Read without ads and support Scribd by becoming a Scribd Premium Reader.
See Premium Plans
 
16
Community-mindedindividualturnstalentborneofnecessityintocareerandbusiness
byDorkysRamos
PlentyofpeopleinNorthernManhattanremembertranslatingfortheirnon-
~
Englishspeakingparents,buthowmanyofthemwentontomakeacareerofit?IVicenteVillalba,ownerofVincent'sSimultaneousInterpreting,TranslationsandSound,forone,did.HeremembersinterpretingforhismotherwhenevertheywenttosocialservicesagencieswhenhewasIIyearsold.Infact,socialworkerswouldenlisthishelptotranslateforallthosewhohadbeenthereforhourswaitingforaSpanish-speakingsocialworkertobecomeavailable."WhenevermymotherandIwentanywhere,whateversheneeded,Iwouldbehertranslator,"Villalbasaid."AndthatwassomethingthatIreallyenjoyed."Andthus,aloveforbeingbiculturalwasborn.Villalba,44,beganworkingwiththeBoardofEducationattheageof19asaschoolaideinterpretingforparentsandtranslatingbrochures,holdingvariouspositionsastimewenton."WitheverytitleIheld,myskillswerealwaysusedbecausepeoplefeltthatIwasverybilingualandthatIhadverygood
SecretsoftheirSuccess
VicenteVillalba
I
~';"
_.---.-
VicenteVIllalbabeganworkingwiththeBoard01Educationatthe8Oeol19asaschoolaideinterpreting
forparentsandtranslatingbrochures.(photoLandaM.Towns)commandofbothlanguages,"hesaid."ItwassomethingIwasproudof."Thenin2000,hecameacrossanadthatwouldleadhimtowhathecalled"oneofthemostspecialexperiences"ofhislife.NewYork-PresbyterianHospitalwassearchingforpeopleinterestedinjoiningtheirvolunteerinterpreterprogram.Thehospitalprovidedfreetrainingsovolunteerscouldhelpthecommunitywithmuch-neededtranslationservicesfordoctorsandpatients.ItwasajobVillalbabecameinfatuatedwith,runningovertothehospitaleverychancehehad.Andastheballkeptrolling,sodidtheopportunities,withajobasasimultaneousinterpreterforCommunityBoard12meetingsin200I.Andnowthat'swhathespecializesin.Eightypercentofhiscompany'sbusinessisconferencesimultaneousinterpreting,whichmeansinterpretingasthepresenterspeaks,neverstayingmorethanmeresecondsbehindthespeaker.Unfortunately,manyofthegroupsthatneedtheseinterpretingservices,suchasnon-profitsandagencies,cannotaffordit,saysVillalba.Withsoundequipmentgoingforatleast$2,500asystemand
,
MotherCabl~niHighSchool
Ii'
\I
1'l1lf1110J/
ort'x(<'ii~'J/(t'
sill(t'/1'9'<)...\...£!)
Theeatewaytoyourfuture...
OPENHOUSE
Sunday,October19,20081:00P.M.-3:00P.M.FeaturingCampusTour,Presentations,DrumCorpReview,andRefreshments.
TACHS#208
--
F
orover100years,MotlierCahrini:JfieFi.ScFioo[ias6eensettinanewstandardSinetfucationafexcellimce.
'11i.e
younawomenwFioyasstFi.rOUfJFi.Fi.esegatesreceiveanunyaraikfetfetfucationof
tFi.e
mind;cFi.aracter,Fi.eartand:sou[
·
100%
of
Cabrlnlgraduates
earn
acceptancetoone
ormore
colleges
.
Over
30
activities,Includingaward-winningDrumCorps
&
ColorGuard,
CabrinlSingers,andnationallyrecognizedEnergyUpFitnessProgram
·
Two-timerecipient
of
the"BlueRibbonSchool
of
Excellence"Award
701FortWasllingtonAvenueat190thStreet.NewYork.NewYork10040(212)923.3540.www.cabrinihs.com.info@cabrinil1s.org
'"
Odober16.2008
bigcompanieschargingroughly$80anhourperinterpreter,Villalbacouldeasilycharge$1,300forathree-hourmeeting.
Buthe'schosennotto
-
atleastnotfor
hiscommunity."I'dchargethem$400forthatsamemeeting,"saidVillalba."Theinterpretingfieldisveryimportanttoourcommunityanditbringsmepridetobeabletodothis.Itdoesn'tsaymuchformypocket,butmaybeoneday."Andthisdesiretobeseenasacommunityresourceiswhyhe'sdecidedtodoeverythinghecantolowerpricesforcommunity-basedclientsandotherswhocomeintothecommunity.Hedoesn'tchargeforuseofhisequipment,knocksdownthehourlyrateperinterpreterandwillevengosofarastodoeventsbyhimselfifitmeanssavinghisclientsmoremoney."ForcommunityeventsIcharge60-to70-percentofftheregularprice.I'minitforthesatisfactionthatthepeoplefrommycommunityaregettingtheinformationthattheyneed."Still,noteveryoneishappywiththisdecisionandhasruffiedafewfeathersamongclosefriendsandfamilywhofeelVillalbashouldstopgivingqualityworkaway.Especiallyifheplanstoexpandhisbusiness,whichhestartedin2004.Hiscoreteamcurrentlyconsistsoffourmaininterpreterswithfourothershecancalluponforbiggerjobs.He'salsointheprocessofopeningastorefrontinWestHarlemaswellasdevelopinghisregisterednon-profitorganization,DynamicsMultilingualCommunityServices.AndwithacontractwiththeNationalHeadStartAssociationthathasVillalbaandhisteamflyingaroundthecountryfortheorganization'sconferences,thecompanyseemsreadytotakeoff.Overtheyears,VillalbahasaccumulatedanimpressivelistofclientsincludingCityCouncilMembersRobertJacksonandMiguelMartinez,AssemblyMemberAdrianoEspaillat,MayorMichaelBloombergandManhattanBoroughPresidentScottStringer.Addtothathiscurrentfull-timepositionwithColumbiaUuiversity'sOfficeof
GovernmentandCommunityAffairs
-
servingastheliaisonbetweentheschool
andtheNorthernManhattanarea
-
that
allowshimtoprovidelanguageservicestotheuniversityaswellasoverseeanyoutsideinterpreterswhocometotheschool.Villalbafeelsit'shisdeepdesiretohelpthepeoplewhomhaveenabledhimtobesuccessful."Youhavetohaveanaturaldesiretoworkandhelppeople,"hesaid."Thathastobeintheheart,andyouhavetofeelittobereallygood.Ifyouhavethateverythingelsebecomeseasier."
DINER
0&EXIT0
Search
Search History:
Searching...
Result 00 of 00
00 results for result for
  • p.
    • Notes
    Load more