Breaking Language Barriers, One Word at a Time: Meet Ruth Rivera

My family escaped a life of poverty in our small home town in Mexico where the only place to work was inside a toxic lead mine. I am the oldest daughter, and so the pressure to succeed rested on my shoulders. I was 16 years old when I was diagnosed with cancer and spent my summer breaks going in and out of hospitals. The physical and emotional pain of this experience strengthened my mind over the years, I was determined to live and to be happy. I felt a responsibility for my family, I was the eldest and the only one in my family who was able to speak English fluently.

Both my parents worked multiple jobs to care for our needs and were not privileged enough to have the time or resources to learn English. Many times I had to rise to the occasion and interpret for my family during parent teacher conferences, doctors appointments, disputes with landlords, and even helping to read government documents. These responsibilities were not mine to carry but I was the only one who could do it, even if I was nervous. I was so relieved that the Children's National Hospital provided an interpreter during my oncology appointments.

I cannot imagine what it would have been like to tell my parents news of my illness. I was inspired, one interpreter in particular was so professional and knowledgeable, every word she interpreted was precise and accurate. Her presence provided comfort and relief to a kid who just wanted to be a kid.

After my junior year of high school, the cancer went into remission and I continued to search for opportunities. College was out of our financial reach, but I was blessed to earn national and local scholarships that allowed me to go to college with a full ride. In 2021 I received my Bachelor of Arts in Modern Languages and a Spanish Translation Certificate from the Metropolitan State University of Denver . I familiarized myself with my native language and knew interpreting was the role I wished to fill in my community. Volunteer work and employment opportunities in the field helped me gain knowledge on the ethical and technical aspects of being an interpreter and translator. Now, as an adult, I am working for Adams 12 Five Star Schools and am happy to say I help families like my own every day.

I write this with tears of gratitude and joy because this journey was taken step by step. I am grateful for my family that has always supported me, for the woman who interpreted for my family in our darkest moments, for the mentors and professors who guided me, the scholarships that funded my education and for the opportunity to experience a GlobalMindED event that showed me I too can become an entrepreneur.

Spanish interpreting felt like a difficult challenge to me in my childhood, it is one of the hardest tasks we can ask our brain to do, but now it comes to me naturally and I am excited to see how this virtue can propel the community forward. I am learning more every day and am working to create my own team of skilled interpreters to help create language accessibility for all. This is my purpose. I will continue my contribution to bridge the language gap for Spanish and English speakers alike with compassion and professionalism. However, this is not a job for one person; there continues to be a need for accurate and ethical interpreters here in Colorado; monolingual companies have the potential to expand their services to Spanish speakers and this community needs assistance in a language they can understand.

I hope to be involved in more GlobalMindED networking events to meet others who are passionate about equity and community engagement. Together, I hope we can unite professionals with a variety of skill sets and organize new forms of community and commercial services. Communication is essential and necessary in our daily lives, so that we may understand each other and create harmony in our diverse communities. Thank you for reading my story and for your support!

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