Cecilia Isaac
In 1978, Cecilia Isaac began working as an interpreter because it fit her schedule as a stay-at-home mom. Thirty years later she still happily works in the same profession. As a certified court inter- preter she provides the Superior Court of California, County of Ventura with valuable skills. Her ability to translate Spanish and English in real time and to communicate accurately in the court- room is invaluable to the court and to the defendants, witnesses and plaintiffs she serves. Today, in addition to being an interpreter, she is also responsible for coordinating assignments for other inter- preters and finding the right people for each particular job. She knows first hand just how in demand they are. “There is a shortage of interpreters in all languages, including ASL,” Isaac says, acknowledging, “We’re important because we provide the commu- nity access to the judicial system.”
Isaac was a substitute teacher when she came across an ad in a newspaper for court interpreters. At that time she was raising two young children and liked the idea of setting her own schedule while helping her community. Later, realizing how rewarding interpreting was for her, Isaac decided to become a full-time certified Spanish court interpreter. She finds the work extremely rewarding both person- ally and financially. When asked what she likes most about her job, Isaac says, “it allows me to give back to my community.” For Isaac, that means helping everyone, regardless of age. One case that left an indelible mark on her was interpreting for a five-year-old boy who had been raped. This case was especially memorable for Isaac, not because of the situation, but because she was able to help someone be heard who might not have primarily because of the language barrier. During her training Isaac learned that she was not going to be in the courtroom to report, summarize or edit what she heard, but to convey the exact language as spoken. She was not there to be an advocate, or to give advice. She learned about different technical vocabulary that she might need for the courtroom including special- ized vernacular regarding the courtroom proceedings and even translations for things involving ballistics, medical terminology, street slang and other types of words and language that could poten- tially come up in court.
When asked what she likes most about her job, Isaac says, “it allows me to give back to my community.”
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