Monday, May 11, 2009

Mixteco/English Speaker?

A local lawyer has taken on the case of a gentleman who speaks Mixteco and has been unable to find someone who speaks English and Mixteco.

>>If you know of someone who can assist, the lawyer will pay that person for their time. They don't have to be court certified. Someone in the Seattle area is preferred but I believe this can be done via phone if you have contacts outside of the Seattle area who are available. Have them talk to Anel Mercado, who will then connect them with the attorney and client:

Anel Mercado
Health Educator/Promotora Coordinator
Public Health-Seattle & King County
(206) 263-8755

This is a rare query, so feel free to share with anyone you think might have the right connection! Thank you!

3 comments:

  1. Some interesting info received by email:

    The catch is, if we know which dialect of Mixteco this man speaks: Mixteco Alto, Bajo or De la Costa, because that will make a difference in who can interpret for her.

    I am attaching a list I received about 3 years ago at an indigenous language speakers' conference put on by the Oregon Law Center and Columbia Legal Services. It is a list of indigenous language interpreters in the northwest who have taken a special training that the Oregon Law Center puts on, since there is no interpreter certification for any of these languages.

    Of course the other catch is, many of these folks speak their indigenous language and Spanish fluently, but NOT English. When they use them to interpret in court, they usually have to use a relay system w/a Spanish
    interpreter as well. However, I think the only Seattle area Mixteco
    speaker, Gemme Salinas, might speak some English as well, but I don't know how much. She speaks Mixteco Bajo.

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  2. I don't know if it is too late now, but yes I do speak both. I live in California, and in this region the Mixteco speaking population is pretty high. I don't know if you would be interested still. I'm not certified or anything, but I grew up speaking it (it was my first language), and even went to school where they also spoke Mixteco in Mexico. Our family, and the region in Oaxaca that we are from speak Mixteco alto, and I speak all three (English, Spanish, and Mixteco Alto).

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  3. Griselda, please communicate directly with the contact above. They'll be able to tell you whether or not they can utilize your skills. Thanks!

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