The ATA Chronicle - May/June 2021 - 16

For starters, people need to

a year, and most of them

stronger together. As I write

green light to schedule the

realize just what a medical

were for interpreting

this, I'm getting ready to

appointment. It shows that

interpreter does. We provide

assignments. All my work

meet Debbie for dinner. I

the work of interpreters

a vital communication link.

travel came to a halt at

also have my first in-person

is recognized by others as

Skilled doctors and nurses

the end of the first quarter

interpreting assignment in a

essential to help prevent

don't always mean skilled

of 2020, and I can count

federal prison in a few weeks.

the spread of the virus and

communicators. Patients with

the number of in-person

treat COVID-19 patients

limited English proficiency

interpreting assignments I

have the legal right to receive

and beyond. Continuing to

did that year on one hand.

interpreting and deserve

advocate about what we do

After November 2020, I

to be treated with dignity.

is so important not only to

ventured outside as little

As interpreters, we know

as possible until I could get

get us recognized, but also to

how to convey the doctor's

vaccinated, which happened

(or nurse's) message in

early in January 2021.

a culturally sensitive and

I had been active in trying

appropriate manner. As such,

to figure out when it would be

we're part of the medical

my turn to receive the vaccine

team, and like the doctors,

and had closely monitored

nurses, and patients, we need

the governor's Twitter

to be protected. We should

feed. But it was a colleague,

never have to justify why we

fellow Nevada court certified

need a vaccine.
We do the same work as
in-house interpreters, and
breathe the same air as the
doctors, nurses, and patients.
Giving vaccines to in-house
personnel but denying them
to freelance interpreters is
the functional equivalent
of sending a freelance
interpreter into a battle zone
with no protection. Why
would you protect certain
members of the medical
team but not others? We
freelancers need to be treated
in the same manner as
everyone else. ATA is a highly
respected organization that
can definitely play a vital part
in ensuring that we're given
the consideration we deserve.

Spanish interpreter Debbie
Silvera, who also happens to
be a virologist, who let me
know I was eligible (under
the " community support
frontline staff court/legal "
category as defined by the
governor). She gave me a
link to a vaccination clinic. I
entered all the information
pertaining to my court
interpreting work, including
that I wanted to go back

show how necessary it is to
provide interpreting services

Ryan Le
Los Angeles, California
interpreter and translator.
Along with other colleagues,
I saw a big reduction in
work due to the pandemic in
early 2020.
Getting vaccinated is
important because it not only
protects me and those around
me, but also contributes
to the goal of reaching
herd immunity so life will
return to normal. Getting
vaccinated has not changed
the way I work on an on-site
interpreting assignment. I
still wash my hands, wear a
mask, and maintain social
distancing in public. However,

courtrooms, and law firms.

I do feel more confident

I was given an appointment

when being requested for

for my first Pfizer shot the

on-site assignments.

To say I felt like a million

in our society.

I'm a freelance Vietnamese

to interpret in prisons,

very next day.

for underserved communities

I qualified for the vaccine
because I'm a medical

dollars after receiving the

interpreter and part of the

second dose (side effects

Phase 1A allocation (health

and all) is probably still an

care personnel). Even though

understatement. I'm grateful

I didn't have to mention

for modern medicine and the

ATA's letter to the CDC

Herculean effort it took to get

when talking to a Kaiser

a vaccine in less than a year.

representative on the phone

Antoni Maroto
Salt Lake City, Utah
I'm an ATA-certified
English>Spanish translator
who has been providing
translation services since
2004, and interpreting
services since 2018. While I'm
originally from Barcelona,
I've been calling the U.S.
home for the past five years.
Relocating prompted me
to start specializing in the
health care and medical
industries. I mainly work
with clinics and hospitals to
bridge language barriers with
Spanish-speaking patients.
As a Salt Lake City
resident, I'm a member of
the Utah Translators and
Interpreters Association
(UTIA), an ATA affiliate.

to make the appointment for

Thanks to them, independent

advocacy efforts didn't lead

my first dose, the effort and

medical interpreters were

to me getting the vaccine, it's

dedication of ATA and other

granted early access to the

so fitting that a colleague's

professional organizations

vaccine in January 2021. I

efforts did. We really do look

in our field played a big role

had been rejecting in-person

out for each other in this

in this quest. The moment I

assignments due to safety

Before the pandemic, I

profession, and as I've said

mentioned I was a medical

concerns since March 2020.

averaged about 100 flights

many times before, we're

interpreter, I was given the

I'm happy I can take those on

Even though ATA's

Judy Jenner
Las Vegas, Nevada

16

The ATA Chronicle | May/June 2021

www.atanet.org
http://www.atanet.org
The ATA Chronicle - May/June 2021

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of The ATA Chronicle - May/June 2021
