Rutgers University that I discovered that research was a career pathway that satisfied both my desire to make a difference and my personal strengths.