MAKING HISTORY
MAKING HISTORY!
Former Vice President Erica West Oyedele becomes first interpreter of color to lead conference Business Meeting. Interview courtesy of Adam Ledo, Florida Registry of Interpreters for the Deaf
ever presided over our business meeting. That’s special. AL: He said that since RID’s founding in 1964, this was the first time a person of color, a black interpreter presided over a RID business meeting. How did that make you feel?
video: https://youtu.be/AOUxlFMw9SQ
EWO: I felt really honored to have the opportunity to do that, and to be honest, I was not able to process my feelings in that moment. It wasn’t until the closing of the business meeting that Jonathan Webb came up on stage and gave the remarks as mentioned earlier, and it made me feel
AL: Hello from the RID national conference in Salt Lake City. Sadly, today is the final day. Let me introduce myself, I am Adam Ledo, current FRID President. I’m here with the RID outgoing Vice President, Erica West Oyedele (EWO). I hope I got the spelling right. EWO: Yes, you got it right. AL: Phew! As I said, her term as Vice President is almost complete; however, something special happened yesterday. During the second day of RID’s business meeting, President Walker abdicated his responsibility of running the meeting to represent the headquarters office; in turn, this responsibility fell to Erica. We already posted a message and shared a livestreamed video of this. Jonathan Webb went up on stage and shared these comments: Jonathan Webb: Melvin announced yesterday that Erica would be taking on the responsibility of running the business meeting. There is a strong representation of interpreters of color at this year’s conference. Many of us were sitting together when the announcement was made, and we immediately recognized the significance of this moment. From RID’s inception in 1964 until today, this is the first time an interpreter of color, a black interpreter, has 28
VIEWS Volume 34 • Issue 3