ATAMay/June 2021 | Vol. 50 No. 3CHRONICLEA Publication of the American Translators Association A SENSE OF HOPE INTERPRETERS/TRANSLATORS SHARE THEIR VACCINATION JOURNEY ContentsMay/June 2021 • Volume 50, Number 3 10 14 12 Features 10 12 ATA’s Virtual Advocacy Trip ATA Member Orientation: Connect with ATA to Capitol Hill A Bird’s-Eye View of All Every year, ATA lends its voice as one ATA Has to Offer www.atanet.org of the advocates from the language As an association with members around www.twitter.com/atanet professions to meet with Congress and the globe and a wide variety of interest request legislation and funding in support groups, programs, and events, ATA http://bit.ly/ATA-Facebook of language education and industry might seem like somewhat of a puzzle to priorities. This year, the Association had members. That’s why ATA’s Membership http://bit.ly/ATA-Instagram the opportunity to do so twice! Committee began to consider how it http://bit.ly/ATA-LinkedIn could provide an easy-to-digest snapshot of everything ATA offers so members http://bit.ly/ChannelATA could choose where to get involved and http://bit.ly/ATA-Pinterest avoid feeling lost. Our answer: the ATA Member Orientation sessions! See more from this issue at www.ata-chronicle.online. 14 Columns American Translators Association A Sense of Hope: 225 Reinekers Lane, Suite 590 Interpreters/Translators Alexandria, VA 22314 USA 4 Tel: +1-703-683-6100 Share Their Vaccination Fax: +1-703-683-6122 Journey From the President [email protected] • www.atanet.org As the vaccination distribution program kicks into high gear in 6 Editorial Board the U.S., we asked interpreters From the President-Elect Jost Zetzsche (chair), Paula Arturo, Lois and translators what getting Feuerle, Ben Karl, Barbara Inge Karsch, vaccinated means to them both Ted Wozniak personally and professionally. 8 From the Executive Director Publisher/Executive Director We also asked them if the Walter Bacak, CAE • [email protected] advocacy efforts of translator and interpreter organizations 29 Editor Jeff Sanfacon • [email protected] had an impact on their eligibility Business Practices for early vaccination. Advertising 32 [email protected] 19 Tel: +1-703-683-6100, ext. 3007 Interpreters Forum 6 Ways to Stop Fax: +1-703-683-6122 Self-Sabotaging Your Design & Production Online Marketing Efforts 34 Blue House DC • www.bluehousedc.com We’ve all been guilty of self- Resource Review sabotage at some point during The ATA Chronicle (ISSN 1078-6457) is our entrepreneurial journey. We 38 published six times per year by the American often make online marketing much Translators Association, 225 Reinekers Lane, Suite 590, Alexandria, VA 22314 USA. harder than it really is. The stories Certification Forum Periodicals postage paid at Alexandria, we tell ourselves about why we Virginia, and additional mailing offices. can’t do something can cause us to stall our marketing efforts, Looking for Member News Postmaster: Send address changes to whether we realize it at first or and Humor and Translation? The ATA Chronicle, 225 Reinekers Lane, not. The key is to make your Suite 590, Alexandria, VA 22314 USA. marketing feel like you. These columns are found in the The American Translators Association (ATA) Chronicle-Online edition: was established in 1959 as a not-for-profit professional society to foster and support the www.ata-chronicle.online! 21 professional development of translators and Getting Started interpreters and to promote the translation with Terminology and interpreting professions. The subscription Management NEW rate for a member is $25 (included in the dues payment). The U.S. subscription rate for Terminology management SITE! a nonmember is $65. Subscribers in Canada makes or breaks the success of and Mexico add $25; all other non-U.S. globalization and localization subscribers add $45. Statements of fact or efforts in terms of both budgets opinion are the responsibility of the authors and sales. Despite its strategic alone and do not imply an opinion on the part value, however, many are of the officers or the members of ATA. unaware that terminology is key to producing solid, well- Reprint Permission performing products. And once Requests for permission to reprint articles should be sent to the editor of The ATA they are aware, many don’t know Chronicle at [email protected]. where to start. If you find yourself needing a little help in this area ©2021 American Translators Association as well, then read on for some guidelines for getting started with terminology management. FROM THE PRESIDENT The Vital Work of ATA Committees f ATA divisions are our task is completed and a final video meetings), but driven members’ “home within report is issued. some committees to take on I a home”—the place they Five of the 18 committees new tasks. go to be with other “family are mandated by ATA’s Here’s a brief recap of members” who work in the Bylaws: the Executive, some of the vital work Finance and Audit, same fields and language done by just a few of Ethics, Membership, and TED R. WOZNIAK pairs—then ATA committees ATA’s committees. [email protected] could be considered their Nominating and Leadership “offices”—the place they go Development Committees. to work on behalf of ATA. As is evident from their names, these committees ATA has 18 standing are responsible for issues committees with 163 that are common to member volunteers who most associations. work on a wide range The Business Practices Education As can be expected in of issues of importance an association of ATA’s Committee attracted over to the Association and size and scope, the vitality its members. Standing and activity of specific 200 registrants committees are committees can ebb and flow “permanent” because over time due to internal and 100 live they have indefinite and external changes. The lives. In contrast, special pandemic has undoubtedly participants committees are temporary been one such change. It during its first virtual in nature and automatically has not only changed how Brainstorm Networking cease to exist when their committees work (e.g., online meeting on March 31! Certification: One significant example of a pandemic- driven change is the Certification Committee’s initiative to provide online remote certification exams, which will have a major and permanent impact on the Association. The committee is currently testing a remote delivery system and hopes to conduct its first remote exam sitting before the end of the year. If successful, this will greatly expand the availability of certification exams as candidates will no longer have to travel and incur additional expenses to take the exam. 4 The ATA Chronicle | May/June 2021 www.atanet.org NEW The pandemic has SITE! membership survey, which will also include questions not only changed to obtain diversity data that will allow us to better serve how committees work the entire membership. (e.g., online video Other new “products” from the committee include a meetings), but driven new video on the reasons for joining ATA aimed at some committees to recruiting new members. take on new tasks. Those new members are now being offered member orientation sessions and Advocacy: The Advocacy instructional videos on member benefits, both Committee has worked of which should increase diligently, often under very member satisfaction during tight deadlines, to advocate their first few years in ATA. for safe working conditions Speaking of the new website... These initiatives should for in-person interpreters also help improve our during the pandemic and for I would like to thank the members of the Ad Hoc retention rate. early access to vaccinations. Website Committee, who put in countless hours It has also continued to working on the site’s redesign, a task that was I don’t have sufficient advocate for the proper made even more difficult by the abrupt departure space to report on all the activities of every classification of professional of the original website redesign company. The new practitioners of translation committee carried out by all website is visually appealing, much more user- and interpretation as the volunteers who work so independent contractors friendly, and has been exceptionally well received hard on behalf of the where appropriate. by the membership. So, special thanks to Karen Association. The majority of Tkaczyk (chair), Jamie Hartz, Madalena Sánchez members may not even be Business Practices: The Zampaulo, Catherine Christaki, and Michèle aware of some committees like the Chapters Committee Business Practices Education Hansen, as well as the unheralded committee and or the Interpretation Policy Committee was recently division members who had to review thousands of restructured by bringing the Advisory Committee, as the pages of content (literally!). And my extra special former Mentoring Committee nature of their missions is and the Savvy Newcomers thanks to Teresa Kelly, our website manager and not member-focused. But I initiative under its umbrella. graphic designer at ATA Headquarters, who was can assure you that these It has also started a the central point of contact (and the recipient of all unheralded committees also play a vital role in ATA’s Mastermind program to the complaints) during this long project. provide in-depth business mission of being “The Voice education to ATA members. of Interpreters and The committee held its Translators.” Visit the first virtual Brainstorm new website. The committee Membership: The committee page on the Networking meeting on has worked closely with the Membership Committee website (www.atanet.org/ March 31, which attracted Membership Committee on has also been very active about-us/committees) to over 200 registrants and many of these initiatives, in fulfilling its mission of learn more about the work 100 live participants.