| NAOBI
is a non-profit organization. NAOBI was born out
of the 1987 NBDA Conference in Cleveland, Ohio.
Sharon Winfield Smith was instrumental in obtaining
a workshop specifically for African American/Black
interpreters during the NBDA Conference. Ms. Smith
conducted this historical workshop along with the
help of Martin Herrega and Pamela (Dinkins) Furline.
The workshop focus was to obtain information from
various interpreters from around the country and
their issues and concerns. By the close of the morning
session, it was decided that the 80+ persons in
attendance) should officially form an organization
that would foster the growth and development of
Black interpreters who serve the Black Deaf Community.
The biggest supporter of this endeavor, of course,
was NBDA under the leadership of Sheryl Emory. Towards
that goal, a chairperson and regional representatives
were elected to begin the development and to establish
the organizational structure.
As the organization began the development process,
surveys were sent to each regional representative
for input of an official name. After several months
of mail, telephone calls and deep thought, finally
all regions represented agreed upon a name. The
name was the recommendation of Reichelle (Pamela)
Anderson, Detroit Regional Representative. The
name, The National Alliance of Black Interpreters
(NAOBI). New York and Washington, D.C. were he
only two working chapters in existence at this
time.
As NAOBI began to grow, two invitations were
extended for Board seats and accepted from NBDA
and then NRID (ITOC). Additionally, NBDA committed
to using only NAOBI interpreters for their conferences.
This commitment became reality at the 1988 NBDA
conference in Detroit, Michigan under the direction
of Acting Executive Director of NBDA, Celeste
Owens(Samuels). Reichelle (Pamela) Anderson and
Glenn Stewart were instrumental in securing a
grant that provided funding for interpreters expenses.
NAOBI was finally on her way! |
