Farewell

Dearest colleagues and friends

When I first moved to the DC area in January of 2002, I arrived with over twenty years interpreting experience. But none of those years had prepared me for the culture shock of working with so many brilliant, educated deaf people. And I struggled to understand the relationship between them and the interpreting communty for some time. It was not like the model I'd know from the Northeast. There, the interpreting community and the deaf community worked in tandem and held each other in high regard.

Now, nearly ten years later, I have come to a deeper understanding; things are complicated. Having engaged in conversation with many interpreters and deaf people here, I am keenly interested in seeing efforts made by PCRID and MDAD, DCAD, and DHHIG to collaborate on issues of educating our constituents as well as the uninformed (or poorly informed) hearing consumers we interact with in Government and other interpreting situations. Your Board this year has made efforts to continue reaching out to the deaf organizations and we are so grateful they wish to engage! Personal thanks to Charm Smith, MDAD President, and David Nelson, DCAD President, and Steve Gagnon, DHHIG President, for our initial discussions. I regret that I will not be here to continue working with you, but I point you to the 2012 PCRID Board who are eager to work with you!

And the rules have changed, too. With Foreign Language Agencies who know little about our field bidding on contracts for interpreting services for deaf people, and contracting in general becoming a big business, freelance intepreters are being tossed about on the waves of the competition to secure these contracts. Many just hold on tight, hoping the sea will calm itself and bring them safely to shore. But there are things we can do as a profession, and that includes collaborating with our deaf consumers to secure some say in the process. Failing to combine our forces may leave us stranded on some uncharted shores where we don't want to be.

The future of this profession and the quality of services to our consumers does not belong in the hands of those who see interpreting services as a commodity. By working together, interpreters and deaf people can be a force to guide the future of this profession. Don't sit back idly and wait for it, hoping it will come. It will require the combined efforts of us all to make a difference.

I believe its worth the effort. I commit to continuing the fight, though it will be on the other coast. Please get involved and work with the PCRID Board, MDAD, DCAD, DHHIG, and all the interpreters and deaf people you know to create an atmosphere of collaboration and respect. You have an amazing group of people on the PCRID Board. I have no doubt they will usher us into a Renaissance of creativity working with the leadership in the deaf community.

Thank you for the opportunity to lead PCRID this year. Its been a pleasure working with all of you. I leave you with great respect and admiration for all you have done and will do to move our profession forward.

Michael