Mission Statement:
Our sign language interpreting agency is here to serve our diverse communities. As interpreters, we understand that people from all walks of life - coming together with the richness of their experience - can build something far greater than a single person could. We exist to create space where the Deaf, Interpreter, and Hearing communities can put aside the barriers that separate them and move forward together.
Vision Statement:
ASL Interpreter Collaborative strives to be a community that creates a space for people of all communities to come as their authentic selves. We hope to see change through supporting our local Interpreter Training Programs and hosting town hall gatherings intended to welcome the Deaf, interpreting, and hearing communities.
Value Statements:
Community
We acknowledge the right for Deaf to choose their interpreters and the historical denial of those rights. We hope to honor Deaf choice, Deaf rights, and Deaf involvement. The interpreting profession would not exist without the Deaf community.
Authenticity
As interpreters our experiences, beliefs, and perspectives enhance our work. These individual cultures allow us, as a collaborative, to create more competent and appropriate choices as we address the needs of a diverse Deaf Community. We believe that honoring those who partner with us creates an environment that allows our collective communities to thrive. We want to create a round table where all members not only have a seat, but also to have their voice heard.
Curiosity
As our community gathers at the table, we aim to give everyone an opportunity to both be heard and to hear the perspectives of others. We aim to actively listen to concerns, ideas, and suggestions to unlearn practices that do not benefit the whole community or to learn where people have been consistently and summarily ignored.
Systemic Change
We recognize that the multi-layered system has gaps as well as some broken pieces. We aim to mitigate those gaps as well as start a ripple effect for bigger, professional systemic changes. By uplifting those who are actively doing this work and adding what we learn and unlearn through town halls, we hope to re-envision the presupposed idea of, not only what an interpreting agency “should” be, but also how we interact together as a collaborative.