Meet Elizabeth, a budding Kaqchikel interpreter and ICE detention survivor fighting for language access
By Yula Rocha @yularocha
When I asked Elizabeth the word for freedom in Kaqchikel, her native Mayan language spoken in Guatemala , she told me there is no direct equivalent. She provided her own poetic translation: Nq'isamuj' y manq'i pahe tu'j which translates to: “luchar sin detenerse” - ¨to fight without being stopped¨.
Elizabeth learned to fight for freedom and developed her sense of justice the hard way. A survivor of domestic violence, this young indigenous woman from Guatemala, was held in a detention center in the United States while seeking asylum in pursuit of physical and economic safety. In 2019 she escaped an abusive marriage and left her own country by foot on a long and perilous journey to the Mexico-US border. A successful crossing would have meant a new life away from her violent husband and a more robust income to help her family back home. But, as with so many other migrants´ stories, federal immigration agents were waiting in Texas.
She was locked up in a so-called “hielera” (¨ice box¨) in Texas - an experience far too common for asylum seekers and migrants who often spend months in freezing cold detention centers across the US. “Immigrants are not treated as human beings”, recalls Elizabeth.
“At that time, in detention, she only spoke fluent Kaqchikel. Along with other Central American indigenous languages, it is in high demand for legal translations. […] To defend their stories before a judge, many rely on two translators/interpreters: from their indigenous language to Spanish and then Spanish to English.”
At that time, in detention, she only spoke fluent Kaqchikel. Along with other Central American indigenous languages, it is in high demand for legal translations. Before the Covid-19 pandemic an average of 250000 Guatemalans migrate to the US each year. To defend their stories before a judge, many rely on two translators/interpreters: from their indigenous language to Spanish and then Spanish to English.
Respond Crisis Translation helped to build a strong asylum case for Elizabeth by providing her with interpretation access in partnership with a grassroots advocacy organization that offered pro bono legal support. However, the case was rejected by the US Immigration court. Exhausted, she was forced to accept deportation and subsequently reunited with her parents and siblings in central Guatemala.
Determined to restart her life, Elizabeth received support from one of Respond´s partners, a local indigenous organisation called Colectivo Vida Digna that since 2010 has been working to reintegrate youth and children who have experienced deportation from Mexico and the US. Anna Aziza Grewe, who is the co-founder of Vida Digna and also a social worker, shares that the association offers educational scholarships and workshops to help deportees develop new skills. They also provide treatment to alleviate physical and psychological trauma.
Elizabeth has had doctors appointments, massage and counselling with a Mayan cosmovision approach that connects body and spirit, and worked closely with María García who is an attorney and Mam interpreter with Vida Digna. Fortunately her family welcomed her back with open arms and she has been filled with love from her family, the Colectivo Vida Digna organization, and the Respond Crisis Translation community, ever since.
But there was one main concern that haunted Elizabeth for a while after returning to Guatemala - a huge sum she owed the people who facilitated the crossing to the US. Once she was able to pay off this debt - through Respond’s fundraising efforts - she could finally turn this page of her history and regain her focus and purpose in life. Now this young multilingual woman and activist manages her family’s pig farm, raising eight piglets, and is enrolled in school again.
“Elizabeth´s multilingualism as a Spanish and Kaqchikel speaker is a skill that she taps into frequently. While detained in the U.S., even whilst experiencing the trauma of state-sanctioned abuse, Elizabeth was honing her fluency in her second language Spanish. She is now confidently bilingual and has been contributing to translations alongside the Respond Crisis Translation team.”
Elizabeth´s multilingualism as a Spanish and Kaqchikel speaker is a skill that she taps into frequently. While detained in the U.S., even whilst experiencing the trauma of state-sanctioned abuse, Elizabeth was honing her fluency in her second language Spanish. She is now confidently bilingual and has been contributing to translations alongside the Respond Crisis Translation team. She assisted with Kaqchikel COVID19 resource translations at the start of the global public health crisis. She also records videos and songs in Kaqchikel to promote language preservation. She is teaming up with Respond Crisis Translation´s development partner Desta Haile, the founder of Languages through Music, to record and transcribe songs in her native Kaqchikel in order to share and preserve the beautiful language.
“But this is only the tip of the iceberg when it comes to the impact Elizabeth has generated through her persistence, her resilience, and her story. Colectivo Vida Digna is now partnering with Respond Crisis Translation to mobilize other young indigenous language speakers to access paid interpretation work.”
But this is only the tip of the iceberg when it comes to the impact Elizabeth has generated through her persistence, her resilience, and her story. Colectivo Vida Digna is now partnering with Respond Crisis Translation to mobilize other young indigenous language speakers to access paid interpretation work. Through this partnership, Colectivo Vida Digna has provided over 60 hours of paid indigenous language interpretation support to asylum seekers in the United States. This partnership all started with Elizabeth!
As for the future, Elizabeth is working to complete school while supporting her family business. She dreams that one day she will be able to work full-time as a translator and language ambassador, helping people who, like her, have experienced the human rights violation inherent in being deprived of freedom and mobility.
This, for Elizabeth, is the real meaning of “luchar sin detenerse”: Nq'isamuj' y manq'i pahe tu'j.
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Here is a recording of Elizabeth singing a song in Kaqchikel.
This is a part of her effort to preserve Kaqchikel through music.
If you would like to donate to support Elizabeth’s and Vida Digna’s efforts to widen access to indigenous language translation services and professional interpreting trainings for deportees, please donate here with a note on your donation ¨Solidarity with Vida Digna¨.
