ewilliam · January 30, 2014 21:37
diff --git a/gistfile1.txt b/gistfile1.txt
 Hi, I’m William Albright, engineer for Linguabee.

 Let me start with thanking Shanley and Amelia and everybody else involved in the MVC project. I’ve been following Shanley for a while, I know she’s onto good things!

 When she said she would be setting up a media organization focusing on tech, diversity, and culture; I was really excited. Why? Obviously its important but I don’t think everybody understands it on the same level.

 Consider my experience interviewing for an intern position at VWGOA, before I considered to become an engineer, when I sat in a room with the HR boss and 2 interpreters. That experience would stay with me the rest of my life; during the interview, one of the interpreters couldn’t understand me at all. She kept misunderstanding what I said, and the other interpreter would correct her sometimes. The only thing I communicately clearly was disappointment through my face so HR boss would understand that I was having difficulty with the interpreter, as a way to mitigate the damage.

 This is me, interviewing for a position that could change my life but I couldn’t simply communicate my ideas to the HR boss. Never mind that I never met the person prior, or that I had no idea whether she was qualified or that we would be a good match.

 My story is not unique; this is something most deaf people have experienced to an extent. I’ve gone through this many times. I’m sure y’all know about the Mandela Fake Interpreter Debacle.

 So what’s the deal? Its two things: transparency and choice.

 Tell me, does it make sense to you that your communication needs are worked out by surprise meetings with people you’ve never met and/or know nothing about them? Qualifications, signing style, experience, nothing.

 Or how about that the interpreters were picked by someone with inadequate experience of ASL or just being deaf in general? Imagine your Spanish interpreter was picked by someone who doesnt really speak Spanish.

 Thats the way it is currently, with most interpreting agencies run by hearing people. We dont agree with that. We believe that the information about the interpreters should be accesible to the deaf person, with the ability to choose their own interpreter. 

 That’s why we started Linguabee; we have lived experiences and are passionate about solving the problem. Only we can do it. Only deaf people can understand deaf people. This is why diversity in industry is so important, so more issues in different communities can be addressed.
	Hi, I’m William Albright, engineer for Linguabee.

	Let me start with thanking Shanley and Amelia and everybody else involved in the MVC project. I’ve been following Shanley for a while, I know she’s onto good things!

	When she said she would be setting up a media organization focusing on tech, diversity, and culture; I was really excited. Why? Obviously its important but I don’t think everybody understands it on the same level.

	Consider my experience interviewing for an intern position at VWGOA, before I considered to become an engineer, when I sat in a room with the HR boss and 2 interpreters. That experience would stay with me the rest of my life; during the interview, one of the interpreters couldn’t understand me at all. She kept misunderstanding what I said, and the other interpreter would correct her sometimes. The only thing I communicately clearly was disappointment through my face so HR boss would understand that I was having difficulty with the interpreter, as a way to mitigate the damage.

	This is me, interviewing for a position that could change my life but I couldn’t simply communicate my ideas to the HR boss. Never mind that I never met the person prior, or that I had no idea whether she was qualified or that we would be a good match.

	My story is not unique; this is something most deaf people have experienced to an extent. I’ve gone through this many times. I’m sure y’all know about the Mandela Fake Interpreter Debacle.

	So what’s the deal? Its two things: transparency and choice.

	Tell me, does it make sense to you that your communication needs are worked out by surprise meetings with people you’ve never met and/or know nothing about them? Qualifications, signing style, experience, nothing.

	Or how about that the interpreters were picked by someone with inadequate experience of ASL or just being deaf in general? Imagine your Spanish interpreter was picked by someone who doesnt really speak Spanish.

	Thats the way it is currently, with most interpreting agencies run by hearing people. We dont agree with that. We believe that the information about the interpreters should be accesible to the deaf person, with the ability to choose their own interpreter.

	That’s why we started Linguabee; we have lived experiences and are passionate about solving the problem. Only we can do it. Only deaf people can understand deaf people. This is why diversity in industry is so important, so more issues in different communities can be addressed.