“To set forth the history of North Carolina immigrants is simply to tell the state’s story.”

Thus begins a feature by Indy Week that examines the Tar Heel state’s long history of immigrants and refugees settling in North Carolina. Today, nearly 8% of the state’s population is foreign-born, and more than 11% speak a language other than English in the home.

While North Carolina’s foreign-born population is spread throughout the state, it is largely concentrated in the central region. Look at a map of languages other than English spoken at home, and you’ll see a crescent that goes from Charlotte into the Research Triangle area, then southeast toward Sampson and Duplin counties.

This growing international population includes individuals with limited English proficiency who are looking for the services your business provides. Failing to deliver complete, quality service because of a language barrier costs you revenue, increases your liability and, depending on the nature of your business, could even violate federal and other regulations.