European institutions have developed important frameworks for protecting regional and minority languages. However, these frameworks are largely based on historical nation-state structures and do not fully reflect the multilingual reality of contemporary European cities. Berlin is home to people from more than 180 countries, yet many migrant and heritage languages remain institutionally invisible and receive little support.  This presentation traces the development of the Berlin University Alliance funded student research project from 'Metrolingualism in Berlin: Decline or Change in Mother Tongues?' (2023) to the ongoing follow up study 'Heritage Speaker Status: Supporting Berlin’s Language Communities' (2026 ongoing). In the first phase, we investigated speakers’ attitudes towards their heritage languages, whether and where these languages are used in Berlin, and which opportunities exist to maintain them. Interviews with speakers of 35 heritage languages revealed very different patterns of language use. While most participants wanted to speak their language more often, they did not know how to find relevant communities, events, or organisations.   At the same time, we encountered grassroots initiatives that maintain networks and organise cultural and educational activities despite limited resources and little institutional support. The current project examines how such communities organise their work and which forms of support are missing or difficult to access. We have interviewed language activists and representatives of Berlin based NGOs, attended events including Karneval der Kulturen, 48 Stunden Neukölln, and the Familienfest at the Bibliothek am Wasserturm, and participated in a meeting of Arbeitskreis Lingua Pankow, where local NGOs discuss concerns to be communicated to district politicians.  Our aim is to develop concrete recommendations for a possible “Heritage Speaker Status”, a framework to improve the recognition, visibility, funding, and long-term support of heritage language communities. The next stage includes exchanges with the Endangered Language Alliance in New York and interviews with people involved in funding decisions, community organising, local policy makers and minority language advocacy.