Abstract
There is a growing body of literature on the experiences of African American/Black sign language interpreters (Carpenter, 2017; West Oyedele, 2015), but still many challenges faced by this community in the field. For example, many experience isolation in their interpreter education programs and later in the field, and they described the programs they attended as White-centric and oppressive (Carpenter, 2017; Cokey & Schafer, 2016; West Oyedele, 2015). To understand their experiences better, a qualitative study was conducted which involved interviewing ten African American/Black interpreters. The findings indicated many barriers in the field, including racism and discrimination in systems of networking. However, what was also noted was many aspects of resiliency that kept the participants involved in the field. These included a positive attitude, support from the Black Deaf community and White colleagues, and the willingness to act as a role model and provide support for upcoming peers.
Suggested Citation
Satchell, Jordan; McDermid, Campbell; Totten, Lindsey; and Yarborough, Anna
(2022)
"Resiliency: Experiences of African American/Black Sign Language Interpreters.,"
Journal of Interpretation: Vol. 30:
Iss.
1, Article 2.
Available at:
https://digitalcommons.unf.edu/joi/vol30/iss1/2
Included in
African Languages and Societies Commons, American Sign Language Commons, Language Interpretation and Translation Commons, Modern Languages Commons, Social Justice Commons