Louise Rocha-McCarthy is an interpreter for the Portland (Maine) public schools and area agencies. She translates legal documents for attorneys and has worked as an interpreter for the courts, hospitals and social service agencies in Portland.
Louise
Rocha-McCarthy
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Articles by Louise
New Arizona Laws Move Latinos to Action
Earlier this year, Arizona Gov. Jan Brewer signed HB 2281 into law, making it an offense to teach courses at any grade level that promote resentment towards a race or class of people. The law further states that no classes may be designed for any ethnic group or promote ethnic solidarity. This despite the fact that, according to the U.S. Census, 30 percent of the state is made up of Latinos.
Speak Acholi? No? Then You Need An Interpreter
When I entered the classroom to interpret for the middle school parent and teacher conference, the student shouted that I wasn’t necessary. The teacher had called for my services because for two semesters she had been telling the mother that her son was flunking. And for two semesters, the mother had grinned ecstatically and said, “Thank you”—her only English words. The son had “interpreted” to his mother that he was on the honor roll.