May 2nd was National Interpreter Appreciation Day! Interpreters are so important for the Deaf community- They help spread a love of Sign Language and serve as a bridge between the deaf and hearing worlds. Without interpreters, us ‘deafies’ would have a bit of a hard time (especially in medical and educational settings) so be sure to thank your favorite interpreters! 🙂
Let’s take a moment to shed some light on two “viral” interpreters: Amber Galloway Gallego and Holly Maniatty!
Holly Maniatty
Holly Maniatty signs at a Phish concert. (via Facebook)
Holly Maniatty is a CI/CT and a NIC: Master- This means that she has passed a national certification (and swimmingly at that!). Maniatty’s viral video from a Snoop Dogg concert set her apart attracted international attention, showing off her love of music and extremely fast hands! In a CBC radio interview Maniatty describes astonishment from her sudden rise to fame: “You’re up there totally focused on making sure that the show is accessible and the deaf patrons are having as great a time as everybody else. And then you go to sleep and two days later, you wake up and it’s all over the Internet. So it’s kind of a surreal experience.” Holly Maniatty has interpreted for several Hip Hop artists including Eminem, Waka Flaka Flame, and Wu Tang Clan.
Amber Galloway Gallego (via YouTube)
Amber Galloway Gallego
Amber Galloway Gallego rose to fame from this video at Lollapalooza while interpreting for Kendrick Lamar (WARNING: GRAPHIC CONTENT). She also has her own YouTube channel that regularly posts popular songs in ASL across several genres. Galloway Gallego is hard-of-hearing herself and grew up with deaf community close to her heart. Her style is what a lot of deaf people like to see: She conveys the meaning behind the words and uses a distinct method to achieve a “true” interpretation of the music. “Music is more than words, and the problem is that the interpreters, for a long time, have just focused on the words — and not thought about all the other layers that come with it to actually make it equivalent. I show all the instruments, because [deaf people] need to be able to see the riffs. So, it’s kind of like using onomatopoeia [but] in sign language.”
Check out these two awesome interpreters at their best below!