Reflections from an Old Hand

COLUMN

Are these seasons going by so fast? Or is it me and my "old" age?

Phil Giambaresi Former CSC, LCSW (Retired) California

I was born in 1950 to parents who have been Deaf since their birth. I have a younger brother who is also a hearing child. The influence from my mother's deaf family and my interest in being the family interpreter led to a career of being a certified interpreter. I received a BA in Psychology. At the age of 34, I earned my Master's in Social Work, specializing in mental health of the Deaf. After living in NYC for over 30 years, I moved to California and am now retired.

YOUTUBE LINK: https://youtu.be/PAaz12SAy68 It’s amazing to me that it is already Summertime. And with this pandemic, we'll go on protecting ourselves and others. 2020 will be quite a year for us all to remember!

This issue of the VIEWS has a theme of "Growth Through Innovation." In my reflections, as a retired person, I can look back on what this theme means to me. Sharing the past growth I have experienced, there are what I will call "innovations" from which I have learned.

What comes to mind in this theme has me reflecting upon one of the many avenues of interpreting specialties: Theatrical Interpreting. I will talk about this subject after some background which led up to that most creative and challenging opportunity.

In the 1970's I experienced all sorts of interpreting settings, thanks to having moved to New York City and realizing the wonders of the diversity and opportunities of the "Big Apple." It was the end of the Vietnam Era and I was out of the military. Being new to the deaf community and being a freelance interpreter, I received phone calls from an interpreting agency. I couldn't say "no" to any job at the time as I needed financial support, new experiences, and the various kinds of jobs offered to me.

I attended professional interpreting workshops to prepare me after only having experience in informal interpreting settings with my deaf family and friends. I recall how my plans to go to a college far away from my parents, to whom I was very close, had me stewing. It would mean my folks would be without me to interpret for them. They would surely "fall apart" without me! Let's say that at that time, I depended upon being depended upon, which gave me a purpose. It was time for me to express my concerns with my parents.

My very wise mother said to me, "You have spoiled us, but it's time for you to move on."

"But mom," I said, "you folks NEED me around."

She replied to me, "We did get along without you before you were born."

It shook me to the reality that I needed my parents' "permission" to finally leave the nest. So off I went to C.S.U.N.!

I lived in a dorm where I shared a two-bedroom suite with deaf students. It was a new family for me! What adventures we all had together. Eventually, I obtained my Bachelor of Arts degree in Psychology, and took some post-grad courses in the secondary level teaching Teacher Training Programs for the Deaf. Then there was the draft for the Vietnam War. I decided to join the Air Force to avoid being "called up" and possibly placed in the infantry program. I shudder just thinking about it.

In the Air Force, I was told they needed interpreters.

"You need sign language interpreters?" I asked.

In reality, they needed voice interpreters for foreign languages that I would take after Basic Training in Texas. I was assigned to interpret Russian, which was not easy. I eventually got out of the service, and made my move back to NYC, where I was born.

Now, comes the part of my renewal of interpreting as a freelancer in NYC! For those of you readers who have begun the process of being a newly established freelancer, you may recall how it took time to establish yourself in the deaf community with the help of agency referrals. The years went by and I tested with RID for the "new" certification requirement, which was then becoming necessary, and passed the CSC (Comprehensive Skills Certificate) which put me into a category in which I'd receive better hourly pay than non-certified interpreters.

I experienced many interpreting settings. I also auditioned for a new program to open up Broadway and Off-Broadway interpreted performances. I had no real background in acting like others did, but thanks to the expressiveness of ASL, I was chosen to do the first Broadway show performed for deaf audiences! Ironically, I had met the only other male interpreter who was new to NYC and he also had deaf parents. We were both chosen from the audition hopefuls, and later became fast friends! We shared our many personal stories of being "family" interpreters.

I went to the rehearsals of the show with my CODA partner and an assigned "understudy" who had the job of learning what we did in our translations from the script's English to a mixture of ASL/ PSE in order to satisfy the diversity of the deaf audience. We had to do our best to "reach" the gamut of individuals who were Hard of Hearing (oral and sign language users), individuals who used ASL, and people who were more fluent in PSE modes. We did our best and the show was a hit! We had a special appreciation for the positive feedback we received!

I went on to do my usual variety of interpreting situations, but did more theater interpreting for several years. It was quite an experience! The translation of scripts for dramas, comedies, and musicals, were an "innovation" in my life.

Space does not allow me to continue with more details, which I might do in future articles.

Best wishes to you readers until "next time!"

Comments? My email address is pgiambaresi@aol.com.

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