Rising to Refuse:
Systemic Advocacy, Visual Records, and Deaf Interpreter Leadership in the Judiciary Pt 1 & 2

PREREQUISITE: Attendance of Workshop #1, "Reunite Around the Standard, Revitalize the Practice"

It is time to Rise beyond individual readiness and into systemic advocacy. This advanced session, which requires attendance at Part 1, moves from the personal question of “Am I ready?” to the professional questions of “What are my rights?” and “When is refusal the most ethical choice?”


We will examine what it means to truly know your rights as a Deaf person navigating a legal system that was not built for you, and as a Deaf Interpreter whose professional authority is routinely underestimated. We will confront a critical gap in current practice: ASL interpretations of witness testimony that are not video-recorded are invisible to the court record, and invisible interpretations cannot be challenged, corrected, or preserved for appeal.


The session culminates with the principled refusal framework: understanding why allowing an assignment to go unfilled creates systemic accountability that “making do” never will, and why referring a more qualified colleague is an act of leadership, not concession.

Michael McMahon