THE AFFILIATE CHAPTER CORNER

Ms. Hope Diehl, President of Florida RID

Dr. Carolyn Ball, CI and CT, NIC Affiliate Chapter Liaison Ms. Hope Diehl, NIC President of Florida RID

Carolyn:Hi, my name is Dr. Carolyn Ball, and I am the RID affiliate Chapter Liaison. Every quarter RID publishes its organizational magazine called the VIEWS. I’m lucky enough to have an article in the views called the Affiliate Chapter Corner. This month I am very excited to have Hope Diehl with us, and she is the current president of Florida RID. So, Hope would you introduce yourself?

Hope: Sure, my name is Hope Diehl, and I serve as the president of Florida RID.

Carolyn: So, give us a little more about yourself…. come on, don’t be shy.

Hope: I’m an interpreter here in Central Florida. I grew up here. I’ve been interpreting for about 12 years, and I’m lucky to be in Central Florida because it is home to many conferences, so I get to do a lot of conference work on top of the usual VRS, freelancing, etc. There’s a lot of variety in the work here in Florida!

Carolyn: That’s very exciting! Recently, you and I were discussing FRID, and you were telling me all of these exciting things that were going on in your affiliate chapter. I was so excited that I thought, why don’t we take this opportunity to highlight FRID for the VIEWS AC Corner article? Would you mind telling us some of the exciting things happening at FRID?

Hope: This year has had so many things happening; well, this calendar year. In January, we had a movie watch party to watch CODA at the University of North Florida (UNF). You know where that is, right Carolyn? Hope: Right! So, we had a watch party there at UNF. At the time, our AEO Chair, Carly Hudson, was the one that set up the watch party, planned everything, and executed the evening. Many people came and watched the movie CODA together, which was so exciting. Also, we created a partnership with the Orlando Magic Basketball team here in Orlando. We set up the first-ever ASL night and had different organizations, such as the school for the Deaf, the local school system, and local community members, all come together at the game. It was a night for accessibility and inclusion to spotlight ASL.

“CODA” ASL Movie Night, flyer 2022

1/22/22 CODA watch party at UNF- our AEO Carly Hudson is on stage in the white top.

It was really neat; FRID worked with an interpreting agency and invited a few local FRID members to their suite. It was fun to watch the game together. It was a great night, and from now on, we will have that same

Orlando Magic court spelling out, Verbatim Languages, the local agency that partnered with FRID for the event. In that image are FRID Board members, FRID members, spoken language interpreters, agency owners and operators, and friends and family.

event annually. I feel blessed to have been there that first night. I am fortunate to be part of the planning process for that awesome event.

Another event that just happened this last weekend on Sunday was called Splash into Interpreting. A local community has a nice water park, with canoeing and tubing in the water. Also, there were a variety of different water activities where they could jump into the water. That was really cool and we had a lot of fun! We had a few interpreters, who were new to the area, show up so they could learn more about interpreting in the area and what options were available as an interpreter in Florida. It was very enjoyable to see people with their families and their children, and the new interpreters. It was fun spend time together signing, networking, and meeting the new interpreters in the area.

Magic game ASL night spelling out F-R-I-D is Hope Diehl (President), Mary Hoover (Member-at-Large), Melanie Peach (Sponsor Chair), Genaere Lowery (Region Rep East), and Corey Helvey (Orlando Magic Rep).

Carolyn: Wow! FRID has had so many activities; you went to the NBA game, and you had Splash. Another event we talked about was something that happened at the school. With books, a law, or something that happened, all of the Deaf kids came together. Do you want to tell us about that?

Hope: Oh, yes! That was not a FRID event, but I went to represent and show support. It is a district local to me, Orange County, here in Central Florida.

Ryan Shephard (CDI), Hope Diehl (FRID President), Keri Brooks (CDI), Daryl Everett (FRID Region Rep West).

It just happened that the School Board was meeting; they usually have meetings every two weeks. But this school board meeting was extraordinary because many people came together from the community to emphasize the happenings regarding

9/18/22 Splash into Interpreting event at Southshore Bay Lagoon

educational interpreters in one specific school but also county-wide. The problem is that there are not enough interpreters. The Deaf students, the ASL teachers, the Deaf and Hard of Hearing teachers, and interpreters bonded together and went to the school board meeting to force the School Board’s attention on the issue. So, at this time, we are in discussions with the board to see how FRID can help with

L-R: Red-head (unknown name), Crystal Howard, Daryl Everett (at table), Jessica Bellinger, Natasha Robbins, Amy Dawson, Ava Rogers, Quinn Bertucelli.

resources—for example, gathering information about rates, and job descriptions, to be able to compare what other counties are doing and how they could become more competitive to recruit interpreters to work in the educational setting.

Carolyn: Also, when we discussed that meeting with the School Board, you mentioned that the kids testified or expressed their feelings to the School Board.

Hope: Oh yeah, it was so moving! I’m not really in the school system right now, so I’m removed from a lot of these students and their experiences; most of my work is with adults in the community, but I was so fortunate to be there to witness the students getting up and advocating for themselves and expressing their feelings, sharing their struggles and their frustrations that they have had in the school system. It was beautiful to see.

Carolyn: So, that was with the school board the kids were talking to, right?

Hope: Yes, that’s right.

Carolyn: Wow, do you feel like it’s going to make an impact on the school board? listening. I’m hoping we can continue attending the school board meetings. They have open public meetings. So, I’m really hoping that other Board members can go as well, and we continue to show up and stay on it to see their response.

Carolyn: That is so great! On another note, you have been the Affiliate Chapter President at FRID. What is your favorite part about being the president of FRID? Hope: Since I have been an interpreter, I’ve heard many people say, “what does FRID do for me?” “Why do I join? We pay our dues to be a member, and what do I get?” I just feel excited to help respond to that question. I hope to add value, create new ideas as a board and help people understand how relevant FRID is. Also, to establish activities that would demonstrate that value. Also, because of everything we’re doing as a Board, we can add value to what’s happening at FRID.

So, for example, we used to email all the FRID members on “FRIDay” to let members know what was happening in the organization. We send that out every two weeks, but now we are adding video content with seasonal signs, such as football season. So, FRID made

“The kids themselves testified or expressed their feelings to the school board.”

“Just little reminders to show our interpreters that FRID cares about them and their wellbeing!”

a video with a Deaf person showing how to sign football signs. Adding this content is one way that we can show members that their membership has value.

Also, one of our recent board members appointed is Katryna Arias, and she’s a certified wellness coach, so she will be providing tips such as proper ergonomics and ensuring that you drink enough water and take care of yourself throughout the day. Just little reminders to show our interpreters that FRID cares about them and their wellbeing! I’m excited about that.

“What does FRID do for me? Why do I join? We pay our dues to be a member and what do I get?”

could go to the pottery place, pick an item to paint, and then leave it there for the people to put their painted items in the kiln. Then, we would go back and pick up our painted item. That was one of our networking events that happened the last week of July.

Carolyn: That sounds like so much fun! It’s wonderful, and I’m so impressed with your efforts as President of FRID. All of those events that are occurring are genuinely amazing!

I really appreciate you taking the time to describe briefly the events that are happening at FRID. Thank you so much, Hope, and I know the RID members who read the article and see our video conversation will also be impressed with FRID!

Thank you for serving at RID as President of FRID and meeting with me!

Hope: Sure thing! Thank you for your time!

Carolyn: So exciting! Is there anything else that you want to add?

Hope: Oh yes, there is another event I just remembered I wanted to mention, I almost forgot, but one of our region representatives on FRID, Daryl Everett, she planned a pottery night. So, members

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