Bilingual and Bicultural Services that Deepen Our Commitment

At La Piana Consulting, we know that meaningful engagement with Latine communities goes beyond simple translation — it requires cultural understanding, trust, and inclusive strategies. Latines now make up one in five Americans and are the nation’s second-largest ethnic group, with growing diversity and influence across the country [1]. As our colleague Luis Vergara recently highlighted [2], one in three children will be Latine by 2050 — a reality already seen in several states including California, Arizona, New York, and Texas.

Too often, organizations invest in Spanish-language materials or interpretation only to discover later that participation was shallow, data was incomplete, or trust never fully formed. Without cultural fluency, even well-intentioned engagement can unintentionally exclude the very communities it seeks to serve.

That’s why Vías — La Piana’s Latine-centered consulting practice — is not simply an initiative, but a learning pathway shaped by bicultural, bilingual consultants whose lived experiences inform how we listen, design, and advise.

While our webpage outlines our broad approach, we want to highlight some of the specific bilingual and bicultural services we offer to help organizations engage more deeply and authentically with Spanish-speaking communities.

Facilitating Meetings and Workshops in Spanish

Whether leading strategic planning sessions or engaging stakeholders, our bilingual consultants facilitate meetings and workshops in Spanish with fluency and cultural competence. We ensure that Spanish-speaking participants are not only included but empowered to contribute and shape outcomes. We’ve seen that when participants are able to engage fully in their primary language, conversations move more comfortably, participation broadens, and discussions surface priorities that might otherwise remain unspoken.

Bilingual Surveys

In collaboration with our clients, we develop and administer surveys in both Spanish and English not simply as a matter of translation, but with attention to cultural nuance, accessibility, and community relevance. This distinction matters: direct translation can unintentionally introduce bias or misunderstanding, while culturally grounded design produces data that more accurately reflects community realities — and leads to better decisions. Our approach ensures that data collection is inclusive, representative, and actionable — grounded in the lived experiences of Latine participants.

Spanish-Language Interviews

Our team conducts interviews in Spanish, creating space for participants to share their stories in their own words. These conversations are facilitated by bilingual consultants who understand the cultural contexts that shape responses, allowing for deeper insight and more meaningful engagement. Conducting interviews in Spanish is not just about comfort; it often changes what people share, how they share it, and the meaning behind their responses.

Spanish-Language Focus Groups

We convene and facilitate focus groups in Spanish to surface community perspectives, priorities, and lived realities. These sessions are designed to foster trust, encourage open dialogue, and generate insights that reflect the complexity and diversity of Latine experiences.

Executive Advising

Our team offers 1:1 support for organizational leaders to work through day-to-day challenges related to culture and strategy. Through weekly or bi-weekly meetings, these sessions offer confidential and strategic support through a bicultural lens.

Translation of Materials

We translate key materials — such as strategic plan executive summaries, outreach communications, and presentations — into Spanish with a focus on cultural resonance, clarity, and accessibility. Our translations go beyond word-for-word conversion to reflect tone, intent, and context of the original message.

Flexibility Rooted in Cultural Fluency

We know that communication isn’t always neatly divided into English or Spanish — sometimes it’s both. Sometimes it’s Spanglish. And that’s okay. In fact, we embrace it.

Whether facilitating a meeting, conducting interviews, or leading a focus group, we meet participants where they are — switching between languages, translating not just words but meaning, and ensuring that everyone feels seen, heard, and understood. This flexibility is not incidental — it reflects how language lives in real communities. By honoring bilingual and bicultural expression, we reduce barriers to participation and create space for authenticity.

At La Piana Consulting, we believe that bilingual and bicultural engagement is not optional or an add-on service — it is foundational to effective strategy, inclusive decision-making, and lasting impact. Vías reflects our ongoing commitment to equity and to listening deeply, sharing power, and designing work that is shaped by the communities it aims to serve. Whether your organization is just beginning this journey or deepening existing efforts, we’re here to support you in building relationships that are respectful, effective, and rooted in shared experience.

[1] https://www.pewresearch.org/short-reads/2025/10/22/key-facts-about-us-latinos/

[2] https://www.lapiana.org/latine-children-youth-the-future-we-cant-ignore/