Greetings WSRID members,
In January, the Board members of WSRID agreed to sign a Joint letter of support for HB2221. The goals of HB2221 directly align with WSRID's Mission, and we are currently considering how our organization will continue to support this work moving forward. Here is a copy of the letter:
JOIN LETTER OF SUPPORT:
Community Coalition for WA Interpreters
Jan 5, 2024
Washington State Legislature
Attn: Representatives and Senators
Olympia, WA
Subject: Joint Letter of Support for Community Efforts to Address the Statewide Interpreter Shortage
Dear Washington State Legislature,
We, the undersigned organizations, collectively express our unwavering support for the community-led initiatives aimed at addressing the critical statewide shortage of American Sign Language and ProTactile Interpreters in Washington State.
As representatives of diverse organizations committed to promoting inclusivity, accessibility, and equitable opportunities for individuals who are Deaf, DeafBlind, DeafDisabled, and Hard of Hearing, we recognize the urgency of addressing the challenges faced by our community members in accessing essential services, education, employment, and cultural experiences.
The proposed one-time statewide study, designed to identify the pressing needs for more sign language interpreters, aligns seamlessly with our shared mission and values. This comprehensive study will play a pivotal role in understanding the current landscape, identifying areas of high demand, and formulating strategies to enhance interpreter services throughout the state.
The impact of the interpreter shortage on our community is profound, affecting every aspect of life. From educational settings to healthcare, legal contexts, workplace interactions, and cultural events, the absence of adequate interpretation services creates barriers that hinder full participation in society.
We commend the dedication and foresight of the community advocates driving this initiative and recognize the importance of collaboration between multiple organizations, legislators, and other stakeholders to address this pressing issue. Our joint commitment to this cause reflects our shared belief that the proposed study will pave the way for informed decision-making and positive change.
We, the undersigned organizations, stand firmly in support of these collective efforts and believe that collaboration is essential to create a more inclusive and accessible environment for all residents of Washington State. By working together, we can foster a community where language barriers no longer impede the pursuit of education, healthcare, employment, and cultural engagement.
Thank you for your commitment to this cause, and we look forward to witnessing the positive impact that our joint efforts will bring to our community.
Sincerely,
API CHAYA, Seattle, WA
Deaf Spotlight, Seattle, WA
DeafBlind Service Center (DBSC) Seattle, WA
Hands and Voices, Seattle, WA
Hearing Loss Association of America-Washington State Association (HLAA-WA), WA
Hearing, Speech and Deaf Center (HSDC), Seattle/Bellingham/Tacoma, WA
Manos de Washington, WA
Puget Sound Association for the Deaf (PSAD), Seattle, WA
The Lighthouse for the Blind, Inc., Seattle, WA
Washington State Association of the Deaf (WSAD), WA
Washington State DeafBlind Citizens (WSDBC), Seattle, WA
Washington State Registry of the Interpreters for the Deaf (WSRID), Seattle, WA
More to come…
Sharing, from the community:
Our first BIPOC sign language interpreter meeting is coming soon. Please join us if you are a BIPOC sign language interpreter in the PNW. We will be discussing issues within our industry and ways to change them.
When: Saturday, December 2, 2023
Time: 10AM PST - 12PM PST
Where: Zoom
Topic: BIPOC Interpreter Meeting
Time: Dec 2, 2023 10:00 AM Pacific Time (US and Canada)
More information available from Good Signs Interpreting.
Hello members! We hope you are enjoying the transition of seasons and are getting excited for the Annual Membership Meeting happening on Saturday November 4th!
This year’s meeting will be hybrid, held on site at Central Washington University, and virtually via Zoom. Registration is now live on our website, so please let us know how you plan to attend. The annual membership meeting is a great opportunity for all members to learn more about the organization, to provide feedback and share ideas about the future work, and to meet and reconnect with other members! We will send out more info soon regarding the agenda and elections. Register today!
Our meeting will be taking place in conjunction with the WSAD conference. WSAD has graciously invited us to share this space. We will all have lunch together at noon before the meetings begin.
We are also honored to be one of the WSAD conference sponsors and encourage our members to attend, learn, and reconnect. More info about the conference and registration can be found on WSAD's website.
We are also seeking volunteers to help us with the annual meeting. Please let us know if you can help!
-WSRID Board of Directors.
Hello Interpreters,
A2Z Interpreting in Spokane, WA is partnering with The Insightful Interpreter and ODHH to offer two FREE workshops in Spokane in October 2023.
Workshop and registration info can be found in attachments below:
FINAL 10-14-23 workshop flyer Deaf and Hearing Interpreting Teams_ The Relationship and the Work.pdf
FINAL 10-28-23 workshop flyer Deaf and Hearing Interpreting Teams Communication and Accountability.pdf
For accommodation requests, please contact James Wells at James.Wells@courts.wa.gov.
Registration Link: Introduction to Court Interpreting: Speaking the Language of Justice (alchemer.com)
Please SAVE THE DATE for our Annual Membership Meeting which will be held on Saturday, November 4th at Central Washington University in Ellensburg, WA.
The Board is now seeking nominations for members to join the WSRID Board of Directors to fill a vacant position and also for the upcoming election.
Representation from Eastern Washington is highly desired!
Our board currently has eight (8) members, and our Bylaws state the number of board members will be "at least nine (9), but not more than twelve (12)". There is one vacancy for a term ending December 31, 2023. As directed by the Bylaws, this position will be elected by the current Board from nominations received from members.
We will again be holding our election online this fall. This is an early call for nominations! The positions that will expire at the end of 2023 are: Vice President, Treasurer, Deaf/DeafBlind Community Representative, three Director positions, and one Student Director position.
SUBMIT NOMINATIONS (<---click here)
The board has reviewed our committees and focused committee work to meet our goals and needs. Current Committees are as follows: Budget/Finance, CMP, Communications, Conference 2025, Community Outreach, Diversity Equity and Inclusion, Governance, Membership, Professional Development, Scholarship.
All of our committee work needs some level of member involvement. Whether you have a few hours for a one-time project, or a few hours a month for something bigger; Whether you like working with others or getting things done on your own time; Whether you’re visionary or detail driven; Whether you love working with numbers or people… Whatever your interests or inclinations - we have a place for you to plug in! Curious? Please reach out!
Below are a few current announcements. More info from all committees will be coming in the next month or so. Recent committee reports.
Community Outreach Committee
Interpreter Social, June 28th, 6-9 pm at Optimism Brewery, Seattle.
Spring Scholarship
Thank you to all who applied for the Spring Performance Exam Scholarship. We have contacted applicants and are excited for the opportunity to support our colleagues on their journey to certification.
We will begin accepting applications for the Fall Scholarship in August. Please visit the WSRID Scholarship page for more information.
Certification Maintenance Program Sponsorship
WSRID was recently approved as an RID CMP Sponsor. Big thank you to Ashley Cavallaro who will be functioning as our administrator. We are working on developing our systems and plans, and will be ready to share more information with our members soon. If you’re interested in being involved with this work, please email Ashley Cavallaro, CMP Administrator.
Governance Committee
Seeking members interested in discussing Sociocracy as a governance model for WSRID - as recommended in Ritchie Bryant’s 2020 DEI Recommendations Report. Looking to find at least one long time member and at least one member familiar with Sociocracy. If interested, please email WSRID Secretary, Claudia Kienholz.
The following info is from our recent June 2023 E-Blast which should have landed in your inbox on 6/8/2023.
2023 Board Meeting Minutes
The Board has gathered four times this year. Linked here are notes and meeting minutes from these sessions:
The document linked below includes our FY24 Budget, our FY23 Budgeted and Actual financials through March (and projected through the end of our fiscal year - June 30) and brief notes for each line item. Quarterly Profit & Loss Statements are also available by request. Overall - our finances are in good shape. Our income and expenses were both reduced. We had budgeted for multiple workshops, but these were not possible without an active PDC committee.
To all of the fabulous interpreters in our community,
Happy Interpreter Appreciation Day! We are thankful for your dedication to your work and the communities you serve.
Have a wonderful day,
WSRID Board <3
Hello WSRID Members!
I am conducting a research project about Legal Interpreting as part of my senior year at UNH-Manchester, New Hampshire.
Whether you love or hate legal work, please take a little time ASAP to fill out the survey (link below). By doing so you will help Deaf and Hard of Hearing citizens get access to justice (by deepening understanding of resistance to the specialty and contributing to making legal training more approachable).
Thanks in advance!
~ Polly Lorien
p.s. The survey will expire Nov. 22
https://unh.az1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_9Hy4xzFbDESioYu
Legal Interpreting Survey
Polly Lorien's senior Research Project: Collecting data on in-court legal interpreting.
unh.az1.qualtrics.com
DONATE WSRID is a 501(c)6 non-profit organization WSRID [P.O. Box 48023, Seattle, WA 98148] WSRID © 2012 - 2023 CONTACT WEBMASTER