“I Speak” Buttons Get People Talking

Communicating in various languages at CLT has gotten easier with the roll out of “I speak” buttons.

The yellow buttons with black lettering are worn by multi-lingual Aviation Department and CLT partner employees. "They are wearing the buttons for passengers to easily pinpoint someone who can more effectively communicate with them in the language of their choice,” Accessibility & Equity Specialist Alyssa Evans said.

The Airport’s Accessibility & Equity team annually conducts questionnaires to gauge CLT partners and staff about any resources they may be using and recommendations to help address any needs at the Airport. The most recent questionnaire showed a gap in communication with customers who spoke different languages. “We have many people at CLT who speak different languages, but a lot of customers were using their family members and friends to translate for them,” Evans said.

The “I speak” buttons, which were first distributed in July, come in 29 different languages and read ‘I speak’ in whichever language the employee wearing them is fluent in. Those who speak multiple languages can be seen wearing multiple buttons.

The languages currently included on the buttons are: Albanian, Amharic, Arabic, Armenian, Chuukese, Farsi, Filipino, French, German, Gujarati, Haitian Creole, Hausa, Hindi, Ilocano, Italian, Japanese, Khmer, Korean, Malayalam, Mandarin, Pashto, Brazilian Portuguese, Portugal Portuguese, Romanian, Russian, Spanish, Tagalog, Tigrinya and Vietnamese.

“We want to improve the customer experience among all of our customers. I hope passengers will spot the buttons and see we are an inclusive airport that strives to make sure we can help them no matter what language they may speak,” ADA & Title VI Coordinator Ivy Williams said. Currently, 949 buttons have been distributed among different Aviation Department groups and partners. “Right now, we’re just trying to get the word out,” Williams added.

Parking & Ground Transportation Sr. Data Analyst Helen Pan proudly wears her button that says she speaks Mandarin. “I was born and raised in China, and Mandarin is my native language,” Pan said. “I saw the buttons as an opportunity to use my language to help passengers."

She received her button this summer and has noticed the difference it has made in passenger engagement. “While taking photos in the terminal, a gentleman traveling for business saw the button and stopped to chat with me in Mandarin,” Pan said. "It's nice to have a button that tells people I’m able to assist them in a different language. I can better connect with our passengers and help them feel comfortable as they travel through CLT."