by Ruth Alvarez, Interpreter/Translator
Vancouver, Washington

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The buzz of conversation in the conference hall fell to a hush as the distinguished gentleman in a suit wheeled his way up the ramp to the microphone. Speaking with confidence, humor, and understanding, Dr. Stefan Bean, Superintendent of Schools, welcomed the room full of interpreters and translators with inspiring words of encouragement, himself a representative of English learners who also gives a voice to the most vulnerable. The 9th Annual Interpreters and Translators Conference, hosted by the Orange County Department of Education (OCDE) on the beautiful campus of Vanguard University in Costa Mesa, had officially begun.

Vanguard University Campus

Bird of Paradise

Enraptured by the wisdom and experience shared by keynote speaker Ewandro Magalhães, surrounded by the kindred spirit shared among these colleagues I had yet to meet, anxious to glean knowledge and insight from presenters, and yet wishing for time to go ever so slowly, I had to pinch myself to be certain I wasn’t dreaming. As a recipient of the 2025 NOTIS general conference grant, attending this conference was truly a gift and an honor.

“Some sort of happy succulent”

President-elect of the American Translators Association, Andy Benzo, gave a powerful workshop called “Standing Our Ground,” where she empowered her listeners with a review of the legal development of language access, provided clear evidence of the unethical, fallible Trojan horse that is AI, and armed us with action items to combat its infiltration.

As an interpreter and family liaison in the field of education, I particularly appreciated the session led by Tasnim Al-Naimi on a topic often neglected in training: trauma-informed approaches to language access. We interpreters are exposed to trauma on an almost daily basis as we support and advocate for families who have survived the unimaginable. However, we rarely receive training on how to effectively support these individuals, nor are we offered strategies for coping or self-care. Inspired by Al-Naimi’s conference presentation, I plan to propose to the department director in our local school district that this crucial curriculum be offered to our team of interpreters and translators.

California tree, warm blue sky	Newport Beach

Were you to pass through my corner of the state, I would invite you to a cup of coffee and eagerly share my notes from the other sessions I attended at the OCDE annual conference — from the urgent call to improve interpretation strategies in critical meetings within the educational setting (“Lost in Translation” by Marco Antonio Peral Ortiz) to Dulce Bustamante’s workshop on the critical public health crisis of sleep deficits and poor sleep hygiene, and how to get better, more restorative sleep (topics she also discussed at the NOTIS 2025 Annual Conference!). I would tell you about the bonds of camaraderie that naturally united us interpreters as we learned together, laughed together, and danced a conga line to the vibrant melodies of the mariachi band (yes, you read that right). But merely recounting my experience would only scratch the surface of the ocean-deep riches that nourished us conference-goers professionally, intellectually, and personally. You simply must go and see for yourself — September 2026! It will be a privilege to meet you. ☐

Sunset on Huntington Beach

To learn more about NOTIS conference grants, visit NOTISnet.org/Grants.

For details on the OCDE 2026 Interpreters and Translators Conference (Sept. 24–26, 2026), click here.