The following article was published by the Reno Gazette Journal on October 4, 2011.
Diversity in community can lead to greater economic development
On Thursday, the Northern Nevada International Center will honor Nancy Lee, a Cantonese interpreter, for her 14 years of service to the organization and Northern Nevada. People like Lee represent the missing ingredient in building global relationships and stronger economic development ties for our region.
Because of Nancy Lee, we can explore new economic development for our area by connecting to a global economy and bringing people from around the globe to learn cultures and experience the power of communicating across borders.
We at the Reynolds School of Journalism must do the same thing as we work to explore communicating with tools that have very little geographical boundaries and opportunities to find new audiences who share our interests. We know our community is diverse. We need more people like Lee to share ideas and connect people.
The future of our region depends on our ability to have frank discussions about what connects us, our common goals and how together we can make a difference. Our future rests on these new relationships. Businesses (and journalism schools) across the country are seeing the tremendous benefits in building global relationships and what it can mean for the future of expansion. Because of new social media tools, the world is literally our new market. The connection worth exploring, however, is people like Nancy Lee.
“Fun, gratifying and rewarding,” three words Nancy Lee used to describe her 14 years of experience as the Cantonese interpreter for the Northern Nevada International Center.
After retiring from Trans World Airlines in the Bay area in 1995, Lee packed up her belongings and moved to Reno. Without a job to occupy her time, or family and friends to connect with once she arrived, Lee immediately felt a void in her life.
“I had to get out and meet people,” Lee said. “I’m a people person and I’m very active.”
In 1997, Lee discovered an advertisement in the local newspaper. The NNIC’s Language Bank was looking for a Chinese interpreter.
While laughing, she said how the Language Bank had no idea there were multiple Chinese dialects. As a Cantonese speaker, she had to educate the Language Bank of the two main Chinese dialects, Cantonese and Mandarin.
“They know now there are at least two major Chinese dialects,” Lee said giggling, as she shared her NNIC Language Bank card that read “Nancy Lee: Cantonese Interpreter.”
As an interpreter for the Language Bank, Lee has been requested by various government and school officials to assist with assignments within the Washoe County area, ranging from municipal court hearings, to welfare home counseling sessions, to school meetings. She said there are certain characteristics an interpreter must demonstrate to be successful and impactful while in the field, most importantly: compassion, passion and patience.
As an interpreter often faced with difficult situations, Lee said it is important to care about one’s clients but most importantly to care about oneself.
“Be true to yourself, be neutral and be unbiased,” Lee said.
Lee said the Reno community needs a program like the Language Bank because of the growing Cantonese demographic. She specifically referred to the English as a Second Language program in the Washoe County School District.
“The majority of problems are due to parents not understanding the teachers,” Lee said.
One of the biggest rewards for Lee as an interpreter is going to schools and helping students, parents and teachers understand one another. Her interpreter assignment sheets highlight the appreciative and positive comments she’s received from students, parents and teachers.
“People are very grateful, everyone appreciates you and the work you do, and that is very rewarding for me,” Lee said. “Helping people is very satisfying “» getting paid is just a bonus.”
As our community works to find new avenues for economic development, including new energy businesses and new ways to deliver information, it’s good to know we have people like Lee and organizations like the Northern Nevada International Center making important connections.
Todd Felts is a professor in the University of Nevada, Reno’s Reynolds School of Journalism. Monica Thompson is a graduate student in the masters in interactive journalism program. Both work closely with the Northern Nevada International Center.