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.