Joys, Ripples, & Appreciations (2021 Year-End Newsletter)
As Found in Translation enters 2022, we embark on our second decade with a bold vision to not only provide economic mobility and language access to more marginalized people, but to preserve interpreting as a sustainable, living wage career for decades to come.
We need your help. Please consider giving a stretch gift to launch us into our next decade of impact. Thank You!
“[Found in Translation] transitioned an in-person program to a remote one in a couple of months during a pandemic for us. That there speaks for itself…They don’t provide “drive-through” education, they provide a community willing to help us further our professional development beyond this course we have completed.
Betzaida Jimenez, graduate speaker for the Class of 2021
To everyone who makes Found in Translation what it is, thank you for all your hard work and dedication.”
Joys of 2021
2021 was a very special year for Found in Translation, and offered ample opportunities for our community to find joy in celebrating our past, present and future. Click the links below to learn more about these highlights!
In June, we honored the extraordinary accomplishments of the Class of 2021 (our first medical interpreter training held entirely online) with a virtual program celebration event.
In September, we celebrated the past decade of our organization’s mission and model with our virtual gala – 10 Years in Translation. The event included the presentation of our 2021 It Takes A Village Awards to six outstanding members of our community. After the program, many guests joined us in a celebratory toast to ten years, and shared well wishes and favorite memories of the past decade.
Throughout the year, Found in Translation’s future and ambitious plans were praised externally through the Excellence in Innovation Award from the Massachusetts Nonprofit Network, the Essential Agent of Change Award from MA Essentials for Childhood, and through various media outlets, including the Tiny Spark Podcast.
Ripples of Impact
As we close out the year, we are excited to share some of the ripples of impact our work has had…
…for our most recent graduates, the Class of 2021. Thanks to their determination, resilience and professionalism, 41 women completed our first ever remote training under the most unprecedented of circumstances. Since earning their certificates, these women are hard at work launching their new careers. After just three months, 43% were employed as interpreters or in a related field, with many working remotely.
…for our growing community of alumnae. From intensive re-take classes for participants who did not earn their certificates initially, to self-paced study modules for experienced interpreters seeking national certification, the ability to carry out programming online has paved the way for our staff to better meet the diverse needs of our community. In addition, advances in our supportive services have provided alumnae with improved assistance in navigating technology and accessing professional opportunities in the virtual space.
… for our program faculty. In 2021, our certificate training employed a faculty that was 90% Found in Translation alumnae. Over the summer, our two Assistant Lead Instructors became the first alumnae to be fully licensed interpreter trainers.
…for interpreters near and far. In November, Found in Translation held our second Interpreter Job Fair, which also happened to be our first job fair to take place entirely online. Hosted on our website, the free event connected 21 different employers to over 350 local and international interpreters, including Found in Translation alumnae.
…for our extended community. Updated data shows that each Found in Translation alumna earns on average $13,000 more per year than she did before our program. Added up over Found in Translation’s ten years, this translates to $15 million in additional income for the communities we serve. Collectively, our alumnae now serve an estimated 35,000 limited English speakers each year through their work as interpreters.
…for the interpreters of tomorrow. In 2022, we will carry out our Medical Interpreter Certificate Training twice – once in the Spring and once in the Fall. As part of this effort, we have made significant updates to our program eligibility criteria and selection process.
We are currently accepting applications for our Spring 2022 class – please help us spread the word by sharing this opportunity with your network!
Appreciating Our Community
In 2021, Found in Translation’s exciting growth and achievements were only made possible through the generosity, the passion, and the commitment of our steadfast community.
To our donors and funders – Your investments at this critical time fueled our work in 2021 as we navigated our first online training, made adaptations to our model, strengthened our organizational capacity, and continued to meet the evolving needs of our alumnae. We are especially proud to expand our network of support this year to include contributions from the RWN Foundation, the the City of Boston, and Tufts Medical Center, as well as multi-year investments from the Cummings Foundation, the Lynch Foundation, and the Imago Dei Fund.
To our volunteers, partners, and supporters – In a year like no other, thank you for taking on the challenges of online programming with us – giving of your time, resources, and expertise to support our participants in this new environment. It really does take a village to raise an interpreter, especially online!
To our alumnae – As professional medical interpreters, you make healthcare access a reality for patients who, without you, are in grave danger because of systemic injustices. Your work is lifesaving, and desperately needed – especially as we enter a third year of the COVID-19 pandemic. By providing mentorship and support to your fellow students and graduates, you strengthen our community. Your aspirations guide the direction of Found in Translation’s organizational vision and growth, and through your accomplishments, you show us what is possible. Thank you for everything you do, and we can’t wait to see what you will achieve in 2022.
Thank you to everyone in our Found in Translation family for being here with us, for your friendship and for our work together on behalf of immigrant women, racial and gender justice, health equity, and economic empowerment.
We wish you a happy and safe holiday season!
The Found in Translation Team
PS. If you would like to make a year-end gift, please click here. Your generous support will propel us into a new year (and a new decade) of empowering women with livelihoods through language, and building health equity for all.