I gave this presentation to the Hillsboro Chamber of Commerce on June 5, 2020, in the context of the civil rights protests. In that presentation, I put language access, which includes translation and interpreting, in the context of civil rights. See this blog post for a history of language access on the West Coast. This [...]
Now that things are in flux because of COVID-19, my husband and I are talking a lot. He asked me what is at the core of what drives me, my passion. Developing quality language access partners. I love translating… and seeing that the organizations I translate for are really connecting with the community. I love [...]
Interpreting is a professional field. What was once done by whoever was bilingual now has an established certification process. There are less and less reasons to work with unvetted providers. This timeline tells the story on the West Coast, where I live. I am from Oregon, where I am certified as a healthcare interpreter and [...]
I am running for office in NAJIT, the National Association of Judiciary Interpreters and Translators. The elections page has the details. Why? I believe in professional associations. They are our point of reference, where stakeholders and professionals come together to answer questions about the profession. They represent the profession, and answer questions about standards, continuing [...]
As a partner in language access, Gaucha Translations has seen how the community is stretched in all directions. The lack of parking fees are stretching budgets for cities, the lack of ability to provide routine medical services is stretching the budgets of medical providers. During the COVID-19 crisis, Gaucha Translations is providing discounts on all [...]
Why would an interpreter or translator take language proficiency testing? Though these are not exactly translation tests, we can't interpret or translate what we do not understand or what we can't express accurately. These tests do not include the step of transferring meaning. However, they do cover issues of syntax, clear writing, and understanding the [...]
The CDC updated its guidance and has recommended that people make DIY cloth face coverings. This is the CDC guidance for cloth face coverings. These are the CDC instructions for making a simple face covering. On April 1, the NY Times had published instructions with a downloadable PDF on how to sew a face mask. [...]
150 face masks 100 face shields Face masks, gloves, sanitizer, in bulk Face masks, gloves, sanitizer, in small amounts Personal protection equipment (PPE) for staying healthy through COVID-19 distancing. The Oregon Health Authority (OHA) gave members of the Oregon Council for Health Care Interpreters these sources on April 1, 2020 Statement from the Joint Commission [...]
Today, April 1, 2020, I, Helen Eby, participated in a call with the Oregon Health Authority and community members regarding the current public health situation in Oregon. OHA shared some documents with members of the public for distribution. OHP and the novel coronavirus OHP y el nuevo coronavirus They invited people to support public health [...]
I believe in print media. Every year I update my collection of books about translation, interpreting, language, and my general literature collection. All the writers I know about are inspired in their reading, and so am I. Therefore, I collect all sorts of books. Since my inventory is useful for insurance and accounting purposes, I [...]
