PCRID Position Statement on RID Resignations
Transcript follows visual descriptions.
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Antonio Burkett: Hello, colleagues and community members. I am Antonio Burkett, PCRID President. I am a hearing, sighted, Black male, wearing a black button-up shirt, purple tie, and gray suit jacket. I'm sitting in front of a solid gray background and I'm vlogging from Anacostan and Piscatawan land, now known as DC/MD.
Shelby Abdilah: Hello my name is Shelby Abdilah, MDAD/PCRID Liaison. I am hearing, sighted, straight cis white woman with shoulder-length blond hair and black glasses, wearing a black long sleeved shirt with a blue background. I am here on Piscatawan land, now known as Gaithersburg, MD.
Sherly Jacob: My name is Sherly Jacob, PCRID secretary. I am a hearing, sighted, Indian female, wearing a gray shirt and black blazer sitting in front of a blue background. I am here on Anacostan and Piscatawan land as well.
Tricia Vazquez: Hello my name is Tricia Vazquez. My sign name is PIERCE your right ear twice. I’m your Community Org Liaison Co-Chair. I am a hearing, sighted, cis queer brown latina. I’m wearing thin silver framed glasses, a light orange lipstick, a black scoop neck T-shirt, black blazer, my hair is dark brown and goes to my ears with bangs. I have small gold hoops, and a septum hoop. I have two gold bracelets on my left hand and almond shaped pink acrylics. My background is a dark navy screen behind me. I’m vlogging from Tongva & Chumash lands, now known as Los Angeles, California.
Shannon Morrison: Hello, my name is Shannon Morrison, Special Projects Coordinator. I am a queer, hearing, sighted, dark skin black woman wearing glasses, a black button-up and a gray blazer. My hair is pulled back into bantu knots and puff balls. I am sitting in front of a gray background. I am here on Susquehannock land known as Baltimore, MD.
Monica Gallego: Hello my name is Monica Gallego, your community org liaison, cis white latina, with long brown and blond curly hair, i am wearing brown rimmed glasses and tree shaped earrings. I'm a white latina and I'm wearing a black v neck shirt. I have a smart watch on my left wrist and have pink nail polish on my nails. My background wall is grey. Same as my colleagues mentioned before me, I am vlogging from Anacostan and piscatawan land, now known as DC and MD.
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PCRID acknowledges the events leading to RID board member resignations. PCRID does not condone the behaviors, comments, or attacks towards Deaf /hearing interpreters of color nor the acts that led to the resignation(s) of the most diverse RID board since its inception. PCRID does support people prioritizing their safety and wellness, and for this reason, stands with those Board members, many of whom are Black and Brown people.
Audism/Racism
PCRID recognizes that audism has a huge holding in our national organization and that is not okay. In the spirit of intersectionality, PCRID condemns efforts to put audism and racism in any kind of competition. No one person can represent us all, so we must be intentional in how we look at identities. We cannot dismiss someone's experience nor expect them not to show up as their whole self in the work sphere or any aspect of their lives. It is those identities and experiences that make our field rich and make our work accessible to stakeholders of all communities.
Efforts/Actions
To ensure PCRID does not contribute to systems of oppression, we have outlined several efforts and actions.
- Policies/Structure: We are reexamining our policies, procedures, and operational structure to prioritize the removal and prevention of audism, racism, and all forms of oppressive bias, both explicit and implicit. Furthermore, we are pursuing internal controls to ensure leaders and members are accountable for their actions and remarks within PCRID spaces. (This will include providing education and pathways for course correction for individuals who may not be aware of their own internal biases and the ramifications of which perpetuate harm and violence).
- Internal Biases: We are examining our own internal biases so that we do not perpetuate horizontal violence that is pervasive in the interpreting field.
- Special Emphasis Projects: Recruitment of individuals from marginalized communities in the educational realm and hosting community care chats to discuss matters at large and in a safe space.
- Investment in the Future: We are investing in the future of the interpreting profession by sponsoring students and emerging practitioners from marginalized communities to attend the national RID conference and cross collaborating with other organizations to elevate the field and increase representation.
PCRID challenges each of you to:
1. do the work of unpacking, unlearning, and self-education;
2. be proactive in dismantling systems of oppression;
3. combat apathy and indifference;
4. be more than a commenter;
5. care for this field by holding one another accountable;
6. remove toxicity and division; and
7. make this field an equitable, just, and desirable profession.
Future generations are watching and looking for positive leadership, community, and role models.
Please do your part and let’s build a better tomorrow.
- PCRID
