Start the new year off right by networking with your AATIA colleagues at the first meeting of the year on January 8th. AATIA member Marco Hanson will share photos and experiences from Saudi Arabia, where he spent the year teaching English at a Saudi College and studying Arabic, accompanied by his wife and children. Life in such a different culture was full of surprises!

Esther Diaz will fill you in on the many opportunities available for professional development in person and online. There will also be a used book sale, including Spanish dictionaries and several Russian titles. Then, volunteers from the past year will be recognized and new volunteer opportunities will be identified.

To top it all off, our special literary translation event — Uncorking Cuba: 100 Bottles — will take place that evening. For more information, see other posts in this blog.

Membership Meeting
Time: 1:00 to 4:00 p.m.
Place: AATIA Headquarters
201 East 2nd Street (map and parking instructions at right)

Uncorking Cuba: 100 Bottles
Time: 7:00 p.m.
Place: Mexican American Cultural Center

Both events are free and open to the public. However, we ask you to RSVP for the evening event.
See you there!

Achy Obejas, author of Ruins, Days of Awe, and other books, editor and translator (into English) of Havana Noir, and translator (into Spanish) of Junot Díaz’s The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao, will be the guest of honor at AATIA’s upcoming gala evening:

Uncorking Cuba: One Hundred Bottles
Saturday, January 8, 2011, at 7:00 PM
The Emma S. Barrientos Mexican American Cultural Center

Austin-based Cuban photographer and writer Eduardo Aparicio will interview Obejas on stage about her acclaimed translation of Cuban writer Ena Lucia Portela’s novel, One Hundred Bottles, recently published by the University of Texas Press.

If you’re planning to attend the big event, help us get a head count by rsvp’ing here.

AATIA will be hosting acclaimed writer and translator Achy Obejas for an evening's conversation on stage about her new translation of One Hundred Bottles, by Cuban author Ena Lucía Portela on Saturday, January 8, 2011.  Volunteers are needed to help with set up, refreshments, and clean up.  If you'd like to get involved, e-mail event organizer Marian Schwartz.

Join us for a literary conversation with Achy Obejas about One Hundred Bottles, her acclaimed translation of Cuban writer Ena Lucía Portela’s provocative novel, Cien botellas en una pared. Obejas will be interviewed by Austin-based Cuban photographer and writer Eduardo Aparicio. A reception and book signing will follow, as well as an exhibit by BookPeople. Admission is free!

When: Saturday, January 8, 2011, 7:00 PM  (Doors open 6:30 PM)
Where: The Emma S. Barrientos Mexican American Cultural Center, 600 River Street, Austin, TX

Though translation is a vital part of any vibrant literary culture, no practical guide to the process of translating foreign works into English and preparing them for publication has yet been made available to prospective translators, editors, or readers. In February 2008, editors and translators from the US and UK came together at the British Council in London to discuss "best practices" for translation of literary works into English. This collection of summaries, suggestions, and instructions from leading literary translators and publishers is the first in a series of documents to be published by Dalkey Archive Press that will address the challenges faced by translators, publishers, reviewers, and readers of literary translations. To order, click here.

Want to know what exciting news and events happened this year? Below are key highlights of 2010.

Professional development: We had amazing guest speakers leading workshops or membership meetings including Eta Trabing on court interpreting, Xosé Castro focusing on English-Spanish translation conundrums, Adriana Bardin-Prestwood on project management and for medical translation, our very own Esther Diaz and Michael Blumenthal.

New Director of Communications:  Over the summer, the board voted unanimously for Marco Hanson as the new Director of Communications. In the few months on the board, Marco created a Facebook page for AATIA and drafted a Wikipedia entry! Stay tune for the final publishing of the page.

The pro-bono project: This year, as a commitment to serve our local community, AATIA donated 100 pages of Spanish translations to local nonprofit organizations. Two recipients were chosen, Austin Habitat for Humanity and Computers for Learning.  Volunteers enlisted to carry out these projects were lead by students of Esther’s translation courses.

Office status: We are currently subleasing our office from the City of Austin Economic Growth and Redevelopment Services Office for another year at the same rate. We need to provide translations for EGRSO and 10 counseling sessions for local businesses or individuals, maintain a wireless access network for all guests and display informational materials of AATIA’s services at the main entrance.

Proclamation of Translation Week: Austin’s Mayor Lee Leffingwell did us the honor of reading a proclamation recognizing AATIA’s 25^th Anniversary and International Translation Day. You can view photos of the recognition on our website. Video of the presentation is available at http://www.ci.austin.tx.us/channel6/default.htm.

AATIA 25^th Anniversary Party: The biggest affair for 2010 was AATIA’s 25^th Anniversary party. Members celebrated at the Hyatt Regency Hotel on October 2^nd with food, great music and dancing. Thank you all for 25 years of support!

LitSIG event: Start the New Year 2011 with the celebration of the publishing of One Hundred Bottles. Join us on Saturday, January 8^th at 7:00pm at the Mexican American Cultural Center for a literary conversation with Achy Obejas, the accalaimed translator of Cuban writer Ena Lucia Portela’s novel, Cien botellas en una pared.

If you like to view a complete record of this year’s board meetings, contact Marcela Ramos, Secretary, at marcela_rolvera@msn.com.

AATIA is proud to announce

Uncorking Cuba: One Hundred Bottles
Saturday, January 8, 2011
at the Emma S. Barrientos Mexican American Cultural Center

an evening on stage celebrating the University of Texas Press’s commitment to publishing literature from Latin America in translation and the recent publication of One Hundred Bottles, a novel by Cuban author Ena Lucía Portela.

The University of Texas Press has published English-language translations of canonical literary works from Latin America since the press’s inception more than fifty years ago, including works by Pablo Neruda, Juan Rulfo, Gabriela Mistral, Ruben Dario, Juan Ramon Jimenez, Rosario Castellanos, Juan Jose Arreola, Jose Emilio Pacheco, Octavio Paz, Fernando Pessoa, Nelida Pinon, Jose Enrique Rodo, Ramon Sanchez Diaz, Victoria Ocampo, and Agustin Yanez. The Press has worked with such prominent translators of Latin American literature as Edith Grossman, Gregory Rabassa, Margaret Sayers Peden, John Upton, and Americo Paredes. With the publication of One Hundred Bottles, the Press continues its tradition of bringing vital contemporary literature from Latin America to English-language readers across the world.

Join us for what is sure to be a memorable evening with the translator, Achy Obejas.

We are pleased to announce the following election results.

Total ballots returned = 55
Total number of eligible voters = 156
Percent of ballot return = 35.26%
 

President
Carolina Modesto receives 52 votes, 94.55% of the total.
Tony Beckwith receives 1 vote, 1.82% of the total.
 

Secretary
Marcela Ramos receives 52 votes, 94.55% of the total.
 

Director of Communications
Marco Hanson receives 52 votes, 94.55% of the total.
 

Director of Finance
Rose Tempfer receives 52 votes, 94.55% of the total.
 

Director of Membership
Joseph Brettell receives 52 votes, 94.55% of the total.
 

Director of Professional Development
Esther Diaz receives 55 votes, 100.00% of the total.

Congratulations to all!