Professional Communities for Interpreters

In August of 2020, I decided created a Facebook group called Interpreter & Translator Peer Support Group to focus on the mental health and wellness of linguists. My hope was for it to be a space for fellow interpreters and translators to seek some much-needed emotional support from their peers, as well as share self-care tips. Instead of focusing on professional development like many of the professional interpreting communities I participate in, I wanted us to focus on how to cope with the unique mental health challenges people in our field face.

As of September 2023, our group is over 1000 strong and expanding. In fact, we began holding live support meetings over Zoom in November of 2020, and in April of 2022 we held our first meeting open to all interpreters and translators regardless of whether they were part of our Facebook group or not. The goal is to keep expanding and continue providing a virtual space for linguists to focus on their mental health and well-being.

Clicking the button above will bring you to the Peer Support Group’s page on KGH Interpretation. If you scroll down to the bottom of the page, you can also sign up for our newsletter!

In September of 2019 I started a Facebook group called Queer-Friendly Interpreters and Translators. I’ll be blunt: the reason I felt a need to create this space was because in other groups for interpreters and translators, I’d have to scroll past quite a few uninformed or even hateful comments on any post relating to LGBTQIA+ topics. I saw the need for a community in which these sorts of questions could be asked– without all the noise, because at the end of the day we serve all people who may need our services.

We try our very best to make this space as nonjudgmental and safe as possible, recognizing that we cannot fully screen every group member, their thoughts, beliefs, attitudes, or behaviors. Please make sure to read carefully and answer all membership questions when requesting to join.

In March of 2020, a few days before COVID-19 was declared a global pandemic, an administrator of the group U.S. Medical Interpreters approached me and asked if I would like to be a moderator. I accepted and thus began my journey of managing Facebook groups for interpreters!

This group has changed quite a bit since I started. We now boast nearly 8,000 members from all over the world and the most common posts are regarding agency feedback, job postings, and resources for medical interpreters. As of August 2023, we have pinned posts at the top of the group with a poll/directory of interpreted languages in the group, as well as a list of job openings. Even though this group is titled “US Medical Interpreters” as far as I’m concerned, as long as you are providing services to US healthcare clients as an interpreter, you’re welcome here!