Today we’d like to introduce you to Laura Valdes.
Hi Laura, we’re thrilled to have a chance to learn your story today. So, before we get into specifics, maybe you can briefly walk us through how you got to where you are today.
I’m a linguist with 14 years of interpreting and translating experience. I founded Valdes Language Services with the goal of bridging the language gap in San Diego, California.
Raised in a multicultural household in Queens and Brooklyn, NY, as the eldest daughter of Colombian immigrants and a Pakistani stepfather, I’m fluent in Spanish and English.
The WHY behind my passion for the work that I do is that I care deeply about bridging the language gap.
I grew up in a household where four languages were spoken. Although I only spoke two of the languages at home, I was intrigued by learning languages and ensuring that everyone around me understood what was being said.
I was always the default interpreter for my Colombian grandparents, who didn’t speak English, and my Pakistani stepfather, who didn’t speak Spanish.
Facilitating communication has always been my passion and I would often help my mom with her English whether that was written or spoken.
While I was in high school and college, I studied Portuguese and German and decided to study abroad in Münster, Germany during my last year of college.
I’m trained in Interpreting for Social Justice and completed Translation and Interpretation studies at the City University of New York Hunter College.
This led me to interpret at national and international events, summits, and conferences.
My deep passion lies in learning languages and ensuring universal communication access.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not, what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
Being a business owner has not always been (and still isn’t fully) a smooth road.
Some of the challenges one faces along the way as a woman-owned small business is access to capital and learning how to successfully run a business.
I’ve found that joining supportive entrepreneur communities can be very helpful since we’re in this journey together.
I’ve found that it helps to see it as a journey that takes time and dedication and being clear about your WHY will help you to keep your passion alive when challenges arise.
When I was younger, an obstacle I faced with language learning was not being able to fully understand Urdu or Punjabi, which is what my stepfather’s family spoke. He did try to teach me some words and phrases in Punjabi and Urdu. I later learned that listening to music in other languages is a helpful memorization tool. It makes the learning process more fun!
We’ve been impressed with Valdes Language Services, LLC, but for folks who might not be as familiar, what can you share with them about what you do and what sets you apart from others?
With over a decade of experience, we specialize in delivering high-quality in-person, phone, video, and hybrid interpretation services and providing written translation services for digital and print materials.Our mission is to help you overcome language barriers.
We offer services in various languages, including ASL, Spanish, Arabic, Vietnamese, Chinese, Tagalog, Korean, and French.
Elevate your conferences and summits with our interpretation equipment rentals, ensuring smooth and effective communication.
Valdes Language Services helps organizations and companies who work in the fields of climate justice, clean energy, ocean conservation, tourism, gender quality, affordable housing, food justice, DEI initiatives, personal and professional development and empowerment, leadership trainings, education, human rights, and immigration justice.
Message us today for a free consultation and quote.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://vlanguageservices.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/valdes_language_services/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/valdeslanguageservices/
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/valdes-language-services-llc/
- Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/valdes-language-services-san-diego
