There is no way to tell the StreetLeverage story without attempting to identify a large number of people and to rehearse every small, seemingly insignificant act of generosity which, when woven together, creates a multiplier which has compounded these acts into something beautiful.
This generosity open doors for us to learn, enjoy and share this work. It allows us to connect with amazingly talented, committed, inspired and inspiring people.
Generosity, large and small, is the connective tissue which binds everything together at StreetLeverage. Every event attendee and volunteer, every fully formulated post and idea shared, and every reader who likes, shares or tweets ideas to their peers and co-workers, demonstrates that spirit. With each decision, offer, invitation, open door and open mind, a space has been created for opportunity, for discovery, for expanding possibilities in the field of sign language interpreting.
We are grateful to all the individuals who participate in and support the StreetLeverage endeavor. Without your contributions, this task would be insurmountable.
It is with grateful hearts that StreetLeverage says a hearty and heartfelt, “Thank You!”
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Sincere expressions of gratitude positively impact both giver and receiver. Creating an intentional gratitude practice could benefit sign language interpreters and the profession.
As the days grow darker with the change of the seasons, there is a sense of despair in many arenas of the sign language interpreting field; rough waters on the national front, a swiftly-changing field of work, expressions of dissatisfaction from those who employ our services the most. It almost feels like the perfect storm. One thought keeps those negative thoughts at bay: could we transform our relationships with the Deaf Community and other sign language interpreters if we expressed our thanks more regularly?
My thoughts here are not original. Brandon Arthur talked about Sign Language Interpreters and the Karma of Gratitude back in 2011. Tammera Richards included the idea in her article, #Doable: How Sign Language Interpreters Restore Relationships with the Deaf Community. If you do a blog search on StreetLeverage, many of the contributors mention gratitude in their articles. It is not a foreign concept, but my sense is that we need to be more intentional, and we need to do more. The darker the time, the more we need the light of our friends and supporters to show us the way.
Upping the Ante
Sometimes, a simple smile, a “hello”, or a friendly wave of acknowledgment when I’m on the phone is enough to make my day.Each of these gestures has made an impact on me, particularly when I might be struggling in some way. When I remember how meaningful it is to receive these expressions of gratitude, it strengthens my resolve to reach out and share them with others.
After the Community Forum at the RID National Conference this year, I did something I rarely do. I approached two of the speakers and thanked them for sharing their stories. For me, that session was the most memorable of the whole conference. I was moved to tears by the courage and strength of those who stood on the stage that night. While I usually convince myself that presenters don’t need to hear me tell them how great they are, I couldn’t contain my gratitude. The conversations that ensued were so heartfelt and so meaningful to me; I carry them with me still. Perhaps it was more beneficial for me than for them, I don’t know. What I do know is that when I walked away that night, I was inspired to be braver. To take more opportunities to thank those who inspire, support, teach and inform my work.
Finding New Mindsets
Jean A. Miller
“If I am looking for things to complain about, I will find them. If I am looking for things to be grateful for, those will emerge.” Patti Digh, Be Conscious of Your Treasures1
In 2006, one of my favorite authors, Patti Digh, offered a challenge on her blog: “Create a list of 37 people who have helped you and write just one or two sentences that captures the gift they have given you.”2 I took that challenge and the experience was profound. In 2013, she posted an entry in her web series, “your daily rock” titled, “write a thank you note.” In that short missive, she states:
“For four years now, I have written a thank you note every morning. It has changed how I see the world. I look for opportunities to thank, not opportunities to criticize. It is not new skills we need to change our lives–it is new mindsets.”3
The idea of changing mindsets resonates with me personally, and I have been wondering how it could impact our professional community, as well. I hope you will consider exploring a new mindset with me.
A November Challenge: Show Your Gratitude
As the month of November begins, as Thanksgiving approaches, and as many of us await the findings of the RID Risk Assessment, I’d like to challenge StreetLeverage readers to show your gratitude in a focused, purposeful way.
There are a million ways to show your gratitude. Here are some ideas:
Write a thank you note to one person you worked with the day before and send it or give it to them each day in November.
Donate time or money to a local Deaf Community organization in November.
Write gratitude tweets or Facebook status updates to thank people in your community and/or in your work life each day in November.
Invite someone out for coffee, lunch or dinner who may not be aware of their impact on your career. Tell them about it.
Start a gratitude journal for your work life. Remember why you became a sign language interpreter in the first place. Do it every day of November (and beyond, if it helps).
I hope you will join me in a month of gratitude. I’d love to hear about your experiences, transformations and epiphanies. I know it won’t solve the problems of our field, but it might be a step toward mending or strengthening relationships and partnerships,which may create the momentum to address some of the larger challenges that lay ahead for practitioners and the field in general. Or, it might just make you feel good.
Questions for Consideration:
What do you think would start to occur within the field if we started to tell each other the things we assume others already know?
How might an abundance of gratitude impact how we see our work, our teams, the people who use our services?
What if, in the absence of explicit gratitude based on the work we produce, sign language interpreters expressed gratitude to each other for being a good team, for taking a challenging assignment, for correcting our mistakes, for taking the lead on a day when we weren’t quite feeling it?
How can we meaningfully express our sincere appreciation to Deaf community members for their patience, guidance, feedback, and their willingness to share their language and culture?
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It is surreal to me that this month marks the 12th month that StreetLeverage has been working to amplify the voice of the sign language interpreter. As my mind races in review of the last year, I find myself incredibly grateful for the many people who have encouraged, supported, and contributed to this labor of love.
Readers & Subscribers
To the thousands of you who visit the site each month, thank you. Remaining worthy of your continued attention is the driving force behind the effort to curate and publish quality pieces each week. Your engagement and interest in republishing pieces to your personal networks is amazing. Again, thank you. You are the reason the site exists.
I am keenly interested in your feedback on how to improve the StreetLeverage effort. If you have suggestions on topics, authors, posts and/or how the site can be improved, please send along your feedback. You can do that now by clicking here.
Authors
To you courageous souls who have shared your perspectives and insights, thank you. Your 40+ contributions have created a flashpoint of opportunity for readers to be introspective about the important work that they do and the profession and industry to which they belong. It is in your personal accomplishment and a willingness to share that places StreetLeverage among the most visited blogs on sign language interpreting.
Again, thank you for your remarkable contributions.
For those interested in contributing, I welcome the opportunity to discuss possibilities. If you would consider contributing, please contact me by clicking here.
My Family
To my best friend and life partner, Tara, thank you. Without your encouragement StreetLeverage would still be just a concept rolling around in my head. Your unwavering support makes it all possible. Thank you for sacrificing countless hours over the past year as I have attended to the work of sourcing, editing, publishing, and promoting pieces each week. You are far more than I deserve.
Lessons Learned
In a world where the competition for attention is fierce, I am truly grateful for the many people who have taken an interest in StreetLeverage over the past 12 months. Curating the site has been filled with significant learning, the most important of which is that the attention of subscribers and readers is earned. I have also learned that providence will step in to assist if you take the first step.
I look forward to continuing to curate a discussion worthy of your attention.
Again, to everyone who has contributed to the success of StreetLeverage to date, thank you.
Unemployment, wage reductions, and scant opportunity are just a few things that can describe the last year for sign language interpreters. I believe it easy, given the industry turmoil, for interpreters to stumble into the trappings of ingratitude.
Who could blame us, its been rough out there.
Calling On Karma
While the industry has been a bit of a roller coaster this year, I wonder if we can improve our circumstances and avoid the pitfall of ingratitude by inviting karma to help us. It’s worth a try, no? Let’s try it by expressing our gratitude for a colleague or leader that has made a difference in our career. To know them is to have been changed for the better.
I’ll start.
Paul Christie
With the exception of my life partner Tara (who is the most amazing person I have ever met and an incredible interpreter to boot), Paul Christie has had a tremendous impact on my career. He took me under his wing when I was a young and new to the field. You could say I was more than a little green behind the ears.
During our time working together in the Washington, DC metro area (DC, MD and VA), Paul regularly emphasized:
The importance of balancing one’s Deaf heritage with the standards of the industry.
That an artist creates the experience and the receiver determines the impact.
To believe in myself, but to always consider the effect of my actions – real or perceived.
The importance of balancing family and career.
In addition to the above, and sharing his life experience, Paul was very encouraging when I had the entrepreneurial seizure that later became Visual Language Interpreting (VLI) and was supportive throughout its tenure.
Thank You, Mr. Christie
Paul—thanks for being an incredible human being and an amazing interpreter. My career and journey in the field has been better because of your personal interest in me. Thanks for the invitations to your home, and for listening to a young man while he attempted to figure out his career path and life in general—the goo inside. Lastly, thanks for always being supportive first and constructively critical second.
Take A Turn
I am sure that each of you has at least one person who has had a dramatic impact on your career. Again, let’s invite karma to help us through these industry challenges by publicly expressing our thanks for those who have given us the push we needed, when we needed it.
