| National Alliance of Black InterpretersThe District of Columbia Chapter |
Dr. Charlotte "Perry" Coffield: |
Together, lets plant seeds for the next generation. Charlotte Paved the Way – written and presented by Kevin Dyels Charlotte “Perry” Coffield was employed by the US Department of Health, Education and Welfare, also known as the HEW in the 1960s. The HEW later split into the Health and Human Services Department and the Department of Education. Soon after joining the HEW office, Charlotte was charged with developing policies for the deaf and hard of hearing community. She taught herself some “finger spelling” so she could communicate with her deaf supervisor, Boyce Williams and eventually learned American Sign Language at what was then the Gallaudet College. A little about Boyce - For 38 years he dedicated his career in the US government to advance specialized programs and services for deaf and hard of hearing people. He was the first deaf man to achieve an administrative position in the federal government and he remains an important figure in deaf history. He was influential and Charlotte was working alongside him. During what would be an illustrious 43-year career in the Federal Government, Dr. Charlotte Coffield served in a variety of positions culminating as the Acting Chief of the Deafness and Communicative Disorders Branch of HEW. Along the way She was the first and only sign language interpreter in the Department for many years and laid the groundwork for hiring future interpreters into the federal government. She was a first-hand witness to many of the major transformations of American society affecting communities of color including the advent of civil rights, voting rights and disability rights legislation. She was often the only woman and the only African/Black American in the room when officials from throughout the U.S. government and their international counterparts made policies affecting the disability community. She developed telephone ASL interpreting techniques and interpreted the first transatlantic telephone conversation between the Secretary of HEW and a Deaf member of Parliament in London, England. She was in the Rose Garden of the White House when President George H. W. Bush signed the groundbreaking Americans with Disabilities Act in 1990. She became a nationally recognized expert on interpreter training programs and provided technical assistance to interpreter grant applicants and interpreter program directors, conducting investigations and site visits as the need indicated. Before retiring in 1994, Charlotte received an Honorary Doctor of Laws from Gallaudet University for her advocacy work and support of disability rights. In a google search, I found a Coffee Company called “Charlotte Coffee”. In glancing through their website, I wondered what would happen if I swapped the word Coffee for the name Coffield.
In 2011 7% of all professional sign language interpreters were Black/African American. Guess the percentage, 10 years later in 2021. You guessed it… 7%. Charlotte was the first sign language interpreter in a large Federal Government agency, and she was a woman, and she was black. Repeat after me. “Charlotte Paved the Way.” Charlotte was more than just an interpreter; she was a pioneer. At a time when opportunities were limited, and recognition for African American women in professional fields was often denied, she persevered. “Charlotte Paved the Way”. She brought grace and dignity serving as a model for future generations. Her contributions were not only linguistic but cultural, as she played a critical role in fostering understanding and unity in diverse spaces. “Charlotte Paved the Way”. I am a Black sign language interpreter. And I’m here because she was here. I was in the profession for a year before I worked alongside another Black interpreter; There just aren’t many of us out there. NAOBI-DC’s purpose is to promote excellence, empowerment and the continued professional growth of African American / Black professionals in a multicultural and multilingual environment. Its mission is to meet the needs of its members with respect to “recruitment, networking, professional development, moral support, training and research opportunities.” These statements could have come right from Charlotte’s work with interpreter education and advocacy. support, training and research opportunities.” These statements could have come right from Charlotte’s work with interpreter education and advocacy. “Charlotte paved the way. “ Dr. Charlotte Coffield passed away on September 11th , 2024. Honoring pioneers like Charlotte is a privilege and a duty. As we honor her memory, let’s recall the barriers she broke and the ceilings she shattered that carved an avenue for NAOBIians to walk down. She was a bridge between cultures, languages, and communities with her work, which was rooted in compassion and advocacy, allowed marginalized voices to be heard and unseen faces to be recognized. “Charlotte Paved the Way”. |