“Peninsula Interpreters United is a small translation and interpretation business. We are in the process of developing a small team,” explains Courtney Quinones, CEO and lead interpreter.. “Our goal is to help the local community by reaching out to local agencies such as health departments, schools, hospitals and local government offices to help close the gap between the agency and the community.
Quinones continues, “We aren’t just a translating and interpreting service; we are looking to help the community. We service businesses and agencies, and we want individuals to contact us, people from the migrant community who need help, who need a way to communicate their needs. People can come to me, and I can communicate that message.”
With an ever-changing and growing population here in Hampton Roads, better communication is more important than ever. Peninsula Interpreters United provides a variety of services to help meet these needs, including translating documents. Its interpretation and cultural community classes help people learn how to interact with the Latino community within their career field and community. Quinones has been translating Spanish for health and government agencies for more than 23 years, and her recent move from Ohio began her journey of services within the Hampton Roads community.
“My mother was a schoolteacher, and she helped me realize that I had a gift for languages. It was great to help people and see the immediate result, so I devoted time to work on my language skills,” says Quinones. “I spoke Spanish as a young child, and I lived in Puerto Rico for a bit. But in middle school when I was in America, I was around more Hispanic people, and I realized I remembered my Spanish. Funny enough, I lost my Puerto Rican accent and now have a Mexican one when I speak Spanish.”
A normal workday for Quinones includes looking for contracts, reaching out to a variety of organizations and translating documents. The CEO finds her work fulfilling as she sets out to help bridge some of the gaps in the community. “My favorite part about my work is building connections between clients, patients or even businesses, providing the missing link in language skills,” Quinones says. “I really enjoy speaking with people over the phone to help me get a better idea of how I can best service them.”
Quinones is excited about the future of Peninsula Interpreters United. “We look forward to sponsoring local organizations to help give immigrants more of a voice and to make them feel more included in the population,” she says. “We would love to host festivals or fairs to help people understand their own community and to see what services can be offered and shared.”
Although her background has previously focused on working with the federal government, Quinones wants to help the local community through interpretation and better understanding, transitioning to smaller services such as doctors’ offices and local governments.
When Quinones isn’t busy working, she smiles as she talks about her life away from the office. “I have five children, so I don’t have too much free time. But as a family, I do some bead work, since I’m a native American, and we try to go to powwows or other cultural events since we are a multicultural family. I also enjoy gardening and fishing,” she says.
Peninsula Interpreters United is growing as it offers translation, interpretation and cultural class services, and Quinones is eager to help the community come together and bond.
TO THE POINT:
Peninsula Interpreters United
Phone: 757-789-9500
Email: languages@peninsulainterpretersunitedllc.org
Website: www.peninsulainterpretersunitedllcs.com
