Profile

My work as a translator (Italian/English) involves close reading of texts, often in collaboration with another translator. We decide on the meaning of the text, and then work to translate it into English without losing the original's prose style and voice. When I work as an interpreter my job involves going to meetings here in Chicago with business people from Italy and interpreting for them. I've worked in exhibition halls, in traditional conference rooms, and have given tours of Chicago.

My volunteer work as a managing editor for a literary magazine involves reading short story submissions, managing work flow among other readers, corresponding with writers, organizing literary readings, working with a graphic designer on the presentation of our magazine, distribution.

I also am on the board of a theater company. Being part of the surrounding artistic community is important to me. As a board member, I've done everything from organizing a gala to copy editing. This volunteer work has given me a great opportunity to develop skills I don't use in my writing/translating life.

I'm very lucky, I work in my home when I write. For my literary magazine we meet in a coffee shop every other week. When I interpret the work environment depends on the visiting person's needs.

I work with other writers, actors, business people. I love the variety of people I get to meet and learn from.

I don't really have a typical day.

It's important for me to keep my Italian language skills up so I take an Italian conversation class that meets once a week. Writing skills are important, and also people skills are important because I'm working in small groups that are very unstructured.

No

In my writing and translation I love the intellectual stimulation, the creative outlet, and I love working collaboratively with others. The projects I'm involved in are meaningful to me and that's important too; I believe that art makes the world a better place.

The fact that there aren't clear cut organizational structures makes managing tiring at times. I have to sell my translation projects and that doesn't come easily to me.

The dignity and integrity my friends maintain even when they're facing tough times inspires me.

My grandmother on my father's side. She got a PhD in Biology in 1927, and despite being very good in her field she struggled because she wasn't taken seriously once she had children. She made me aware of the difficulties women face in society when they don't fit into traditional gender roles, and she made me appreciate the women's movement, and the sacrifices women of previous generations had made in order to acquire rights that I took for granted. She had high expectations of me when others didn't, and taught me how to think independently. In addition, I'll never forget how engaged she was with the world, how everything from politics to plant life fascinated her; even when she got old she continued learning and asking questions.

If you're not making mistakes, you're not living.

Be careful of your reputation. I've found that it's your personal sense of integrity that matters.

It's never too late. Really! I found that I loved translating and interpreting late in my life.

I'd have paid more attention to networking. Going to conferences and industry parties is important; you meet people and one contact leads to another. Not the most profound insight on my part, perhaps, but I regret that I underestimated the importance of networking.

I'm lucky because my passions—language, literature, the creative life —are incorporated into my work.

It was a slow process; I think I owe a lot to other people. A friend of mine suggested we translate Italian poetry together, she had the self-confidence that I didn't have at the time. Now I work on projects on my own.

As for working at the literary magazine, I began as a volunteer submissions reader. I never dreamed I'd get involved in the nuts and bolts managing of magazine.

The same holds true for the work I do on the board of the theater company. I wanted to help them with a benefit they were having because I loved their work, and as time went on I became more and more involved in the organization. The intellectual foundation for my current work I developed first in college and then kept up throughout my life by reading consistently and taking time to write every day.

Love of language. Also, translating and interpreting from Italian into English allows me to integrate my Italian heritage with my American life. This is important to me.

My struggle was always with lack of confidence. I think many women aren't as self-confident as they could be. Hopefully this website will help change that!