ASL interpreting 101 for hearing people | Andrew Tolman & Lauren Tolo | TEDxBend

"I have no idea what you were saying up there, but it looked so beautiful!!" Hearing American Sign Language Interpreters Andrew Tolman and Lauren Tolo briefly explain the history, process, and role of ASL Interpreters, hoping to inspire hearing people to do what they can daily to bridge the gap between Deaf and Hearing parties. Community building starts with educating the general population about how hearing privilege can be used to leverage change and promote full accessibility and inclusion in all spaces. Andrew Tolman is a 29-year-old musician and ASL Interpreter currently living in Portland, OR on historically Clackamas Chinook and Molalla land. Inspired by their time working for the historic Philip J. Wolfe Portland City Council campaign, OCCUPY ICE PDX, Don’t Shoot Portland, and the Central American Refugee Caravan (among many others) as a Sign Language Interpreter, Andrew found himself joining the unbroken chain of resistance thousands of years old and invigorated by a new mission. Currently, Andrew finds himself working closely with both Hearing and Deaf activists and fighters to bring accessibility to the front lines. Through the founding of their group ‘FingersCrossedInterpreting.com’, Andrew hopes to continue to build bridges by making it easy for community-based Hearing activists to reach into Deaf and Hard of Hearing activist spaces and make meaningful connection, empowering both communities with resources and information to strengthen the fight for equality. The fact is that accessibility benefits everyone because everyone has a story to share. Andrew hopes to continue serving his community in solidarity for as long as possible and to inspire other interpreters and communities to proudly do the same.

Lauren began working in the classroom at the Arizona State School for the Deaf and Blind as an Intervener, working one-on-one with DeafBlind students providing information that the individual is unable to gather on their own. She was inspired to dedicate her professional life to facilitating communication and bridging the gap between the Deaf and hearing worlds. Out of this experience emerged her career as an educational interpreter. Now, living in Central Oregon, she interprets for a Deaf student in a general education classroom. Lauren is committed to providing full inclusion, and strives to always empower Deaf and Hearing children, regardless of their identity otherwise, with the knowledge to advocate for themselves, discover themselves, broaden their horizons, and accomplish their dreams. This talk was given at a TEDx event using the TED conference format but independently organized by a local community. Learn more at https://www.ted.com/tedx

So imagine you're getting all
settled into your seat.

Nice and cozy.

Maybe you're at the theater maybe

you're at the book tour of your
favorite author.

Or maybe a TED talk!

When you're getting settled, you notice

there's a Sign Language interpreter
at the front.

How many of you saw that
and thought

this is gonna be really cool?

Sign Language is so beautiful!

And got a little more cozy?

Right?

Yes for a Sign Language!

Sign Language is beautiful.

Let me tell you and the interpreting
process is absolutely cool.

But, interpreters are not performers.

Interpreters are an important part
of accessibility and inclusion.

And think about the Deaf people
that are there.

They're the ones that requested the
accommodation, but they rarely

get the same attention in
those kinds of spaces.

Being an interpreter is not glamorous.

It's actually very, very,
very, hard work.

And just as much as it is our job to
provide our skills to the Deaf community,

it is equally if not more important
for us to work alongside hearing people

like yourselves who do not know
American Sign Language,

and often need crucial information
from Deaf of Hard of Hearing people.

A doctor needs to know exactly
what is wrong with their patient.

A teacher needs to know that their
student comprehends all lectures,

and homework.

An interpreter in those situations
is given a lot trust to facilitate

all of those dynamics effectively.

According to the 2011 American
Community Survey,

roughly 11 million individuals
consider themselves Deaf or

have serious difficulty hearing.

Many of these people identify culturally
as Deaf with a capital D,

not hearing impaired.

Deaf people as a cultural identity
are richly diverse, and today they are

making strides in every field.

Developing new medical advances,
and inventing new technologies.

They are lawyers, and CEOs,
and political candidates, and they

are revolutionizing the idea
of universal access.

But if certified, qualified, interpreters
are not provided alongside

other forms of accommodation,
then there's an issue.

You're missing out on 11 million
game changes, revolutionaries, co-workers.

Here's the thing.

Historically ASL interpreters were
just friends and family members.

The children of deaf adults or CODAs,
were often the ones responsible

to facilitate language for their family

Other people were just friends who
happen to know the language,

and had a big heart.

And our career is still very young.

American Sign Language didn't even
start to be recognized as its full, own,

autonomous language until the 60s.

And interpreters didn't start receiving
any sort of training until the 70s.

Those programs were typically only a
few weeks long, and focused on

vocabulary building.

But there was very little discussion
on the vicarious effects that interpreting

process can have on the interpreter,
and how serious the consequences can be.

Mostly on the Deaf and
Hard of Hearing community

when those language facilitators
are ineffective.

A hearing interpreter strives to
neutrally and judiciously facilitate

both cultural and linguistic intent
between Deaf and hearing parties.

We are not just dealing with words
but the intent and emotion behind,

and around those words.

We do not give a word for word, or a
watered down summary of what someone

is saying, but actually Sign Language
interpreting is mostly done simultaneously.

So as you can see on stage,
the interpreters are producing a

linguistically, culturally, and
dynamically equivalent message in

in American Sign Language, live,
with just a few seconds of lag time.

American Sign Language is rich with
its own culture and grammar,

and regional accents, and it uses
the face and the body to create

richness and context that would
otherwise be just a simple hand movement.

It changes and flows with the
culture around it, and in this case

of simultaneous sign language
interpreting, there are two processes

happening in the brain:
visual and auditory.

According to studies, there are
literally too many complex processes

in simultaneous interpretation for
even the world's best supercomputer

to run at the same time.

Interpreters must understand
contexts along with tone, body language,

facial expression, emotion, and
produce a dynamically equivalent

interpretation without disrupting
the flow of conversation, no matter

how intense it might get.

Just imagine the difference between
interpreting for an argument vs.

a boring lecture.

Or, imagine the difference of an
interpreter for President Obama

compared to President Trump.

Today, Interpreters are professionals
that have to deal with all of that.

We graduate from bachelor and master
programs and we are required to

continue our education after that.

Going to workshops and engaging with
the Deaf and Hard of Hearing community,

talking about research that comes out
about our field almost every single day.

We now realize that the interpreting
process is incredibly nuanced,

and very complicated.

There's vicarious trauma involved,
Power and Privilege dynamics,

and interpreters must be very
cognizant of the effects that we

can have on people's lives as
we navigate those dynamics.

Interpreters work in a variety of
fields so we're learning new things from

the Deaf community all the time
and developing new types interpreting

like pro-tactile interpreting
alongside the Deaf-Blind community,

or working alongside Deaf people,
who are native speakers and act as

certified deaf interpreters; adding
cultural context that hearing people

like ourselves typically are unable
to produce.

And while all of this amazing, amazing
progress is happening, we still have

a really, really long way to go.

Certified does not always mean qualified
because agencies are still placing

interpreters to match accommodation needs
without directly asking Deaf people

what they need.

An interpreter could show up, and have
no idea what we're doing, and that

can have serious consequences on people's
lives, and can affect that interpreter.

Everyone involved is at risk
when that happens.

So overall, interpreters are called to
work at a level that is both professional,

and ethical.

This standard comes from our Code of
Professional Conduct, or CPC,

that works to set the standard for
interpreting practices and keeps

certified interpreters working ethically.

Certification alongside
accountability systems like

Registry of Interpreters for the Deaf
protect working professionals,

as well as the rights of Deaf individuals.

However, the US currently has only
one nationally accepted test to certify

hearing people as American Sign Language
interpreters.

As of 2015, there is no nationally
recognized exam for legal interpreters,

and there has never been a nationally
recognized exam for healthcare

interpreters in the history
of the profession.

Another major problem is that some
states, like Oregon, this national

certification test is not mandated by law.

So anyone who can prove they "know
Sign Language," can potentially be

hired by an agency, and sent to work
out with a Deaf person.

Even in medical settings.

Many agencies who contract interpreters
cannot, or do not, effectively screen

their interpreters for quality and skill.

This lack of services can be worse in
rural areas, like here in Central Oregon,

where resources are already limited.

Deaf people often have to choose between
subpar access, or no access at all,

and then have no place to file a complaint
that will actually make a difference.

When hearing people like ourselves are
collaborating directly with

the Deaf community, we know how
to use our privilege, and our access

to support Deaf people's creation of
inclusive spaces for themselves.

When we are all included, everyone wins.

For example, this could even be important
in a community grassroots activists setting

like in 2018, when I was called to serve
by the Deaf community at Occupy ICE PDX.

For 38 days, protesters fought to
shut downs the DHS office in Portland,

and protested the separation of families,
and the abuses happening at the border.

And as we all know here in Oregon,
political action like that is nothing new,

but Occupy ICE PDX was very unique
because for the first time,

an entire camp and all its complexities
was made accessible because Deaf,

and Hard of Hearing community members,
and activists showed up,

and put themselves on the front line.

And that camp kept its commitment
to fighting for all people by providing

Sign Language interpreters, and other
forms of accommodation and accessibility.

I was fortunate enough to be involved
and helped coordinate a team of roughly

10 Sign Language interpreters who showed
up for vigils, direct action,

community meetings.

We had interactions with armed
officers, and we interpreted live arrests.

This type of inclusion was new for Deaf
people and Sign Language interpreters.

But what came of it was beautiful.

New, specialized vocabulary was
discussed on by the Deaf community

for the first time ever.

That language empowered them to create
their own narrative in those spaces,

and helped interpreters like Lauren,
and I know exactly how to

match those needs.

When everyone is involved in
that work, everyone wins.

We're still doing that activists work
today because of the creation of

vocabulary, and concepts that the Deaf
community were able to make for themselves.

And not only just talk about the Deaf
experience, but be included enough to

engage on any topic they wanted.

But let's be honest,
the modern world revolves around

auditory information gathering,
and most people who have the privilege

of hearing don't think twice about it,
and are able to partake at ease.

There are many situations in which you
may all have never thought about life

from a perspective other than hearing.

But I want you to take a moment,
and think back to your favorite class

in elementary school,

or think back to your first job interview.

Maybe a time you were scared to
receive some news, or maybe your

first court appearance for a
speeding ticket.

The birth of your child,

or a funeral.

Interpreters are often a rotating cast
of strangers in these, and so many other

moments of Deaf people's lives

Andrew and I have been those strangers
in the room, and those extra bodies,

and on the video screen.

we are privy to stories that are not our
own, and experience moments

in people's lives that we would never
otherwise have knowledge of.

Professional interpreters are called to
work for respect for consumers, and

co-workers, while also prioritizing
confidentiality and privacy.

Those stories good, and bad belong
to the Deaf community, and are not

for interpreters to tell.

That's right.

The thing is;

when you see an interpreter we are
not here to teach you cool signs,

or talk on the side.

It's not a performance.

We are working hard to provide
accessibility to hearing and Deaf people.

The ADA states that places of public
accommodation must allow people with

disabilities to participate in, and
benefit from equally in any service.

So, what is the best way for all of you
to know that you're providing the right

kinds of accommodations?

You can start by researching locally.

Start in the places that you work,
or places that you frequent.

Are they able and ready to provide
a number of access points, including

Sign Language interpreters upon request?

Also please start to push your legislators
to put certified, qualified interpreters

into the legislation here, and start
demanding that certification,

and that standardization
make its way to Oregon.

Also find Deaf organizations that are
already doing that work, and throw

your full weight behind them because
those accountability processes must be

in the hands of the Deaf community.

But most importantly, ask Deaf people,
engage with them directly.

Support Deaf professionals, and
organizations that are already doing

the work.

Ask them what makes a good interpreter,
inspire them, and empower them to give

their own experiences, and more of their
own TED Talks.

Our time on this stage has been an
honor, but we want to be clear;

interpreters are only one part of
the story, and only one option

in a myriad of different kinds of
accommodation and access.

The work of an interpreter exists
symbiotically with the Deaf community.

Because if they are not empowered
to regulate, and educate, and keep

accountable, the interpreters that you
all depend on, then we as interpreters

are not able to grow our field to match
the ever changing world.

It is simple: the best way to ensure that
your work is successful

is to make that work accessible,
and inclusive.

And accessibility in itself is not
revolutionary.

But again when everyone is involved,
I think you'd be surprised at how

extraordinary it could be.

Please don't just take our word for it.

Go get yourself an awesome interpreter,
and ask the Deaf community what they're

already doing.

Without that kind of accessibility
how would you ever know what

you have been missing out on?

Thank you.

(Applause)