Today we’d like to introduce you to E. Peige Turner.
Hi E. Peige, can you start by introducing yourself? We’d love to learn more about how you got to where you are today?
I accidentally stumbled into my profession; American Sign Language Interpreter (ASL). I was planning on being a marine biologist, but that fell through. One afternoon after graduating high school I was watching TV and saw a sign language interpreter and thought, “that looks fun, I know some of my ABCs!”. I applied for a pell grant at a local community college and got accepted into the Interpreter Training Program at Maple Woods in 1998. This is where I fell in love with an entire culture and language (the language is quite addictive! You should learn it too!). I met many of my amazing Deaf friends that first year. It took me a while to actually start interpreting professionally, but it was always in my blood to be a part of that world. I started interpreting in 2011 as a professional sign language interpreter for a school district as well as some freelance work in the community. In 2013 I transitioned completely to freelance community interpreting which is a whole new world! Becoming my own boss is a very unique experience. In 2015, I ran the Kansas City Zombie Walk for Hunger (a halloween themed food drive) and had a table at a local comic con to promote the event. I noticed how visual and nerdy the comic con environment was and asked if I could interpret some of their programming the following year. They took a chance on me, and this is where NERDterpreter came into the world. Over the last decade I’ve worked on getting NERDterpreter up and running. It has been a slow build, but NERDterpreter is picking up and I couldn’t be more happy. I love seeing Deaf individuals know who we are and express joy while immersed in a fun environment. My passion is interpreting nerdy and niche things like “I aim to misbehave” with the proper tone of the message (true diehards will know what that means). NERDterpreter is now in several states and I have such an amazing team of NERDs! When I’m not donning a NERDterpreter staff shirt, I’m working as a contract interpreter for many agencies in the Kansas City Metro and beyond. Even after 16 years of community interpreting, I still meet new people every day. To say I love my career is an understatement! The people, the community and the language, I couldn’t ask for a better job.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
Smooth?! No, but I try to not let the struggles be seen. When actively working, promoting or talking about work I put on a smooth demeanor. Being a small business owner is harder than I thought. I’ve faced financial struggles mostly because I’m ‘learning on the job’, combined with health issues and limited or no health insurance (health care, amirite!?!). Over the years I’ve learned more and more about entrepreneurship causing me to adjust my approach many times. Learning on the job has so many ups and downs, new challenges, new successes, and new struggles. Most importantly, figuring out work-life balance! That is a SKILL that is extremely difficult to accomplish when you’re running a business. People see the production but never the back end. I didn’t realize how much time and energy is expended after the work is over. I’m lucky to have help and support from so many people. When I lose confidence in myself, I have people reminding me of my vision. Bringing language access to all things nerdy!
As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about what you do?
Well, you asked “what do you do”… I’m a sign language interpreter providing language services to people who don’t know sign language. If you ever have a Deaf or Hard of Hearing (DHH) individual needing services, you would call an agency and arrange for a language specialist to come and provide interpreting services for you so you can communicate with your DHH client. My freelance work is comprised of many environments; medical, mental health, business, platform, education, etc. NERDterpreter specializes in platform and convention interpreting. We are known for providing language access to niche events including but not limited to comic conventions, furry conventions, anime conventions, and other events that aren’t often in the limelight. One thing I’ve found is there are Deaf and Hard of Hearing people in so many different social settings. Some popular, some more intimate. Providing open minded, safe, comfortable language access is at our core for anyone needing services. I have such an amazing group of NERDterpreters spanning the US; Kansas City, St. Louis, Chicago, Atlanta to name a few and they are all such hard workers with Deaf heart. I’m most proud when a Deaf individual tells me that they felt like their access to communication was smooth, clear, inclusive and unobtrusive. Our motto is, If it’s fun, we’ll sign it!
What matters most to you?
What matters most is the comfort of an individual in any setting. It’s hard to explain. I want people to feel like they are immersed in their environment without that extra person (the interpreter). I want to have as little impact on a persons experience while providing the best language access possible. If there’s content that I’m unfamiliar with, I will research beforehand to make sure I don’t have to interrupt the process. I love learning from the individuals in these environments as well. Who better to learn new signs from than a person whose first language is ASL?
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.nerdterpreter.com
- Instagram: Nerdterpreter
- Facebook: NERDterpreter E. Peige Turner
