It is nearly impossible to navigate everyday life in America without
being able to speak English, especially when it comes to crucial matters like
healthcare and finances, and daily tasks like grocery shopping or reading mail.
Many first-generation Latinos are dependent on the youngest members of their
family to communicate in English. Of adult first-generation Latinos, 23% say
they can carry on a conversation in English very well. That number increases
with each following generation, leaving the crucial task of translating in the
hands of the youngest members of families.
"Translators," will screen during the Tribeca Festival on
June 13, after the film made its worldwide debut at the Los Angeles Latino
International Film Festival. The
documentary short film delivers an emotional, first-person look at the lives of
three of these immigrant families and the important role that young translators
play in everyday lives of older generations.
Directed by Emmy-award winning filmmaker Rudy Valdez, the documentary
short film follows the stories of three immigrant children (Densel - 11, Harye -
13 and Virginia - 16) who are responsible for handling complex adult
conversations and helping to make decisions beyond their years. The impactful
film highlights the need to provide resources to Hispanic and Latino
communities to eliminate barriers for non-English speaking adults and provide support
in closing language and opportunity gaps.
"It was incredibly important to share this story with audiences as
it is a topic close to my heart and something I've seen firsthand," said
film director Rudy Valdez. "I hope viewers gain a deeper understanding and
empathy toward the challenges faced by immigrant families, especially their
children, through this film."
"Translators" is produced by Park Pictures in partnership
with U.S. Bank, as part of the U.S. Bank Access Commitment, the bank's long-term
approach to help close the racial wealth gap which includes making banking more
accessible to everyone through new digital tools, resources and community
engagement. Recently, U.S. Bank launched
Asistente Inteligente, the first Spanish language virtual banking assistant
digital experience in the United States, enabling Spanish-speaking customers to
bank however, whenever, and wherever is best for them.
"With over 41 million Spanish-speaking people in this country, we
were inspired to look deeper into the experiences of customers to understand
and connect with them and were very moved by this experience shared by so many
families," said U.S. Bank Senior Executive Vice President and Chief
Diversity Officer, Greg Cunningham. "Through the work of Access Commitment,
we are focused on wealth building and part of that for the Hispanic community
is access – access to capital, resources, and opportunity. We know that
language is access. It lets the community know that we see you and understand
what's important to you. Through this documentary, we hope to connect with and
bring more visibility and access to families across the country who are going
through the same experience."
The powerful film will be introduced during the Tribeca Festival by
Grammy Award winning singer and actress Leslie Grace, who signed on to the
project as Documentary Ambassador.
"Growing up first generation Dominican American in New York and
Florida, I was a young translator for elders in my family, so I am proud to be
a part of this project," said Grace. "Creating such a grounded
documentary like 'Translators' as Rudy Valdez has done is so important because
it allows organizations like U.S. Bank to generate awareness around the shared
experience of these 11 million translators across the nation. Additionally, it opens the door for other
companies and organizations to develop tools and resources that will help
alleviate the burden of the younger generation as they assimilate along with
their families."
For the trailer and more information on "Translators" and how
to view the film following its premiere, please visit www.TranslatorsFilm.com.
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