As part of a country’s intangible patrimony, indigenous languages have suffered from considerable discrimination over the years, and their population has diminished since the Spanish Conquest, particularly in what is now the southeastern region of the United States.

It is common for the public at large, and even language professionals and government officials, to discriminate against speakers of these languages, or to consider them as not being very useful in modern society. Most people believe these languages are dialects and only serve in domestic and community domains. What a surprise to discover that as a result of major streams of migrations from Mexico, Central and South America, these “minoritized” languages have found a place in the classroom, in the courtroom, and in other noteworthy scenarios where professional bilinguals are needed.