She Didn’t Flinch: The Difference Professional Interpreter Services Make
- Be Moore Interpreting
- Sep 25
- 3 min read
October is Creole Heritage Month, and at Be Moore Interpreting, this celebration hits close to home. It reminds us not only of the beauty and resilience within Creole-speaking communities but also of the critical role language plays in how we show up for one another.
As a language service provider, we witness firsthand the power of culturally and linguistically appropriate communication, through professional interpreter services, and the consequences when it’s missing.
Language Is Culture. And Culture Deserves Accuracy.
If you’ve ever checked off a box labeled simply “Creole,” you might assume it refers to one language. But within our region alone, Cape Verdean Creole (Kriolu) and Haitian Creole (Kreyòl Ayisyen) are two distinct languages. They differ not only in vocabulary and grammatical structure but in history, tone, and identity.
One is Portuguese-based, the other French-based. One may be spoken in Pawtucket, another in Providence, but both are full languages deserving of professional, skilled interpretation.
Yet all too often, we see these languages grouped together or misunderstood entirely. And when that happens in medical appointments, immigration interviews, or legal proceedings, it’s more than a misstep, it’s a barrier to access, health, and belonging.
This Is Why We Focus on Professional Interpreter Services
At Be Moore Interpreting, we don’t just recruit interpreters. We invest in them. This month, we’re launching a new cohort of our Medical Interpreter Training Program, equipping multilingual individuals with the tools to interpret not just fluently, but faithfully.
Because interpreting isn’t just about knowing two languages. It’s about:
Understanding ethics
Navigating specialized terminology
Holding space in sensitive moments
And most importantly - being prepared
Just last week, we received a call from one of our attorney clients. He had just wrapped up an immigration hearing and wanted to share how impressed he was by the interpreter. She had graduated from our program not long ago and was asked to interpret a string of complex medical terms during the hearing.
“She didn’t flinch,” he said. “She was professional, accurate, and clear. It was obvious she had been trained.”
That’s what happens when interpreters are there, and they’re properly prepared.
When Professional Interpreter Services Are Not…
We’ve heard the other stories too:
A mother asked to sign a medical consent form she couldn’t read
A student’s disability misunderstood due to informal interpreting
A family rescheduled at immigration because the “interpreter” wasn’t qualified
In every one of these cases, language access wasn’t a luxury, it was a missing necessity.
Interpreters are not accessories to a conversation. They’re protectors of accuracy. Bridges of trust. Guardians of meaning.
Creole Heritage Month Is a Call to Action
As we honor the voices and histories of Haitian and Cape Verdean families this month, we’re reminded that heritage isn't something to observe from the sidelines, it’s something we actively defend through access.
We don’t just need more interpreters. We need trained, culturally competent interpreters who know that Cape Verdean Creole isn’t Haitian Creole. Who knows that wait times matter, context matters, tone matters. Who are ready to take an oath, show up early, and stay until the job is done.
That’s why we do what we do.That’s why we train.That’s why we continue to grow a team that reflects the people we serve.
The Work Continues
Creole Heritage Month is a beautiful opportunity to pause and reflect—but also to plan and prepare. Whether you’re a client seeking the right interpreter, a bilingual speaker ready to get certified, or a community leader advocating for better access—we invite you to join us.
Let’s keep building the kind of language access our communities deserve—one interpreter, one conversation, and one breakthrough at a time.
Our work is far from done. But together, we’re building access one conversation at a time.
In service,
Shirley X. Moore
Founder & CEO
Be Moore Interpreting
Comments