Melanie Page

What is your name?

Dru G.

What did you want to be when you grew up?

A teacher.

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

YES! I am often in the classroom training and/or mentoring new interpreters!

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

I interpret pro-bono at church. I am available to local ITPs as a mentor if any practicum students wish to come observe or team with me at church. (Even if not a religious person, it is still great practice for platform interpreting, frozen text, songs, etc.!).

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

All of my colleagues are very supportive, and we are all there for each other!

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?

It took YEARS! My M. Ed. is in Deaf Education, and I didn’t go to a formal ITP. So for years, I would wear the “teacher label,” and say, “I am not an interpreter.” After several years of VRS, I finally felt more confident to use the “interpreter” label.

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

Cindi Nash, Lily Riley, Lauren Sanders, Lewis Wright, Rochelle Mathena, and so many more!