5 minute read
FROM THE CEO
CEO Report ASL Video
What Does Change Mean For RID? Video
Star Grieser, MS, CDI, ICE-CCP Chief Executive Officer
We’re heading into the holiday season, and what marks one of my favorite things this time of the year after all the festivities is the new year. New beginnings, new possibilities, and new growth are on the horizon. This fall, we have spent considerable time gearing up for these things. We have been conducting organizational assessments, drafting our strategic plan, hosting board retreats, conference and communications planning, and nailing down our plan of action as we nudge RID towards becoming closer to the great organization that our members want, that the profession needs, and what our Deaf community needs. One of the major ways we did this was by establishing our Mission, Purpose, Vision and Values (MPVV) for RID. Before I go further – to clarify, the board drafted the Mission, Purpose, Vision, and Values to sort of fine-tune our trajectory forward. The MPVV must absolutely be in alignment with RID’s purpose as outlined in our Articles of Incorporation (AOI), written back in 1973, and with the objectives of RID as spelled out in our bylaws. Nothing is in contradiction – two similar but somewhat differing statements can be mutually true. The AOI, the bylaws, and the Board’s MPVV can – and do – complement each other. Two months ago, at our October extended board meeting and retreat, the Board focused on writing and finalizing the Board’s MPVV and RID’s next three-year Strategic Plan. President Bryant and I have begun sharing the MPVV – which is still being finalized – at our sister organizations, the Conference of Interpreter Trainers (CIT)’s biennial conference, and with members at state affiliate chapter conferences and the AC President’s Council. We will continue to discuss our MPVV and aligned work at virtual town halls this spring, at any conferences we’re invited to, and of course, at our national conference in Baltimore, Maryland, in July 2023. We want our members and
“The board drafted the Mission, stakeholders to understand and support our mission, Purpose, Vision, and Values to sort of purpose, vision and values. fine-tune our trajectory forward.” When I’m asked by someone outside of our profession and unfamiliar with Deaf culture and the world of communication access, “So, what is RID?” I reply: “RID is the national certifying body of sign language interpreters and is a professional organization that fosters the growth of the profession and the professional growth of interpreting.“ It really is that straightforward. This statement is our mission – what the organization is. But it gets more nuanced when we delve into what we really do and why we do it. What’s our purpose? Who do we serve? Why do we do what we do? “RID’s
purpose is to serve equally our members, profession, and the public by promoting and advocating for qualified and effective interpreters in all spaces where intersectional diverse Deaf lives are impacted.”
Yes, we are serving our members, the profession and the public. But why do that? Why are we doing these things? Through these groups, we reach our ultimate purpose - serving intersectional diverse Deaf lives through our advocacy and our work toward upholding the standards for qualified and effective interpreters. This purpose is why we exist as an organization.
Now, the Board’s vision for RID is: “We envision qualified interpreters as partners in universal communication access and forward-thinking, effective communication solutions while honoring intersectional diverse spaces”. If you think about it, this statement is a vision of shared accountability in our work. This vision is RID taking the lead, our members taking part in advocacy efforts, and collaborating – as accomplices – with our consumers and stakeholders.
The values statement encompasses what lies at our work’s “heart” or the center. We could value selfinterest, but we don’t and shouldn’t. Anyone who serves in a leadership role will agree that our work within this industry and in this organization is a call to achieve and serve something much greater than our individual selves. RID values:
• Honoring the intersectionality and diversity of the communities we serve. • Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, Accessibility and
Belonging (DEIAB). • The professional contribution of volunteer leadership. • The adaptability, advancement, and relevance of the interpreting profession. • Ethical practices within the field of sign language interpreting, and embraces the principle of
“do no harm.” • Advocacy for the right to accessible, effective communication.
So while the MPVV answers what we do, why we do what we do, what we aim to achieve and what our values are, we have a responsibility to lay out a map of how to achieve our goals. Otherwise, our MPVV is meaningless. This roadmap brings us to our strategic plan. The four major pillars of our strategic plan as we work to strengthen our organization and our relationships with others are: • Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, Accessibility, and
Belonging initiatives in all aspects of planning. This value addresses and seeks remedies for systemic inequity, prejudice and discrimination throughout all facets of RID from leadership, headquarters staff, affiliate chapters, membership, the profession, and stakeholders. Also, to mindfully become aware of and address accessibility issues within our profession and to work towards creating a sense of welcome and belonging among members and consumers. • Organization Transformation to bring RID into compliance with best practices for certification organizations and professional membership societies, in alignment with appropriate business models for member and organizational needs, and, of course, with NCCA (National Commission of
Certifying Agencies) accreditation to champion the value of our certification for all stakeholders, members, and consumers. • Organization Relevance. RID needs to clarify and solidify our message and purpose, strengthen our relationships with sister organizations and take our “seat at the table” in terms of collaborative advocacy activities, outreach and education, provision of resources and publications for our stakeholders, our members, and the public. • Organization Effectiveness. This value is where leadership in RID – both the board and within RID
HQ – takes a good, hard look at what works within our organization and what needs attention for improved efficiency and effectiveness. We are still finalizing the details of our strategic plan and devising an evaluation plan to flesh out our metrics for measuring progress in each of these areas. In the coming months and VIEWS magazine issues, I will be expounding on each of these four pillars and evaluation plan, and how they translate to working towards making RID the best possible organization for sign language interpreters. Together, we will elevate RID and the profession to the level where we all have desired and needed it to be.
