The Breakfast Club - The Black Women Behind the Viral ASL Moments at Essence Fest

Episode Date: July 17, 2026

This week on The Latest with Loren LoRosa, Loren sits down with nationally certified ASL interpreter, accessibility advocate, and entrepreneur Shyanne Atkins for a conversation that goes far beyond the viral clips from Essence Festival. Shyanne shares her journey into the profession, why Black ASL interpreters are still underrepresented, and what it really takes to interpret concerts, festivals, and live events. From translating hip-hop lyrics in real time to explaining the teamwork behind those unforgettable viral performances, she gives listeners a behind-the-scenes look at a career many people don't fully understand. The conversation also explores accessibility, cultural representation, pay equity, mentorship, and why creating inclusive experiences for the Deaf community is about much more than checking a box.  YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@BreakfastClubPower1051FMSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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I'm the homeguard that knows a little bit about everything and everybody. You know if you're going to lie about that, right? Lauren came in hot. Hey, y'all, what's up? It's Lauren LaRosa, and this is another episode of the latest with Lauren LaRosa. This is your daily dig on all things, pop culture, entertainment news, and all of the conversations that shake the room, baby. So today we are about to get into a conversation that I know is going to shake the room for

sure. I'm move the brown girl grinding pillow a little bit more in the screen because this is about to be a real brown girl grinding conversation here. This is about to be a real brown girl grinding conversation here because joining me, I have a ASL interpreter. Her name is Cheyenne Atkins and you guys may have seen her in some of her work and work like hers because recently during the Essence Festival, we talked about it here on the podcast as well too. There were a group of black women ASL interpreters who went so viral during the Essence Festival for interpreting the concert space of the festival and just how they were doing it, going off, having a good time and doing what, you know, black people do, just bringing joy to everything that we do

and everything that we touch. So we're going to get into that conversation and the conversation overall about being an ASL interpreter, those viral moments we see online when they go viral for various things tied to celebrity interaction and interpretation. And just the grind in the the hustle of it all. So Cheyenne, welcome. Welcome to the podcast. Thank you. Thank you for having me. So, first, talk to me a bit about your background. You're a nationally certified ASL interpreter, accessibility advocate, and a founder of a CIA interpreting and consulting with more than eight years of a professional experience in a space. So how did you get into becoming an interpreter? So it's really, it's like this long journey, but it's also really like a

short journey. So when I was in elementary school, I'm from Roosevelt, New York. And after school, they set up an ASL program where you could take classes. And I was fascinated. Like, sometimes I would just go to school just so I can get to the after school program and take the ASL courses. And I just fell in love with the language. And so around 2006, my family relocated to Florida. And at that time, I had no interaction with the deaf community, but I kind of use YouTube to just keep up, keep learning things. And so, because I was just really fascinated by it. And then when I moved to North Carolina, there was a community college right around from where I was staying. Shout out to Central Piedmont. And I got the catalog with the majors and minors in it. And I was looking through

and I was like, interpreter education and very naively, I was like, I know my ABCs. I can become an interpreter. Had no idea what I was getting myself into four years of that program. I often tell people that interpreting and knowing how to sign or two different skills. So I had to take ASL courses to build my language foundation and then take interpreting courses to learn how to interpret ASL. After that was finished, I graduated from there in 2018. I took a gap year and I did an internship at RIT called the Randleman program, which was helping to increase the number of black and brown interpreters in the field. After that, I transferred to Gallaudet in the fall of 2019, graduated in 2021 and then I got my certification in April of 2022.

And so my journey has had its fair shares of ups and downs, but, you know, with my community, with my village along the way, I was able to get to where I had to go and get certified and do all the things. And I'm so grateful and blessed to be here in the position that I am in. So you said that it was a program at after school program, right? How common is that? Because I've never heard of that as an after school program. program. So it growing up, I, you know, I was a kid. I didn't know. But now it's, I'm seeing more

people interested in ASL. I live in Baltimore and there was a lady that was saying that she was starting an ASL after school program here. And I think it's amazing because I'm noticing that a lot of people don't even know about ASL. They don't know that being an interpreter is a career until they see an interpreter go viral until they're like, oh, like how do you do that? So now I'm seeing like the influx of people being interested in taking ASO courses. People asking me, they're like, how do you become an interpreter and curious about that journey? Because I realize that a lot of people don't know that's a career choice and a life path that you can take.

I think a lot of people are like, I mean, we see you guys all the time at like concerts and in different spaces. But I think it always amazes people when it's in like a black space like hip hop or like whatever. I don't know why though because interpreter, I feel like for as long as I can remember at most concerts or like really public gatherings, I would see interpret. Like, I don't know what it is. Like, what is it about being a black woman in this space or a black person in the space that you think makes people so, like, wild? It's a very two-folded question. I think that the interpreting profession is 88% white.

That's true. So most people, when they see an interpreter, more than likely they're seeing a white interpreter. And if I'm being honest, I think that black interpreters hearing and deaf are just now getting their credit due because we've always been around. Black interpreters have always been doing the things. They've always been providing the access. But I don't think it was just as highlighted on the same level as white interpreters. And so being that the field is 88% right. And, you know, so there's certified interpreters and there's uncertified interpreters.

So total, I just checked at statistics, maybe we're hovering around 600 black certified interpreters in general. a field that is 88% white, you have like around 5,600 black certified interpreters. And so it's not a lot of us given the context of the field and how long we've been around. And I think now we're seeing this shift towards like having cultural inclusion. Having, you know, deaf people often want interpreters that look like them, that understand them, that come from us, the same background as them. And I feel like oftentimes there's a cultural mismatch, right? So if I'm a white interpreter and I show up at a place like Essence Fest, it's kind of like, you may know, but you may not, right?

Yeah. So it's like we need to have these interpreters in these spaces and make sure that we're giving interpreters the opportunities that come up. And so sometimes for me, if I'm not available, I'll reach out to my network. Hey, is anyone available to do this because I think representation is important, but also being there, also being a qualified interpreter that knows what they're doing. doing because now not only we're seeing black interpreters in these spaces now it's the comment oh they're fake oh do you remember the person at nelson mandela funeral oh do you remember it's like y'all

it's real interpreters out here doing real work doing real things you know shifting the landscape of interpreting and yeah so i think that's where we are you've heard the chaos now you can see it my gosh watch all your favorite podcasts from start to finish right inside the free iher radio app gets the blood going up catch every laugh and eye roll on shows like the Tom Green Farmcast and park the bus now with full video for building a ramp for Tony Hawk it's the same hosts and the same chemistry with all the hilarious moments you've been missing right on your screen cheers open the free iHard radio app search video podcasts and tap watch this is Chelsea handler from dear Chelsea every week the news gets worse the world gets crazier and yamanika is here to tell whoever's responsible you're the problem if you come over here to play games, I'ma check you. Okay?

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so I don't have to do so much. So join Yamanika each episode as she answers one question. Who's the problem? I'm Yamanika, and I'm out. Listen to You're the Problem with Yamanika on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcast. What's up, fam? I'm sports journalist Ari Chambers. Hey, what's up, y'all? It's your girl, Sam J. And we're the host of everyone watches women's sports, a new podcast from Together and IHart Women's Sports.

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You know us or rather you know them. Tony and Candice, Nina and Lance, Spike and yes, the chicken. We've played a lot of iconic characters over the years, but today we're showing up as ourselves to tell you about Podlandia, AEO rewatch, our brand new podcast. Each week, we'll revisit an episode of Portlandia from the very beginning,

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legendary musician Amy Mann, and many more. Kyle is going for it here. You fully improvised, not just words, but a song. Well, I thought he was going to write. I thought you were all going to write a song. I remember you thinking that. Listen to Podlandia. Ayo, rewatch on the IHeart Radio app,

Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Is there ever a time where you're like, just because I am a black interpreter, I don't only want to do the black thing? or do you look at it like you would you would prefer to do things that are more culturally connected to like who you are and what you grew up on?

So it's yes and I feel like these questions are so good. Yeah, don't hit me up at Juneteenth and Black History Month if you don't work with me year around. But also, I wouldn't be here if it wasn't for the Black Deaf community. So when they call, I answer, I don't care what I'm doing.

I can have, you know, a big gig. But if, you know, one of the people, the black deaf people that raised me up in this field and needed me, oh, that's coming before anything because I am not here without community and the people that invested in me. Dean Perry, he was one of the, he's a black deaf man from North Carolina. And I remember one day, I was like, I'm not doing this. It's not from me. He was like, I don't care how you finish, but you're going to finish. And, you know, he really poured into me and he really, like, helped me. And Alita Hill and Janice Porte, all of these people who are very integral part of my interpreting

journey to get to where I'm at. And also white interpreter is my professor, Kelly Stewart. She was like, you're going to do it. Like all of these people that poured into me even when I was like, I don't want to do this. Like, it's not for me. I don't know. Like, I started having an existential crisis.

So, yeah, I don't only want to do that stuff. If your only relationship with me is when you're desperate in February and in June, we don't need to talk. And it also shows me that you don't have a roster that is full of diverse interpreters. if you're now in these two months looking and desperate for a black interpreter. But also, I love being in black spaces. Like, if that could be the bulk of my work, I'm working with black people all day, every day, I would be happy.

How tough is it being as though, like, I mean, you talk about the numbers, right? How tough is it trying to get corporations and you talk about diverse roster, these businesses, these events to realize, like, once you say your roster isn't as diverse as it should be, that that should change, right? Because I don't, like, when, if you think about, like, anything that has ever been, like, not inclusive, people push back and they revolt on it, right? Like, we talk about how, like, it's messed up

that, like, DEI is getting removed from things. There's a big conversation about Target and not in all the, boycott in all these places that are, that we think are adding to that problem, right? But I've never heard somebody be like, yo, we need to revolt or push back in the black interpreter space because we just don't know that this is happening.

So how hard is it that you have to face that and you don't really have the people with you because we don't talk a lot about y'all and we don't know that this even happening? It hasn't been tough for you trying to change from the inside? You know, as a kid I always got in trouble because I'm going to say the thing, I'm going to do the thing. I really don't care who's with me.

You know, I'm a one-woman army. And, you know, sometimes I've taken a hit because I've been too vocal, but also I've seen how I planted those seeds and how they have sprouted later. So maybe they don't like me in the moment. But I then see the change that starts to happen. And it sucks.

It's now happening because black interpreters are going viral. Now there's a need for it. But there's always been a need for black interpreters in their space. There's always been a need for cultural, competent interpreters. There's always been a need for that. So oftentimes when I breached these conversations with people, I realize that a lot of people just don't know, right? A lot of people don't know how to get an interpreter.

A lot of people don't know what accessibility looks like. A lot of people don't know how to, okay, I got an interpreter, but how do I get a black interpreter for this event? Is it racist if I ask for a black interpreter? Is it like some of it is just starting a conversation. And I think a lot of people, once I engage them, once I, you know, because I don't come at it from like, I don't know, but I come at it from a, hey, let's talk.

Let's have a conversation. Let's sit down. You want to go get coffee? We could talk about this. I really try to open the door. because it's really a conversation I used to be had. You know, then there's sometimes, like, I turn up, but people try to play.

You know, it's really, it's really, it's really a balancing act. But what I realized as I've gone through this career and this journey, a lot of people just don't know. And it's really informing people, telling people how they could get an interpreter. I love to give out my information. And even if I'm not the interpreter, oh, you need a Palestinian interpreter, you need a Mexican interpreter, you need, my, my network is vast. And so I pride myself on being able to put the right people in all spaces

and just making sure that it is a fit. It works out. Because at the end of the day, I just want the deaf clients and consumers to be happy. I want them to leave Essence Fest and be like, dang, that was the best experience. It was accessible from start to finish. And, you know, that same feeling that hearing people leave after a show. And they're like, that was such a good show. That is really my goal is to make sure that everyone is included.

It is accessible for everyone. So, Hey, I'm Ruby Carr, the host of the podcast, OnCore. Check out our brand new episodes featuring music from the show that everyone is reheating as we speak. Heated rivalry. Join me as I go behind the songs that brought Shane and Elia together. I'll tell you the stories of Fice, My Moon, My Man, Wolf for raids, I'll Believe in Anything, and tattoos all the things she said, and how they all became a part of this global phenomenon.

Stream Encore on IHeart Radio, Crave, or wherever you get your podcast. This is Chelsea Handler from Dear Chelsea. Every week, the news gets worse. The world gets crazier, and Yamanika is here to tell whoever's responsible, you're the problem. If you come over here to play games, I'ma check you, okay?

If you do some in the news that don't sound good, I'm going to play you. Join Yomeneika Saunders as she breaks down the week's most problematic stories on her new podcast. You're the problem with Yamanika. Do you know I just found out who Sidney Swindy? Queenie was. New episodes weekly every Wednesday

is part of my new network, the Dear Chelsea Network. If he got a bunch of women, then I should have a bunch of men. Do better or do less, so I don't have to do so much. So join Yamanika each episode as she answers one question.

Who's the problem? I'm Yamanika, and I'm out. Listen to you're the problem with Yamanika on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcast, or wherever you get your podcast. What's up, fam? journalist Ari Chambers. Hey, what's up y'all? It's your girl, Sam J. And we're the host of everyone watches women's sports, a new podcast from Together and I Heart Women's Sports.

Because let's be real. Women's sports is giving us way too much to talk about these days. So Kelsey Finler, she became the first female solo rower to go from California to Hawaii. My first thought is like, what's up with the snacks? Like, what are we eating? The highlights, the rivalries, the breakout stars, the moments that take over your entire timeline. And the conversations that start during the game and somehow keep going all week. Every week, we're breaking down the biggest stories across women's sports. Naomi Osaka showing out, she beat. Sabalinka.

Shout out to you, Naomi. You get the palm, Naomi. You get the palm for that. Because we're not just interested in what happened. We're interested in why everyone's talking about it. Because everyone watches women's sports. Listen to everyone watches women's sports. On the IHeart Radio app.

Apple podcast or wherever you get your podcast. Hey, Portlandia fans. Carrie Brownstein and Fred Armisen here. You know us, or rather you know them. Tony and Candice, Nina and Lance, Spike, and yes, the chicken. We've played a lot of iconic characters over the years, but today we're showing up as ourselves to tell you about Podlandia, AEO rewatch, our brand new podcast. Each week we'll revisit an episode of Portlandia from the very beginning,

breaking down the sketches, exploring the backstories of our most iconic characters, revisiting the Portland locations you know and love, and opening up about our creative process. How did any of this get made? Why do we think that was a good idea? We're ready to talk about it. And we'll also be joined by the people who helped bring it all to life. Guest stars, collaborators, and friends, including director Jonathan Chrysall, the mayor himself, Kyle McLaughlin,

legendary musician Amy Mann, and many more. Kyle is going for it here. You fully improvised, not just words, but a song, a melody. Well, I thought he was going to write. I thought you were all going to write a song. I remember you thinking that. Listen to Podlandia. Ayo, Rewatch!

on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Talk about Essus Festival. Because even before y'all started going viral to the people that weren't there, like being there, I remember they was playing, like in between the sets, they were playing Meek Mills, Dreams and Nightmares.

And I wanted a girl, like, they were, you're signing, but it was like the beat, like to the beat. And I'm like, how are they signed? Like, what, okay, so when you're signing the songs, right, I know that you're signing the words, but it's like y'all are also carrying the beat and the melody as well, too, as you're doing it. And I'm not really, I don't really know too much about, you know, how people who are hearing impaired are able to pick up, like, tones and feelings and vibrations and things. But I know that there's like a science and an artistry to this.

Because I started thinking about that. I'm like, wait, if I'm a deaf person and I'm here, how much of this can I hear and feel, especially on a song like Meadmills and Nightmares? Like, so what's the, what was I watching? So shout out to Tierra. My girl held it down. Dreams and nightmare. Come on. I'd be like, girl, they saw you.

You know, I know it, but I feel like she conveys it on a level that it's just out of this world. So I can't really speak to deaf experience, but I'll speak to what I know. So I went to Gallaud at university, which is the only deaf university in the world. And despite what people may think, deaf people like the party. You know, just like your normal college experience, deaf people are blasting music. It's funny because they're hearing people, you're like, why is this so loud? But it needs to be so loud so they can hear, they could feel the vibrations. And so while they may not be able to hear the words, I notice a lot of my deaf friends, they

read the lyrics, right? So they'll feel the vibration, they'll read the lyrics, and they kind of go back and forth. And so there's this misconception that deaf people don't listen to music. Also, deafness is a spectrum, right? Like everyone is not completely deafness. It can be, you know, you can only hear fire truck. and Amlantis to be completely deaf to, oh, I have some hearing where I can hear some things. So when we're working a place like Essence Fest, we don't know who's an audience, right?

So you just kind of got to find your happy medium and find where you just have to shoot in the dark and hope that, you know, it hits someone. I feel like specifically for black interpreters, it's not in us, it's on us, right? Like, we, it's a certain essence to being black and also we listen to this music. We know this music. This Essence Fest, that's my auntie, that's the cookout. That's the, I grew up with this music. And so when it came to now interpreting it,

I already got the beat because I'm already dancing to it, but now I just got to put my hands to it. And so, yeah, dreams and nightmares is one little song. When you go to a festival, you're gonna hear dreams of nightmares. Like my good friend Rodney, he has an Apple playlist. He's like black songs, you know we're gonna be played at festivals. And it's, Nuck If You Buck, Two Step, Swags, Swags, All these songs that you know we're going to come up.

So we're very intentional about practicing songs that we know we're going to come up. I was going to say, but what do you do when, like, because you can't, you can practice for the artist, potentially, you guys probably get set lists and stuff like that. But for the music in between, when they just buying time with the crowd, you don't know what's going to be played. So how do you prepare for that? Because if it's a song, you don't know, do you just not sign it? Like, oh, no.

I know for me, I'm an Abby music listener. I don't even own a TV. I haven't owned a TV in years. So literally all I do is listen to music all day, every day, day, day and night. That is just who I am. So a lot of interpreters, like, you have to listen to music. Like, you have to be in the know. What new albums are coming out?

Who's going on tour? So really, there's certain things where I'm like, I listen to this music. And one thing I realized early on in my career doing festival interpreting, sometimes I know the beat, but I don't know the words, right? That's the other thing for us. We don't be knowing like you can take you know the word until you got to say the word. Right.

So when you're in a festival space like that, usually there's a team interpreter. There's an interpreter who is on screen. There's an interpreter who's off screen. And typically the interpreter who's off screen is feeding you the lyrics. So I may have something, but I don't know what I'm in my interpreter. The team interpreter is feeding me the lyrics.

So then I just take what I'm seeing and include it in my interpretation. So yeah, if I don't know the words all the time, I really depend on my team. And shout out. them because Essence Fest, it's sometimes not even known the words, but when you have your in-ears on, sometimes the music is higher than the vocals. And so I'm like, where am I? But yeah, it's really a team process. Everyone's kind of working together and make it happen. Is there ever like, I know there's like a lot of dudes. Like you said, y'all practice. You might

throw a song to like another interpreter. You don't know it. But what are the don'ts? Because like, y'all was turned up. Y'all was having a good time. Y'all was twerk and y'all, we was, we was Y'all were with us in the party. Is there ever times where you're like, okay, we can do this and go this far, but like we can't do this? Like are there don'ts to interpreting as well? Yeah. So a don't, you never want your back towards the crowd, right?

Like, so even if we're dancing and we're turned up, we're kind of still like cheating the audience because my hands need to be visible. So I'm never going to be full-fledged twerping off-camera I will. But on camera, I won't. But like, I always make sure that. I'm still being seen that. It's still accessible. Another don't is you never put your hands down even when you don't know.

You never put your hands down. So what do you do then? Because sometimes people will be like, like when you see interpreters at different places, they'd be like, they're not even saying right. Like you've seen that probably where they're like, she up there just doing stuff. Right. So like your hands are up. What are you doing?

Are y'all really just doing things at some point? So again, you're really depending on your team. And in that moment, sometimes, okay, I don't know the words to the song. This is me personally. I can't speak for anyone else. But I know the vibe. I know what they're going for. So if I am, let's take James and Nightmans for a reason.

If I miss a lyric, sometimes I'll just pick up with what I know what's coming next. And then I'll just have to feel. So when I, all I know is mutter, when it come to me, I don't know there's a, but I've been to KOD. So I have to make that connection from where I missed and where it picks up. And sometimes it's just like, what is the artist talking about in this moment? How can I still, even I don't have the words, how can I still convey the meaning in the essence of what until I can pick it up again? But again, depending on your team and having them like feed you the lyrics, which is, if you're working a festival like essence, there's always multiple interpreters. There was four interpreters.

And so this should never be a reason you'll put your hands down. And I know for me personally, when I'm on screen and I don't know something, I like when multiple interpreters feed me the lyrics because it's like I get to pick what I want because everyone doesn't sign the same thing every way, right? So, oh, I like how you sign this, but I like how you sign. And so I'm constantly looking at both people signing me the song and then I decide how and what I want to incorporate. Got you. Okay. Okay. And I mean, I don't know how deep you can go into this or want to go into this question, but how lucrative is being a interpreter? And is there a pay gap between like, you know, interpreters of color, black interpreters

and the majority in the space, which you said are white interpreters? Oh, there's definitely a pay gap. I, you know, people say don't talk about money. I firmly am against that because if you don't talk about it, then you don't know how much you're being cheated, right? And so oftentimes I'm like, this doesn't sound right. And so I'll go be like, hey, I work for a company A, you work for them, how much are you getting paid? We have similar qualifications.

We have it. We have this. But they're not paying me the same. And so I often, you have to advocate for yourself. You have to. You have to advocate for yourself. You have to advocate for what you want. You have to know the value that you bring.

You know, you can't be a new interpreter going to people asking them for $150 an hour and you don't have got a certification to your name, right? Like you got to put in work to get to a certain place where you can be like, no, this is what I want. This is what I demand. this is what I like. ASL interpreting is what you make it, right? Like, there are some people who work full time, and there's some people who don't.

I tell people I work full, full time. So I'm always working. I'm always at an event. I'm always moving. So it's lucrative, but it is tiring. And I think a lot of people don't realize interpreting is a process. And when I go online and I, you know, I read comments. I'm a human.

And they're like, oh, she's not signing this. Oh, she doesn't know this. oh, you know, whatever. And it's like, you don't know what's happening in that moment. My sound could have went out in my ears. The battery pack could have died. You know, someone could have fell off screen. Like, there's so much happening.

And I think oftentimes we take things out of context. So we see 10 seconds of an interpreter interpreting. And it may be a little off, but we have to get people grace because we don't know what's happening on the other side of that screen. Hey, I'm Ruby Carr, the host of the podcast, Encore. Check out our brand new episodes featuring music from the show that everyone is reheating as we speak.

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Listen to You're the Problem with Yamanika on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcast, or wherever you get your podcast. What's up, fam? I'm sports journalist Ari Chambers. Hey, what's up, y'all? It's your girl, Sam J. And we're the host of everyone watches women's sports, a new podcast from Together and I Heart Women's Sports. Because let's be real. Women's sports is giving us way too much to talk about these days. So Kelsey Finler, she became the first female solo rower to go from California to Hawaii. My first thought is like, what's up with the snacks? Like, what are we eating?

The highlights, the rivalries, the breakout stars, the moments that take over your entire timeline. And the conversations that start during the game and somehow keep going all week. Every week, we're breaking down the biggest stories across women's sports. Naomi Osaka showing out, she beat Sabalinka. Shout out to you, Naomi. You get the palm, Naomi. You get the palm for that. Because we're not just interested in what happened.

We're interested in why everyone's talking about it. Because everyone watches women's sports. Listen to everyone watches women's sports on the IHeart Radio app. Apple Podcast or wherever you get your podcast. Hey, Portlandia fans. Carrie Brownstein and Fred Armisen here. You know us or rather you know them. Tony and Candid.

Nina and Lance, Spike, and yes, The Chicken. We've played a lot of iconic characters over the years, but today we're showing up as ourselves to tell you about Podlandia, AEO, rewatch, our brand new podcast. Each week, we'll revisit an episode of Portlandia from the very beginning, breaking down the sketches, exploring the backstories of our most iconic characters, revisiting the Portland locations you know and love,

and opening up about our creative process. How did any of this get made? Why do we think that was a good idea? We're ready to talk about it. And we'll also be joined by the people who helped bring it all to life. Guest stars, collaborators and friends, including director Jonathan Chrysall, the mayor himself, Kyle McLaughlin, legendary musician Amy Mann, and many more. Kyle is going for it here.

You fully improvised, not just words, but a song. Well, I thought he was going to write. I thought you were all going to write a song. I remember you thinking that. Listen to Podlandia. Ayo, rewatch on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Does it help or hurt you when those type of things go viral? Or just when y'all go viral in general, like how does it help or hurt, I guess?

So like an essence festival moment, I'm sure that was really positive for y'all. But we have like a Ray J at BET like doing what he, whatever heck Ray J was doing with their interpreter or like people going viral saying like the interpreter ain't really saying nothing. He's up there doing anything. Like how does that help or hurt you guys in the space that you work in? It's really helpful when it's positive, right? And you can talk about your work and something that I'm so passionate about. When it's negative, I'll be honest with you, I don't care because those people don't do what I do. Those people don't, and will never do what I do.

And it's easier to be a keyboard warrior, right? And you have no. And usually I find out it's from people who aren't even deaf. They are not connected to the community. They don't really know anything. And they're just like saying stuff. You know, it hurts sometimes because you're human and you're like, dang. But also it's just like, these people don't know me.

These people don't know my process. And if I had a bad day, so be it. We all have bad days. Mine just happened to be recorded. And so I really take the good with the bad because it was always way more good than it is bad. Yeah, so I just kind of like, I'm like, okay, you don't know me. I think that's my disposition.

I'm like, you don't know me. You don't know what I do. So, yeah. I got you. And as we wrap, thank you for the conversation. I think really insightful conversation. I don't think I've ever really understood you guys' job as a career, if I'm being honest with you.

And I think a lot of people possibly don't. So I think that there's a lot of light being shined here on like this as a career option for a young black person. I know that you have an organization and you're all about mentoring the next generation coming up in your work as well. So let's talk a little bit about that. And let's talk about, you know, how you consult and the different things that you do. So I am the president of Nayob, D.C., which stands for the National Lines of Black

Interpreters. This organization has been around for decades with the purpose of providing a safe space for interpreters, a place where interpreters can do information, sharing, sharing resources, provide mentoring. It's really a community of interpreters who come together to really further advance the field and also get an increasing number of Black interpreters. And if I'm being honest, we've been at the same 500, 600 interpreters for a while now. It has, like, it's been, it's been pretty steady. And so there's also a lot of people who are leaving the field, you know, there's also the side of interpreting where people are burnt out. People are tired. People want to get paid more. People don't feel deserved. And so there's a lot of,

while there's people coming up, there's also a lot of people leaving. And so one of the most important things to me and I'm passionate about is bridging that gap. I love to talk to children. So oftentimes when I'm in spaces and there's children there and they come up after I'm done with something, it takes nothing but five minutes for me to connect with them because a lot of them don't know how you do it, how you become an interpreter. Most people don't know that there's interpreting training programs all over the U.S. that you can go to that can teach you and provide you the skills. But specifically for Naobb, D.C., we welcome all interpreters, whether you be seasoned interpretive and interpreter for 30, 40 years, or you're just getting started.

We provide mentoring. Last night we actually hosted Uno Speed networking. There's a Naobi Atlanta chapter, so we brought both our chapters together to get to know each other because I don't know what they're doing in Atlanta. They don't know what we're doing in D.C.

So it was just a nice place for everyone to come together to get to know each other, ask questions. We also provide scholarships as well for interpreters who are interested in taking their certification exams. It's called the Coalfield Scholarship, and we're here for any internships. Upcoming interpreters. And you don't have to be an interpreter to be a part of an AOB.

You can be curious. You can just come, join the meeting, join us. And we're welcoming to any and everyone who wants to learn more about the field, become an interpreter, be an ally, be a supporter. It's really for any and all to really come, learn about what we do, and be a part of it. So how do people get more information? Is there a website? Is there Instagram?

Where can people find you, follow you, get in contact, all the things? So you can follow Naomi, DC on all social media. or at Naobi DC. The website is naobidc.org. And just take a look around and follow us. You can email us. All our contact information is there, and we will get back to you as soon as we can.

Yes, and thank you. And Naobi is for the audio listeners. Naobi, D-C, correct? Yes. Yes. Yes. Thank you.

I really, really appreciate the conversation. Appreciate you being here. Appreciate the work y'all doing out there. Thank you. Literally. Okay. make sure you guys tap in with Cheyenne everything that she has happening this has been another episode of the latest with Lauren La Rosa go find her let her know lowriders that you guys listen to this episode we appreciate her work I don't think y'all understand we are of service to people it is an art and we appreciate all of the opinions and the viral moments but it is a job okay and the girls are working the brown girls are out here grinding so go show her some love we can we always appreciate that it keeps some us going. I'm Lauren the Rosa. Again, I tell you guys every episode, y'all could be anywhere

with any old body talking about all the things, but you guys choose to be right here with me. My little riders, I appreciate y'all. I'll catch you in the next episode. On Raiders of the Lost podcast, we explore cinema like no one else, including huge interviews with stars like Ryan Gosling on Project Hail Mary. It was like the Jaws shark. Didn't always work, came with its own problems. That's what made it great. The cast of obsession, On set, there was so much magic happening with each scene we were putting together. Deep dives into classics like 2001 A Space Odyssey or Fight Club, plus weekly episodes on all industry news. Listen to Raiders of the Lost podcast on the Iheart radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.

And for more, follow at Raiders of the Lost podcast and at TikTok podcast network on TikTok. Hey, Portlandia fans. Carrie Brownstein and Fred Armisen here. The Dream of the 90s is alive in podcast form. We're launching Podlandia, AEORewatch, our brand new podcast where we revisit every episode of Portlandia together, breaking down sketches, going deep on our iconic characters, and pulling back the curtain on how it all got made. And we'll also be joined by the people who helped bring it all to life. Guest stars, collaborators, and friends, including director Jonathan Chrysall, the mayor himself, Kyle McLaughlin,

legendary musician Amy Mann, and many more. Kyle is going for it here. You fully improvised, not just words, but a song. Well, I thought you were all going to write a song. I remember you thinking that. Listen to Podlandia. A.O. Rewatch on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. What's up, fam, it's sports journalist Ari Chambers.

Hey, what's up, y'all? It's your girl, Sam Jay. And we're the hosts of everyone watches women's sports, a new podcast from together. We're breaking down the biggest headlines, the viral moments, and the stories everyone's talking about across women's sports. From game-changing performances to culture-shifting conversations, we'll give you our takes, our debates, and a few laughs along the way. Because everyone watches women's sports.

Listen to everyone watches women's sports. On the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcast, or wherever you get your podcast. I'm Jake Brennan, and on the Disgraceland Podcast, I explore the wild lives of rock stars and unbelievable true crime stories from music history. These are the stories you haven't heard, the kind you'll end up telling someone else. Like the time Paul McCartney spent in a notorious prison Or the bizarre crime Lady Gaga is accused of Or that time Blondie's Debbie Harry escaped Ted Bunny

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