Melanie Page

What is your name?

James Carter.

What did you want to be when you grew up?

Growing up, I always wanted to be a firefighter. Then, my goals shifted and I wanted to do translation work for D/HH/DB students. I wanted to translate literary works to be more legible and comprehensible for the D/HH/DB communities.

Does your childhood career goal now affect your interpreting in any way? Do they overlap, “speak” to each other, or are they completely separate?

For me, the connection lies in my comfort with unpredictability. Even as a kid, I knew I didn’t want a routine “day job” that looked the same every day. I’ve always been drawn to a certain level of chaos, leaning towards the kind of situations where you’re thrown in and have to figure it out as you go. That’s where I thrive. Interpreting taps into that same part of me. It asks me to trust myself, stay present, and not overthink, even when the circumstances are shifting.

In what ways do you mindfully and intentionally give back to your interpreting colleagues?

I try to always be intentional for my peers. When asked, I try to give as constructive feedback as possible. In doing so, I have to recognize the time it takes to be just present with one another. I love the idea of meeting for coffee and trying to provide support as best I can. I love giving my phone number and being a soundboard for a profession that can feel so suffocatingly isolating. I want people to know that when they’re speaking with me, it is a safe space. I also try to be conscious of the needs my peers have. If I have a peer who has an allergy, I make sure to be aware of not putting them in an uncomfortable position in the workplace. I know that seems like “Basic Nice Person 101”, but creating a space where people don’t have to be on the guard for a peanut butter cup in the office does ease the mental-emotional labor and then helps people create a better result. We all know that if we can feel confident in how we interpreted, it’s a good day.

Give an example of a time another interpreter mindfully and intentionally gave back to you.

Gosh, how do I pick just one time? I remember when I first got started with the idea of being an interpreter. An interpreter was begging me to join and after a long time of them finally whittling me down to at least attempt the process of researching what is needed for the job, we had a very transparent conversation. We spoke about the good, the bad, and the ugly of ASL interpreting. This person never once was trying to make the decision for me, but helped me be emotionally prepared for — what can be — a rollercoaster of a job. She took the time to hear my concerns, bring my lofty expectations down to reality, and instilled this feeling for transparency at every step of the way throughout my career.

Because interpreters are life-long learners, it can be hard to say, “Yes, I am an interpreter.” Do you remember when you were able to confidently use that label for yourself?

For me, it’s still been hard to grapple with this concept. When I get my first BEI certification, I thought, “Well, I’m still ‘just’ a Basic interpreter, I wouldn’t consider myself an interpreter” (which is SO not true, may I add). When I got my Advanced it was the same. Through counseling, I’m working on trying to figure out how to be present and sit in the moment of my accomplishments. I have a VERY hard time with that. It’s consistently a surreal feeling when I find myself in some of the most mundane of places. I can be in front of a classroom or in front of thousands of people, and the awe of “I’ve been trusted to do THIS” is very humbling for me.

Please give a shout out to the interpreters you are grateful you know, have worked with, learned from, become friends with, etc.

I’d love to shout out everyone, but some of the most important people to my career would be (in no particular order): Joan Engelmann, Colleen Olson, Rhonda Downs, Katelyn Petroline, Genevieve Lindner, Reagan Runge. And to be clear, just because a name isn’t up here doesn’t me I haven’t learned, been thankful for, become friends with, or been grateful I know you. I learn from everyone, all day, every day. And thank you all for helping me be better every day.