Opinion: Businesses Want Bilingual Workers, Families Want Bilingual Kids, So Why the Gap?

A 2025 UNITE-LA study found 93% of 56 surveyed Southern California businesses have bilingual staff, with 32% having majority bilingual teams. Employers cited benefits like reaching more customers (74%) and retaining clients (70%), emphasizing language skills as essential in the global economy. The report, 'Beyond English: Employer Perspectives on Language Skills at Work,' highlights demand for multilingual workers despite political narratives opposing cultural diversity.