The New Civil Rights Playbook

Recent shifts in the enforcement of Title VI of the Civil Rights Act are raising important questions about the future of language access and civil rights protections.

Join Dr. William (Bill) Rivers, a Washington, D.C.–based consultant, lobbyist, and language access advocate with over 25 years of experience, for a timely conversation on what these changes mean in practice.

Participants will gain valuable insights into:

• The evolving framework of civil rights enforcement, 
• The implications for language access compliance and advocacy, 
• The role of courts, states, and professional standards in protecting access, and
• Emerging challenges and opportunities, including the impact of AI and technology.

 About Bill Rivers

Dr. Rivers  began his career in the late 1980s as a Russian–English interpreter and translator, later expanding his work across academia, the private sector, and government contracting. Over the course of his career, he has worked extensively with federal, state, and municipal agencies, helping them develop language access plans, conduct needs assessments, and implement policies that ensure meaningful access to services for Limited English Proficient (LEP) populations.

Today, Rivers runs his own consulting firm in the Washington, D.C. area, WP Rivers & Associates. He advises organizations on language access policy, civil rights compliance, and regulatory developments affecting multilingual communication.

In addition to his consulting work, he plays a leadership role in several national initiatives:

• Chair, National Coalition for Language Access (NCLA) – a coalition focused on strengthening language access protections and civil rights enforcement.
• Chair, SAFE AI Task Force – an initiative examining the ethical and responsible use of artificial intelligence in translation and interpreting.

Rivers also works closely with the language services industry, lobbying on behalf of language companies and advocating for policies that protect equitable communication access in healthcare, education, justice systems, and government services.