ITOC
RID-SIG
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AUGUST 11, 2006
I have finally gotten back into my website! Alas, computer woes!
I am hoping to be updated soon!
JO
FEB 10, 2006
Hola all! I have been working on updating the ITOC pages here on my website. It will
take a bit more time to get everything squared away, but I am hoping to have it done
soon.
ITOC council will be at their respective Region Conferences. We are in contact with the
conference planners to set up ITOC gathering times! We will keep you posted.
Spanish Language Interpreting Policy updated information can be found at ITOC
Speaks Out. There has been a great deal of hard work behind these efforts. A hearty
thank you to all involved.
More soon,
JO
July 2004
2003-2005 REPORT
December 12, 2004
Letter to RID in Response to the Spanish Language Policy
Greetings President Angela Jones and our distinguished Board Members,
Thank you for your prompt contact to the membership response to the Spanish Language Interpreter Request Policy. I am
looking forward to the positive step forward that this conversation will bring.
ITOC Participation: ITOC was contacted in July by Glendace Humphrey, SIG/ Board Liaison, in regard to this policy. On
July 29th, 2004 in response to an email sent out, a 29 minute conversation took place where I, as ITOC chair, highlighted
many of the issues such as:
the questioning of the arbitrary number
the feeling of discrimination
the long history
the negative impact
and the lack of clarity of how it is written (if the 25 were to sign up would each member get their own team? Or would they
be expected to share?)
These issues have been brought to your attention in the latest movement of letters, petition and emails. Knowing that this
was a policy that would spur a hot debate if it were to be left as it was written, I asked Glendace if I should contact the ITOC
membership for their feedback. On her request, I did not. I encouraged Glendace to contact others including Mano a
Mano, who would have clearer sense of numbers and information regarding our Spanish Speaking population. At that
time, I was left with the impression that this information would be brought to the Board's attention and that I would hear back
from her with an updated version.
Since that conversation, I did not hear about this policy until it was published in the Views. As well, in a follow up
conversation with Glendace last week, she did not recall the July conversation and as a result did not share the information
with the Board at that time. She did apologize for allowing this issue to "fall from her radar" and is supportive of the
conversation that this has started.
Since the publishing of the policy in the November Views, I have kept the ITOC membership informed through detailed
emails, support of the petition and website updates (www.browngirlblue.com/ITOC.html).
I am also a member of Mano a Mano. I have been in touch with them as well as other leaders of our community such as
Tony Barraza and Emilia Lorenti, to inform and unify our members.
ITOC is aware of the other letters that have been sent out in response to this policy. Many of the community concerns are
also ITOC concerns. There are many issues to consider before we can move forward with a policy that is fair and
respectful of the needs of the Interpreters who would request this service. Here are a few highlighted in addition to those
already stated in Mano a Mano’s and other community members responses.
1. This impacts the ability to hone their craft in their own Native language. The conference is our chance to learn skills to
improve our professional lives. Even though, the workshops may be available in ASL, it would be second language
learning. RID is not only for the working (fluent) population of interpreters. Students and newer interpreters attend as well.
2. It is not limited to Puerto Rico RID. Recognizing that at this point the bulk of the numbers will stem from our Puerto Rico
chapter, the need for multi-cultural interpreters nationwide is a constant drive. When looking at the overall cost for a
interpreter to attend a conference, it is already prohibitive. To then add a limitation where the interpreter would not be able
to access the information in their Native Language, dissuades the interpreter from wanting to attend.
In recognizing the efforts made to welcome PR-RID members to our organization, this policy ignores the strides made in
previous conference to provide access. How can we turn our back to the already expressed needs?
3. This impacts affects our future. In trying to reach out and "bridge cultures", recruitment of new students/ mentees is an
ongoing task.
This is not only about the number of interpreters that would attend this conference, but also those who would be interested
in the profession in the future. Especially in a location such as San Antonio where there is a large Spanish Deaf population
we should look at the potential bi-lingual and tri-lingual interpreters who may be in different levels of training. The reality is
that the Spanish Deaf community is already underserved. To ignore the interpreter who comes from within the Spanish
community looking to improve their craft, is short-sighted.
I am involved with recruitment of conference participants within my own community. Very often a new student or Interpreter
of Color may be apprehensive to attend conferences. Limitations on access only reads as “not being welcome”, therefore,
we find less interpreters interested in joining our professional and community organizations, especially RID.
I have spoken to interpreter of color who do not participate in RID, the testing system, or affiliate with professional
organizations. They are hesitant to join because they do not feel as though the professional development includes them
and their issues. Those are potential RID members.
4. Resources are limited. We carry this responsibility as a membership. The costs should be seen as an overall budget
concern. We do not want to walk the path that our Deaf communities have fought for and are still fighting. We want to move
forward not back.
A different strategy to fundraising and budget management is needed. We should look to the number of participants, hours
needed and interpreters available for a reasonable budget. If the conference cost is an issue, then trimming the fat should
be an overall conference burden. Let us not single out one community.
a different resource...Expecting Puerto Rico to bring 25 or a number higher than 8 to a National Conference would leave a
lack of interpreter services in their home area. Are all services to Deaf individuals to stop in order for interpreters to attend
a conference?
What to do next?
There is an enormous opportunity here. There are many questions raised about how this policy came to be. How did it
come to be suggested? Where did the cost figures come from? How does a membership driven organization miss out on
the loud and strong voice of their members? Who was consulted? Where do the statistics come from?
We can look forward and raise other questions. How do we make a policy that is fair? How is budget planning and
fundraising handled for a growing and expensive conference? How can we include the voices of those this policy affects?
What are the true numbers of participants this affects and how can we make a policy that grows as that community grows?
ITOC cannot propose solutions within one letter that can solve this matter. Instead, let us look at the surge of leadership
that has come forward and rely on their expertise to craft what could be the beginning of a truly fair and effective
relationship.
A coalition of organizational representatives (Mano a Mano, ITOC, CDLIC, PRID), Community leaders (Tony Barraza,
Emilia Lorenti, Suzanne Lightbourn, Lisandra Gold) Boston, Orlando, Chicago, and Region II Conference Interpreter
Coordinators, CDI and Deaf consumer and organizational representatives from Spanish influenced community is being
suggested to work with the RID Board on this matter.
Our membership is growing and within that the needs are diversifying. It is our in our hands to promote a positive outcome
to this conversation. ITOC looks forward to working together, clarifying the needs and numbers and coming to an action
that recognizes this matter both from the organizational and membership point of view.
This is a window of opportunity for us. ITOC looks forward to your response.
Jeannette Ocampo Welch CI/CT
ITOC Chair
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
December 2004
Letter to the Membership
Hello ITOC membership,
This is the 1st of 3 emails ( lTOC update, Angela Jones's letter to ITOC, and ITOC's response to A. Jones's letter- to be
drafted) regarding the RID policy "2005 Conference Spanish Language Interpreter requests" that was published in the
November VIEWS.
I did send this policy out to our email list for response.Though I did not hear anything directly, there is quite a bit of activity
happing now. Letters have been sent to Angela Jones, RID President, a petition has been started and a request from A.
Jones, RID President for an ITOC response have all occured within the last week or so.
This is an UPDATE to the membership. I want to be sure the membership is on the same page.
We will need to create a response to Angela Jones' email. ITOC has a deadline of Dec 11th, 2005 to gather imput.
UPDATE:
I would like to share my conversation with Glenace, the new SIG liason, that occured during my maternity leave.
As ITOC chair, I was contacted by Glenace about the policy in question. I responded to Glenace by telephone. We spoke
at length about the impact to the Interpreters needing Spanish language interpretation. I suggested contact with Mano a
Mano as well as other ITOC members to receive the proper feedback for this suggested policy. In review of my email from
Glenace, CDLIC was also contacted.
THE CALL:
I responded candidly and posed many questions. I felt that the policy, as suggested, was offensive. As well, unclear. Not
only did it conjure up the visions of an oppressive world not too far behind where the Deaf community have been subjected
to limitations due to lack of funds and/or limited interpreters and lack of vision. It is parallel to many of our members
experience where they have said they feel as though they are not welcome and/or don't belong.
There was also a lack of clarity as to what this policy could insinuate. Does it mean that if RID were to receive the needed
25 participants, would each get their own team? How could the assumption be that they would all be interested in the same
tracks/workshops? I recounted a few stories that I have had the opportunity to hear where participants needing Spanish
interpreters, even if they requested services in a timely manner were expected to share and struggle over the few
resources available.
One email exchange with Glenace included that "25 was a arbitrary number", that "In 2003, RID only received three (3)
requests for Spanish Sign Language Interpreters." and that it was about financial reasons to set up a policy.
I felt and expressed that the policy as it was written would offend our Spanish Interpreter (participant and interpreter)
community and asked Glenace if I should go ahead a get feedback from the ITOC membership with it written as is. If I
remember correctly, she asked me to wait.
I did.
Through the pregnancy and with the birth of my son, I have been consumed with joy and focus on my family. I did inform the
membership that I was on maternity leave, but I did not share this information with our Vice Chair when I received it. I let if
fall through the cracks of my pregnant brain. For that, I apologize.
I am a strong believer in not reinventing the wheel and for transparency with information . I have access to Hilda Colondres,
Emilia Lorenti, Angela Roth, Mano a Mano and many others at my fingertips . I feel lucky to have these resources and
mentors but with my ignorance as to how the system works, the communication ball was dropped. I am learning.
Still, It is not too late.
Here is a chance to make change.
RID members are making their feelings known. Please read this email, the letters on the ITOC webpages (www.
browngirlblue.com/ITOC.html) and Angela Jones's email to ITOC, and please make your voice heard. This is not just a
Spanish Interpreter concern. This affects us all for the future. We need you all to respond.
YOUR IMPUT:
You may not think you have a say, but this is a member driven organization. PLEASE, please share your thoughts. Our RID
President is asking for ITOC's feedback.
All correspondence will be posted to the membership (unless otherwise requested) and to RID.( I am just now starting to
work again, but the balance of work and babe is a challenge, but this matter is urgent and important). Our RID President
will also get a copy of this Letter to the Membership and finally the letter composed of your feeling, responses and
suggested solutions to the policy.
What do you want to see happen?
If you are wondering about the responses so far, I have posted the letters (in English now, and Spanish as it becomes
available) from members that I received on my website www.browngirlblue.com .You can also join the ITOC yahoogroup if
you want to get the up-to- the-minute responses from members (info on webpage). Here on the website the letters can be
found at ITOC Speaks Out.
Thank you for your attention,
JO
ITOC chair
August 18, 2004
Greetings ITOC member and friends!
Here is a Late Summer update as to ITOC's doings.
Website:
I have a personal website www.browngirlblue.com where I have added ITOC pages. Feel free to check it out!
Pins:
A long awaited arrival of ITOC membership pins. To receive your pin, you do have to be RID-ITOC member. Also, If you
have a new address (I'd say within the last year) please update with us (ITOC) so that we can get your pin out to you!
News:
I will be a bit MIA for the next couple months. I am due with my first child on September 10th. 2004...(or thereabouts). Yea!
If there is pressing business I certainly will be checking email and forwarding to Hilda our Vice- Chair, but there will be a bit
of email silence while I make this new shift into parenthood. This is an exciting time for me and my family, because ITOC
pages are within my personal website, you will be able to read about this amazing journey and meet our babe!
YOU NEWS: If there is anything amazing going on in your neck of the woods that you are a part of let me know. We need to
see what ITOC members are doing out there!
I will try to post what I can ( it may be a bit spotty for a while).
Conference plans:
July 10-15, 2005
2005 RID Conference: Bridging Cultures is next summer in San Antonio,TX. The August RID VIEWS has the hotel
information, conference presentations, conference team postions and committee requests. I am sure you can find all of
this on www.rid.org as well.
We will have at least one meeting during the conference week. We will be looking forward to record number attendance.
Please consider if you are interested in taking part on the ITOC council. Our positions are 2 years so we are looking for
new and old leaders.
MORE Info:
For this email posting, access to the webpage, news from you, I do not require RID- ITOC membership. We are always
Interpreters of Color regardless of who has our 5 bucks. My goal is to keep the information moving around so that we are
connected.
I do encourage each of us to consider membership to RID as a way to support our profession and a way to have our voice
heard.
Tell a friend, pass the word- this is your organization. This is your group. Let's get strong.
Plenty of love to you all, Your ITOC Chair,
JO
2003
Hola! Hola! Hola!
Jeannette Ocampo Welch here.. your new ITOC Chair!
This is a preliminary email to verify and update email addresses for the ITOC mailing list. I will be using this address as my
main email contact with our members. But first I need to be sure we have everyone on board. All of your names were found
on a list given by RID of ITOC members. I have no idea how current this list is. If you know of people who should be on this
list, feel free to pass it on!
Please update, correct and tell others about this email address. itoc1@yahoo.com
At this point I am the only one who checks this email. Mostly it will be outgoing mail unless you have corrections. We do
have a listserve.
The new council will be communicating about what our term goals are and what we will we doing. Please do not send
spam, add this address to any lists, send chain letters, etc. I am just one browngirl trying to connect us all.
We will be intouch! Expect to get more info about your current ITOC council and more info about activities that are
happening nationwide.
We are worth the five bucks! If you haven't checked your ITOC SIG box, please do so. The money will be used to make
ITOC bigger and stronger.
Thanks and Hello!
JO