Michelle

Choice Translating Recruits Interpreters at Charlotte Dragonboat Festival

May 2010 - For the 10th year in a row, Choice Translating supported the Charlotte Dragonboat Festival/Asian Festival as a vendor on May 15, 2010. This year the company was particularly interested in recruiting bilingual (English) speakers of Burmese, Cambodian, and Bhutanese, in addition to many other Asian languages as part-time contract interpreters.

"I hope the festival attendees who received our 'Change the World' cards not only contact us if they'd like to help people from their native countries communicate clearly with doctors, social services staff, and law enforcement agencies," said Brandi Wyant who passed out Choice Translating information at the Festival, "but also let their bilingual friends and family know about the possibility of working with us."

The company considers candidates who have experience interpreting for family members, pass skills assessments and background screening, and are willing to go through free training to become paid professionals who help people in their community. Those interested can learn about how to become a Choice Translating interpreter by calling 704.717.0043 or e-mailing questions to [email protected].

by Michelle

Choice Translating Participates in 2010 Mecklenburg County DSS Diversity Festival

May 2010 - On May 14, 2010, the Mecklenburg County Department of Social Services (DSS) held a Diversity Festival to provide its staff the opportunity to speak with a number of organizations that work with different communities in Charlotte. Choice Translating was also invited to participate because of its extensive community interpreting services experience with DSS, along with such local organizations as Neighborhood Good Samaritan Center, Boat People SOS, Haitian Heritage & Friends of Haiti, Hebrew Immigrant Aid Society, The Lesbian and Gay Community Center, Women's Commission, Bhutanese Center, and Levine Museum of New South.

Department of Social Services Director Mary Wilson spoke to the group about Mecklenburg County's diversity as well as the growth and changes happening with DSS. To help develop awareness of the current state of diversity in the County, DSS staff also enjoyed sampling food from all over the world as well as watching drummers and dancers from different countries. In addition, all attendees and participants could place pins on a large map of the world to show where they were from and where they had traveled.

Irina Antonova (pictured) and Brandi Wyant (behind the camera) provided information about interpreting services at the Mecklenburg County 2010 DSS Diversity Festival.

Drummers entertained and helped raise DSS staff awareness of Mecklenburg County's diversity.

by Michelle

Choice Translating Supports Somali Bantu Refugee Workshop

March 2009 Choice Translating continued its support of Somali Bantu refugees in Charlotte, NC, by helping organize a workshop that brought together community members and service providers to address specific areas of concern while safeguarding Somali Bantu cultural and religious customs on March 20, 2010, at The Hindu Center of Charlotte. Other partners participating in the event included the leaders of the nonprofit Somali Bantu Community, Mental Health Association of Central Carolinas (who hosted the event), Neighborhood Good Samaritan Center, Community Care Partners of Greater Mecklenburg, Mecklenburg County Department of Social Services, Community Health Services, Crisis Assistance Ministry, and Baitul Hemayah, Inc. Attendees learned how to access needed local services and resolve some of the shared challenges they face in adjusting to life in the United States. And the local community service providers, including representatives from the participating partners above, learned more about the Somali people and what their particular needs are.

The workshop organizers also wish to thank Compare Foods and The Hindu Center of Charlotte for their contributions to the workshop's success. This event was made possible by a Front Porch grant from the Charlotte Mecklenburg Community Foundation and supports Crossroads Charlotte, a community involvement program.

by Michelle