Esther Hermida & Angie Birchfield - Advocacy For And By Interpreters [EP 56]

'Subject To Interpretation' is a weekly podcast that deep dives into the topics that matter to interpreters.🎙 Hosted by Maria Ceballos Wallis.

This week we speak with Esther M. Hermida and Angie Birchfield about: 
- what is AAPTI and why it exists? 
- AAPTI's first efforts at advocacy/lobbying: AB5
- Why do interpreters need to advocate?
- How do interpreters advocate?

Angie Birchfield is a California Court Certified Spanish interpreter. She is an independent contractor who works both in the public and private sector. She has been an advocate for the profession since 2003. Angie is a co-Founder of AAPTI, and she is on the Judicial Council Advisory Committee. 

Esther M. Hermida is a CA and Federal Court Certified Interpreter, she's also a dialect coach and a broadcast interpreter. She works under her own company and is a freelancer. She has been an interpreter for 30 years. 
She’s active in social media platforms and interpreter groups. She belongs to 4 professional associations and believes in the power of associations to influence and support the profession.  
She was a co-founder of AIJIC (Association of Independent Judiciary Interpreters of CA) and the co-founder and current President of AAPTI.