Respond translator uses her language skills to support fellow Nicaraguans, exiled political prisoners, in accessing asylum

Irene is a dedicated member of Respond Crisis Translation and recently sat down for an interview about her work. Due to the precarious and dangerous situation in Nicaragua, Irene uses a pseudonym for her safety. 

She described how she first became involved with Respond Crisis Translation and leading to her role as a language activist. She shared the challenges she has faced and the motivations that drive her to continue her work. Despite the risks involved, Irene remains committed to supporting her community and advocating for change.

One of the key themes that emerged from her story was the urgent need to raise awareness about the political crisis in Nicaragua, where a “crackdown on civil society, a faltering economy and an atmosphere of terror instituted by the country's long-serving president, Daniel Ortega, is now driving many to leave.” Irene spoke passionately about the importance of breaking down language barriers, particularly in the context of translation and interpretation. She emphasized that translators and interpreters play a crucial role in ensuring that the voices of those affected are heard and understood.

The conversation was not just about the work Irene does, but also about the broader implications of her work. It highlighted the need for support and solidarity with the people of Nicaragua, who continue to face repression and violence.

The interview, originally conducted both in Spanish and in English, has been edited for clarity.

What led you to begin translating with Respond Crisis Translation? What were your initial expectations or goals when you started?

The reason I was first interested in Respond was because I wanted to support the community with translation work. I thought I would be doing just translations but wasn't expecting to come across the opportunity of translation for Nicaraguans. Once I realized that there was going to be this opportunity, I´d say 9 out of 10 of the translations I've signed up for have been for Nicaraguans. I guess that's what I´m more passionate about. 

What motivates you to translate for Nicaraguans? Could you share your personal connection to Nicaragua and describe what it means to you to be translating for this community?

I participated in very few of the protests in 2018. I think I had participated in just 2 before they became really repressive and violent. The last one I participated in was the one in March on Mother's Day. I don't think that many people know about it, but it was just extremely unexpected. Once that happened, I guess the mentality of a lot of Nicaraguans was changed, because they [the government] were going to take extreme measures and nothing was off limits. I was truly afraid and stopped going to protests. After that and having joined Respond, translating was my way of supporting Nicaraguan´s activists efforts. But I was very much in the background of things. I never posted on my social media, I was very quiet because I was scared. I was scared for myself and also of putting my family in dangerous situations.

A lot of Nicaraguans were exiled or thrown into jail and have suffered continued persecution after the protests that turned extremely repressive. This is my way of giving back to my community. 

You know, they were out there showing their faces, they were chanting and at many times putting their lives at risk. I didn't have to put my life at risk and I believe I have the skills, knowledge and know the context in Nicaragua, like the words that are used and the slogans, to be able to provide a really good translation. 

I am now very scared to travel to Nicaragua because – even though I haven't been vocal on my social media, which is part of the reasons why I have never been targeted – the government could easily do a LinkedIn research and know that I have worked for nonprofits and with political prisoners. While I would be able to go back, that would place a spotlight on my family, which has been very careful to stay out of it.

Your commitment to supporting marginalized communities is inspiring. Could you elaborate on how your decision to translate for Nicaraguans aligns with your values and personal journey, especially in light of your belief that there's a place for everyone in activism?

Since I was in college I always wanted to support those who weren't privileged enough, like those who were facing poverty. That's actually why I chose my field of study.

Now, different needs have emerged, it is now people that are being targeted by the government. And as I said, I stayed out of the spotlight. I think there's a place for all of us. I think there's some people who will go out and protest, chant and will be extremely vocal. That was not who I am. So, based on the skills I had, which was being bilingual, knowing about the situation, and being outside the country, once I learned about Respond and that they were doing work with Nicaraguans I thought it was the perfect outlet. 

Right before this call I was doing another translation of another exile and translating is my way of saying thank you to them.

When you express gratitude to these individuals, who specifically are you referring to?

Thank you to the activists, the religious leaders, and those who put Nicaragua on a map. I know Nicaraguans who were out at the protests and they were organizing and doing all these brave acts knowing the consequences they could face, whether that be death or being disappeared or even tortured, and they still did it. Even after the 2018 protests when the military was still out using 47 to shoot at people and they were dying, they continued to do it, to show up. And when protests were not feasible anymore because the second people would start organizing the police would show up and take them, they found ways to resist. So that's why I say thank you to them.  

How do you see translation as a means to bridge the language and communication gap for these individuals? Could you share more about the challenges you've encountered in ensuring accurate communication, especially when working with indigenous or non-English-speaking populations? 

As soon as I learned about the 222 exiled Nicaraguans, it was a bittersweet moment because a lot of them had been political prisoners for months and tortured during the process. It was a surprise when I learned that they had been put on a plane and sent to the U.S. On one hand, I was happy that they were no longer political prisoners. And on the other hand, I wondered what was going to become of these people. Some of them were in the public eye and had spoken before with different foreign government officials, and then there were others whose names were not recognized by everyone.  

I assume that a lot of them don't have English as their first language or they had not learned it or did not feel comfortable speaking the language. I recognize the barriers they are facing. So I am really glad I'm able to help and support these efforts. 

I also see the challenges because at my current job sometimes when I work with Latin American children who speak Indigenous languages or Haitians, I do need to use interpreters and translators, and I know firsthand how difficult it is. You kind of need to trust that the other person is translating accurately, and sometimes this doesn't really seem like it's exactly what's going on. There are also the limitations of knowing that not everyone does the necessary research to understand the country´s conditions and even just the different ways of speaking from country to country, or what's happening in the neighboring country. It's a real challenge, and I have read articles where they evidence these horror stories of the impact that bad translation and interpretation have caused on immigration cases.

Your emphasis on the importance of passionate and attentive interpreters is crucial. Can you share any specific experiences that have highlighted the impact of interpreters who may not fully prioritize their role? How do you think the right interpreters can positively influence the experiences of those, especially children and political prisoners, who rely on them for communication in sensitive and traumatic situations?

I just hope that whoever is going to serve as an interpreter for them are passionate about human rights and understand how important their translation or their interpretation efforts are. I have had these experiences of working with interpreters [on the phone or virtually] and hearing noises in the background, for example, and knowing they weren't paying full attention to the client that is in front of me. It's frustrating. Especially when you are working with the younger children and they have already been traumatized by their situation. 

I cannot imagine what it's like for these political prisoners who had been tortured. I honestly can only hope that their legal proceedings aren't as traumatizing and that whoever the judge and interpreter are are really able to see the whole spectrum of it. 

How do you think interpreters can cultivate this empathy and deepen their understanding of the challenges faced by those seeking refuge? Additionally, could you elaborate on how language, beyond just being a means of communication, plays a crucial role in connecting individuals and preserving their sense of identity, especially in such critical circumstances?

I know there's a lot going on in the world, but most people don't know about the situation in Nicaragua or others can't believe it. But this is happening, and it has been happening for the past 6 years. 

I think knowing and learning about it a little bit more would be great for interpreters to be better. And for those who are there where the actual hearing is happening, I ask them to be empathetic. 

There is this discourse in the United States and overall all over the world of immigrants being bad people, and that's definitely not the case. A lot of these immigrants didn't even have the option of choosing to leave their country. One day they just opened their eyes and they were being taken out of jail and out of the country and now can't return. They were basically pulled out of the country where they grew up and they knew. The country where they spoke the language and now are somewhere else where they face another type of challenges. 

So empathy is what could be missing from interpreters, and by missing that empathy, it could make the situation so much harder for the person that is now an exile asking for legal relief to stay in the U.S.

If these people are sent back, there is no way they are going to be able to live their lives. They could either be thrown in jail again or disappeared, and that would mean torture too. It is a life or death situation for these people. It really is. 

Understanding the severity of the situation is key to doing good translation and interpretation. You are helping someone who is in a country where they don't speak the language, at least not as their native language. Language is so important because even your accent connects you to another person. I can't imagine the struggle that it might be to not only not speak the same political language, but not even speak the language at all. 

When engaging in this work, do you view yourself as an activist? How does this perception influence your approach to supporting causes and communities through translation?

I guess when a person uses the word activist they think of those who are at the forefront. Since we are not one of them, I did not [at first] consider myself an activist. But now it is really interesting to me to see how there are different ways to do activism. It is not just the traditional way. Thinking or defining activism is much more subtle than that. 

I think being a language activist makes me feel like I am there and I am still trying to support the cause. We are an important piece in all the story that is still unfolding. It is rewarding knowing that I am doing what I can to support this cause. 

What has your experience as a language activist with Respond Crisis Translation taught you about translation that you wish more people understood? Are there any key insights or aspects of translation work that you think are important for others to see and understand?

Some people might think that translation is easy, but many times, if not all the time, it takes a lot of resources to do the best translation possible. Respond puts a lot of effort into these resources and how to do it in a trauma informed way. We know that we are backed up so that we as translators don't feel retraumatized or experience vicarious trauma. It takes a lot of passion to do this work. It takes passion to know that what you are translating and the words that you are using will make a difference and can make the case stronger or weaker.