When we look at the interpreting profession of those that completed the ASLI 2021 survey 89.56% White and 8.84% Ethnic minorities
Akbar Sidker (2019) quotes the OPM figures that 20% of the total deaf population is from ethnic minority. He breaks this down as 1% South Asian heritage, 0.4% muslin, where the Muslim population in the UK is 5% of the total population.
However, when this is broken down IOC’s – interpreters of colour are a fraction of the total interpreting population.
We can add in the mix religion, culture and language and we can see that Black/Asian Deaf population is under served.
Interpreters of colour seeks to redress this under representation of IOC’s within the profession and offer a safe, nurturing and supportive environment for our colleagues of colour.