-By Carol Shaw There are people in this world who see a disconnect in a system and ask what can be done. Then there are those who see the disconnect and ask what they can do. Meet Robert Joe Lee, doer. Not that he started out to fix the system nationwide. He started down that road as a seminary … [Read More...]
Recent blog posts
Language services, hurricanes and pandemics: Overcoming crises to ensure access to Education
By Andrew Dafoe CHI™ If I had to pick a defining word for the year 2020, at the top of my list would be crisis. It really became what felt like a never ceasing stream of natural disasters, global pandemics, the resulting economic downturns, political divisiveness, and racial injustices. … [Read More...]
![[Photojournalist Thorne Anderson, on assignment in Tarin Kowt, Uruzgan Province, Afghanistan, March 2009. Courtesy of Thorne Anderson.]](https://i2.wp.com/www.ata-divisions.org/ID/wp-content/uploads/2021/07/Thorne_Anderson.jpg?resize=150%2C150&ssl=1)
Media interpreters play a critical role in news reporting
To protect the integrity of information, interpreters need to focus on accuracy, impartiality, and completeness By Margarita Martín-Hidalgo Birnbaum When Steve Mines was a journalist in China, he relied on interpreters to help him in his reporting. Years later, those experiences served him … [Read More...]
![[A pile of books, an apple, and block letters on a school desk]](https://i1.wp.com/www.ata-divisions.org/ID/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/element5-digital-OyCl7Y4y0Bk-unsplash.jpg?resize=150%2C150&ssl=1)
New challenges–and opportunities–for educational interpreters during a pandemic
The good, the bad, and the not-so-tech-savvy By Alina Avelar Roque On the morning of March 13, 2020, Anaheim Elementary School District, where I've been working for over five years as an interpreter/translator, held an emergency board meeting to vote on suspending in-person learning due to … [Read More...]
Professional standards and self-care in remote interpreting
Ever since COVID-19 upended the world as we know it, interpreters around the world have had to adjust to working remotely. We’ve learned how to work with a variety of platforms and equipment. We’ve educated ourselves about potential hiccups and how to resolve them. We’ve even developed our … [Read More...]
To be or not to be certified: the dilemma for non-Spanish interpreters
By Yasmin Alkashef In an industry where the majority of professionals are freelancers and where subject-matter expertise cannot be easily judged by clients or intermediaries, certification remains the gatekeeper to quality. Hiring a translator or interpreter without verified qualifications or … [Read More...]
![[booth]](https://i1.wp.com/www.ata-divisions.org/ID/wp-content/uploads/2021/01/SIM-PHONIE_Studio_Fotografie_tridea_Benjamin_Lanz_02-cropped-scaled.jpg?resize=150%2C150&ssl=1)
How can I make RSI platforms work for me as a freelancer?
by Julia Poger This post originally appeared on the webzine Communicate! and is republished with permission. “Wait a minute,” I can hear you say. “I didn’t sign on to be an interpreter to work remotely - I want to go to conferences in exotic places! I want to see and work with my friends! I like … [Read More...]
Year-end review for 2020
This past October, the new administrative term (2020-2022) began for the ATA Interpreters Division, and your administrative team is here to serve you. Meet Christina Green, Interpreters Division Assistant Administrator Christina Green is a certified court interpreter (Spanish) and an ATA certified … [Read More...]
A look back, a raffle and a fashion show
By Carol Shaw and the Blog & Web Team This time last year, “pandemic” was just a word. Now it has faces and emotions attached. Some of us have lost friends or family. Some have suffered through COVID-19 themselves or helped care for loved ones with the disease. None of us are … [Read More...]
Overcoming accent bias in the courtroom
By Sandra Dejeux Recently, I attended an online seminar about implicit bias in court settings. Among other things, the presenter spoke about accent bias and how, in some cases, it can undermine the credibility of a witness. Later, I read an article that stated that sometimes juries give less … [Read More...]