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Judge Abdoney Letter

ATIF WebMaster — Sun, 08 Oct 2017 20:24:10 +0000

Letter to Chief Judge Hon. Bertila Soto

ATIF WebMaster — Sun, 30 Apr 2017 14:00:37 +0000

Chief Judge Hon. Bertila Soto
11th. Judicial Circuit
Lawson E. Thomas Courthouse Center
175 N.W. 1st Avenue
Miami, Florida 33128

Miami, April 30th 2017

Dear Judge Soto

Our Association has received many complaints that judges and magistrates of the 11th Judicial Circuit are allowing non-certified Spanish speakers to act as interpreters before the Court in court-related proceedings.

Since 2008, interpreters have been subjected to a rigorous certification process established by the Supreme Court of Florida, through the Court Interpreters Certification and Regulation Program, resulting in Florida Rules of Judicial Administration Rule 2.560 and Rule 2.565.

This certification process has forced interpreters to take difficult proficiency exams and spend money in continuing education courses as well as re-certification fees. Many interpreters were not able to meet these stringent demands. To our knowledge, there were interpreters with over 20 years of service in the 11th Judicial Circuit, among others, who were compelled to leave their position as staff interpreters due to the non-compliance of the certification process.

These rules have directly affected the lives and livelihood of many interpreters, therefore, it seems quite unfair that the Judiciary – the same branch that created these rules – should not follow them as well.

We are sure your Honor was not aware of this being the case in the 11th Judicial Circuit. We are hopeful that your Honor will give careful consideration to this ongoing situation.

The Association puts itself at your disposal for any matters your Honor feels it could be useful,

Respectfully

Andrés Messulam
President of the
Association of Translators
and Interpreters of Florida
Tel 305 495 3047
Email: board@atifonline.org

State of ATIF 2015 | Welcome 2016 Board

ATIF WebMaster — Mon, 21 Dec 2015 17:52:49 +0000

Dear Members,

Your trust and confidence supported us through 2015. This was not an easy year for ATIF, but it was a very effective year – our sixth this past November.

The 2015 Interim Board was tasked with (1) aligning ATIF with its goals, (2) holding elections, (3) increasing membership involvement, (4) delivering the Professional Directory, and (5) making the Hospitality Desk at the ATA Conference a success. We are proud to say that we delivered on all those points.

There were other goals we set up for ourselves that proved to be more difficult to achieve. We were not very successful in the events front, for example, and we learned that policies regarding cancellations (by presenters, attendees and organizers) have to be developed and enforced.

Regarding item (1), we reconfirmed our alliance with Kilgray, MemoQ translation software developer; accepted the National Center for Interpretation’s alliance proposal; CapicúaFM also proposed an alliance which has been active since August 2015 and shall continue through the end of the year; we have also renewed dialogue with Miami Dade College. All other partnerships and alliances remained unaltered.

Items (2), (3) and (4) demanded our attentions jointly. Daniela Guanipa took it upon herself to work on the Directory with the Webmaster (4), Sylvia Korwek together with Edith Oliva kept the social meetings active in Broward County, while Carmen Sáenz held the front in Miami-Dade (3). Those three initiatives culminated in ATIF being able to hold elections this year (2) and a Membership Meeting with members present and actively participating. A third social group got together in Brevard County, and colleagues in Tampa are asking how to go about it. These social gatherings help members get to know each other, create camaraderie and friendships, which strengthen our Association. They are a reflection of our members’ commitment and interest.

There was still one element that needed addressing: Visibility. The new website and social media connections assisted us on that front. ATIF has a very active Facebook page, its Twitter account is less than six months old but our feed has a large following, and our blog is very active.

In November we had the chance to host ATA and its members in our beautiful city. It was an amazing experience and one ATA is not likely to forget soon.

The members of the Interim Board won’t easily forget it either. Miami Dade College T&I Program students, new members and veterans helped us deliver above ATA’s expectations. We are extremely grateful to everyone’s allegiance and dedication.

ATIF is a professional association and non-profit organization. Those two designations put great pressure on both its members and its leadership. As a professional association ATIF must keep its membership abreast of what is happening in our industry and may affect them. The Board needs to be attuned to the membership and listen carefully to its wishes and needs, selecting which ones to heed and when.

We can’t forget that a non-profit organization is a business and as such it must generate enough income to survive and thrive. The Interim Board was very frugal, creating very little new expenses to ATIF. We also have organized the budget in a way that ensures some financial stability for the entity in the future.

The Interim Board delivers the office back to our members and its new leadership with the following legacy:

Membership: 131 Members (as of 12/18/2015) Treasury: bank account balance as of 12/21/2015 (includes last PayPal payments received as of 12/20)

Reserves: $8,816.23
Pro Development: $11,956.60
Operational Expenses: $11,956.60 [to be adjusted based on actual needs]

ATA Chapter status: Active Alliances:

Kilgray: MemoQ CAT tool 30% discount
National Center for Interpretation: 10% discount
De la Mora Interpreter Training: 15% discount
Congress Network: 10% discount
CapicúaFM: mutual promotion of events
International Medical Interpreters Association: mutual promotion of events

Let’s welcome the 2016 Board to guide ATIF into its future under the leadership of Andrés Messulam, President: Vice President, Gerardo Velasquez; Treasurer, Javier Aparisi; Secretary, Muriel Germeil; Directors: Jose Eidelman, Emmy Prieto, and Edith Oliva.

The 2015 Interim Board

Congratulations to the lucky winner!

ATIF WebMaster — Wed, 23 Sep 2015 01:33:44 +0000

ATIF’s Board of Directors is pleased to announce the lucky winner of one ATA Conference registration:

Juliana Marini

Congratulations, Juliana!

We would like to take this opportunity to thank all of you who registered as volunteers. Helping at the hospitality desk is a fun way to get to know colleagues and make new contacts, while helping conference attendees and friends. Everybody wins!

We are lucky to have such an enthusiastic membership, and we look forward to seeing you soon!

EXTRA! EXTRA! It’s Just 1, 2, 3!

ATIF WebMaster — Fri, 18 Sep 2015 17:36:41 +0000

1. The Election Period will soon be over. Our Nominations Commitee is expecting your emails with the names of your candidates no later than Saturday, September 19th. ATIF thanks the members of the Nominations Committee for all of their dedication, time and effort to get this task accomplished. The results are almost around the corner. Take advantage of this momentum to update your profile, especially those running for office: your colleagues will want to know more about you! Just click on the link and follow the instructions on the video – it is less than 5 minutes!
2. End of the Summer Double Presentation with Armando Ezquerra Hasbun DATE: Saturday, September 26, 2015 WHERE: FIU – Room GL 100A TIMES: 9:00am – 12:00N and 1:00 – 4:00PM Interpreting in Quasi-Legal Settings, Roles, Ethics, Protocols and Standards of Practice Legal Terminology Localized: How to Research and Find the Linguistic Functional Equivalent when Dealing with Divergent Legal Systems Cost: Members: $35 each session or $60 for the all-day package \|\| Non-members: $45 each session or $75 for the all-day package Continuing Education Credits: ATA = 6 for full day or 3 per session, FL Courts = 7.2 for full day or 3.6 per session Note: ATIF is currently waiting for the approval from FL Courts
3. ATIF’s Annual General Membership Meeting is scheduled for: Saturday, October 3, 2015 from 1:00 to 5:00pm at the Weston Community Center 20200 Saddle Club Road Weston, FL 33327	 A potluck is being planned for this great get-together opportunity.  Names of the 2016 ATIF Board candidates will be announced.  Accomplishments in 2015 will be announced.  Current standing of ATIF funds will be announced.  Pending activities for 2016 will be announced.  Preliminary plans for the turning-over of 2015 ATIF Interim Board to the 2016 Board will be discussed.
Come one, come all! We sure look forward to seeing a nice turnout of members at the Annual General Membership Meeting.

ATIF Calendar Update

ATIF WebMaster — Thu, 10 Sep 2015 02:17:45 +0000

NEW DATE: September 30 THIRD THURSDAY has been moved to September 30! Are you in the Broward, north Miami-Dade County or southern Palm Beach, Weston? Come over to La Fontana Pizzeria in Coral Springs. Why? To enjoy the company of colleagues, do some networking, make new friends, and dine on some good Italian food. Check the calendar for more information and to RSVP.
ATIF has applied to the Florida Courts for 3.6 CIE credits for each of of the presentation on September 26. We can confirm the ATA credits (one per hour of interaction; max of 6). Come for the credits. Come for the learning. Come for an unforgettable experience with Armando Ezquerra Hasbun. Each session is well priced at $35 for members and $45 for non-members. You can save by buying the package: $60 and $75, respectively. Click here to learn more and register.	How committed are you to ATIF’s future? Our nomination period runs until September 19. This is your opportunity to make your mark, take your future and your colleagues’ to the next level. Are you game? Send a message to our Nominating Committee [atif.nomcom@gmail.com] to learn how you can be an active part of ATIF’s future.
Image courtesy of Pixabay – Edited with Canva Did you enter to win our special #ATA56 registration drawing? It is easy and the odds are good: 1 winner out of 30 candidates. Go to our Conference page to try your luck – but read the rules first!
Membership pays. And sometimes YOU get to enjoys the savings. Visit our Partners page to learn about the special discounts ATIF members enjoy at Kilgray, makers of MemoQ, de la Mora Interpreter Training (online and in person training sessions), National Center for Interpretation at the University of Arizona training programs, Congress Network vendors of Enersound interpreting equipment, CapicúaFM podcast in Spanish-reach your potential customers in their language!

Mark Your Calendars: November 4-7, 2015 – Miami, FL

ATIF WebMaster — Sat, 18 Jul 2015 21:14:54 +0000

We have the perfect Fall weather. And the ATA Annual Conference is a great opportunity to meet colleagues from around the world. This year ATIF is the Host Chapter and we have planned a few ways for you to get involved.

Come to FIRST TUESDAY on November 3. It will be held at the hotel to allow our visiting colleagues to meet the local T&I community. More info to come!
Volunteer at the HOSPITALITY DESK. We are the main reference for visiting attendees. Hospitality Desk Volunteers help our guests get to the right place – be it the next session or the best restaurant for a quick lunch, or…

The Hospitality Desk is to be manned from Wednesday through Saturday. Shifts are 90 minutes to 2 hours long and volunteers will have a slew of information at their disposal.

Come join the party! Linda Dunlap, is the volunteer coordinator, and you can contact her by email.

If you are an ATA Conference Veteran, plan to be a Buddy and help a Newbie feel at home. Newbies and Buddies will be paired off at the event held on Wednesday, Nov 4, from 4:45 to 5:30 pm.

If this is your first ATA conference, you are a newbie and will benefit from the experience your buddy will share. If you have attended ATA conferences in the past, you will enjoy connecting with your new colleagues, and we encourage you to be a buddy to a new T&I colleague. Most buddies are assigned 1 to 2 newbies.

Click on the conference’s logo above to take a look at the program and plan your activities – including your volunteer schedule. We hope to see everyone at the conference!

Tomorrow Is First Tuesday!

ATIF WebMaster — Mon, 06 Apr 2015 19:48:03 +0000

Don’t miss out on the opportunity to meet colleagues and network in the relaxed atmosphere of Books and Books courtyard. And find out what else we have in store for you. Just click on the image to read more.