A Brief History of The Couch Series [caption id="attachment_36172" align="alignright" width="300"] A symbolic representation of interpreters and translators fostering understanding, depicted by a figure on a couch and another actively listening[/caption] Since its debut in 2017, The Couch has been the place to provide our members with the space to discuss...

Be a Swan, Not a Duck By: Ann (Jiraporn) Heath-Huynh   A recent discussion with a colleague, a fellow NAJIT member,  prompted me to think more carefully about how interpreters must "hold it together" even when they feel close to succumbing to pressure. The feeling that I have...

Let’s Test Your Ethics: The AI Summary The NAJIT Observer Team   Welcome to “Let’s Test Your Ethics” As professional interpreters and translators, we often navigate challenging situations that test our ethical judgment. Whether it’s balancing confidentiality with transparency or maintaining impartiality in emotionally charged settings, these dilemmas are part...

This One Feels Different: The NAJIT 2026 Conference  By: Julli Jaramillo   As I think about June, I keep coming back to the conference and how different it will feel to walk into the NAJIT 47th Annual Conference this year. Not because it’s a conference. We’ve all been to those. Because...

Dreaming of Federal Certification By Athena Matilsky Dear Readers, Happy Spring! We’ve gone from sleet and ice to muddy rain up here in Canada, but this week marks the beginning of warmer weather, and it’s possible we’ve almost seen the last of the snowflakes! I hope that wherever...

Peer Observation and the Interpreter By: Jordan Fox Guest Post I have at times been frustrated with myself and my performance when working with a colleague on a case and being overcome by nervousness that ultimately affects my performance in such a way that I’m afraid that the...

Rethinking Reputation By: Ann (Jiraporn) Heath-Huynh   Growing up in an Asian household, I believe that many of us were taught how to behave in such a way that we build and retain a good reputation in the eyes of society. Simply put, “Face-saving value is a cultural...

Language Access on the Biggest Stage By: Julli Jaramillo    Last month, millions of viewers tuned in to watch the Super Bowl Halftime show. As always, the spotlight was on the teams, the halftime show, and the commercials that quickly became part of the cultural conversation. But behind the...

Let’s Test Your Ethics: The Digital “Assist” The NAJIT Observer Team   Honoring the Lunar New Year Before we turn to this month’s ethical discussion, we want to pause to recognize the Lunar New Year. For many communities around the world, this celebration marks renewal, reflection, and the beginning...