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We want our stories to reach everyone in the community, but not everyone speaks the same language. According to the United States Census, more than 1 in 5 Americans speaks something other than English at home. For example, Alaska recognizes 20 native languages. In New Mexico, Spanish and several Native American dialects are recognized and taught in schools. To better reflect the diversity of their communities, a growing number of Utility Pioneers are embracing bilingual storytelling.
Translated content often shows up at moments that matter—reading a bill, understanding an outage notice or knowing who to call for help. If a message cannot be understood, it may as well not exist.
“Making content easy to understand is life-changing, especially for families making decisions under stress,” Pioneer Social Media Engagement Specialist Maria Mahoney says. She has social work experience within her local school system.
Identify Local Language Needs
Should you translate your story? Use local and national data to identify your community’s language diversity, including:
- Check the United States Census Bureau’s Language Spoken at Home Survey, available by zip codes, at data.census.gov.
- Use the Modern Language Map, based on Census data, to see what languages are spoken at state and county levels.
- Ask your utility staff to note language preferences in your consumer data software, then evaluate trends.
- Reach out to local nonprofit leaders and ask if they have identified community language needs.
If you find bilingual content needs, it’s time to identify what content you should translate.
Start Translating Your Story
Planning content in another language is about access, not convenience. Aim for clarity and localize key terms for the nationality of the audience you’re targeting. Don’t lock into English catchphrases. Instead of translating, aim for “trans-creating” the message, which means recreating the message’s essence even if it’s not a word-for-word translation. Use images and other cues to help convey your message.
When you’re writing about highly technical projects, such as policy updates, infrastructure projects and safety notices, consider creating a lexicon of key terms your team can use consistently.
Translation usually starts with materials you already use:
- Print and Direct Outreach
Many utility and broadband consumers offer Spanish versions of print materials. From brochures and flyers to lobby signage and advertisements, these resources are essential for explaining how the utility operates, sharing community programs and communicating important policy updates. - Digital and Presentations
Email, websites and social content are other helpful ways to share your story. Make sure when you list a website or have a QR code on a translated print piece, it goes to a website in the same language. Do you offer workshops in your community? Translate the presentation decks and make them available online. If you track language preferences for consumers, consider sending emails and targeted digital ads in their preferred language.
Across formats, the goal stayed the same: Make it clear what the information means and what to do next.
Throughout Currents magazine and other member materials, Kauaʻi Island Utility Cooperative blends English with ʻōlelo Hawaiʻi words. A great example is their Ho’oka’ana Waiwai values statement, as seen in this video.
Small Steps Lead to Success
When we talk to Utility Pioneers about bilingual storytelling, cost often comes up, especially for teams without in-house language support. Our advice is to be strategic and not try to do everything at once.
Maria recommends starting with content people rely on most:
- Safety and outage updates
- How-to information
- Fees, costs and contact details
Once you have translated content, how do you get it to the right audiences? Start by having printed versions of critical information available at your office. Digital advertising targets by language preference, making distribution easy. If you have the option in your consumer database, track language preferences. By building a list of people who prefer translated content, your bilingual story can grow in the future through emails, magazines and more.
Pioneer’s Vice President of Member Experience Becky Mashburn says starting small is often the only realistic path forward.
“Focus first on information people need to function, then build from there,” Becky says.
When it comes to Spanish, context translates into accuracy. Pioneer Assistant Director of Accounts Will Gaines shares that when no one on the utility staff speaks Spanish, uncertainty can stall storytelling progress. Learning how translation is handled and who’s responsible for accuracy helps build trust and keep projects moving.
Quick Start: How to Help Translate Your Story
- Find local experts. Chances are if you have a large portion of Spanish or other language speakers in your community, there’s a local agency that serves them directly and is your best bet for helping you identify community needs and what types of translated content will be most helpful.
- Start with clear English. Plain language and defined terms lead to better translation.
- Think beyond text. Simple layouts, visuals and audio can help reach people with different literacy levels. Consider kids helping translate for family members—what will help them share your story?
- Plan for continuity. A single translated piece works best when support, whether with bilingual staff member or through translated digital content, is available afterward. If you use a QR code, make sure it goes to a website that’s in the same language.
- Start with one high-stakes piece. Safety information or outage updates are practical places to begin and make it easier to show value before expanding.
- Consider dialect and tone early. Not all Spanish is the same. Partners who talk about formality, region and audience up-front tend to deliver stronger results than literal, word-for-word translation.
- Use real data to identify needs. Census data, call logs and service requests often reveal local consumer language needs more clearly than surveys.
Translation doesn’t have to start all at once. Language support is about helping everyone in your community feel informed, included and supported.
When the goal is connection, not quick fixes, even small beginnings can go a long way.