On July 10, 2023, we welcomed Deise Rodrigues as the Director of Language Access Programs at the Philadelphia Office of Immigrant Affairs (OIA). She will be responsible for directing and carrying out all activities related to the Language Access Program including day-to-day operations, training, and monitoring. This program provides professional interpretation and translation in over 180 languages throughout city departments including, Health, Police, Licenses and Inspections, Revenue and more. We’re excited to introduce her to you.
Deise will work with OIA Director, Amy Eusebio, to ensure that all Philadelphians who speak languages other than English (LOTE) are able to meaningfully access and participate in City of Philadelphia programs and services. She will also work with Quality Translation Coordinator, Kahlil Thomas to provide language access consulting, training, services and resources to City staff.
We asked Deise some questions to get to know her better.
Where are you originally from and why did you come to Philly?
I was born and raised in Ouro Preto, Minas Gerais, Brazil. In 2014, I came to the U.S. to attend Princeton University. A few years ago, I made a career shift, changing my field of work from academia to community services. In 2019, I moved to Philadelphia, after being hired by the Mayor’s Office of Civic Engagement and Volunteer Services to implement Service Enterprise, a volunteer engagement model across Philadelphia’s non-profit sector. In addition to moving to Philly to start a new job, I also came here seeking a diverse and inclusive community and to find a sense of belonging.
Why were you interested in working for the Office of Immigrant Affairs?
The Office of Immigrant Affairs’ mission speaks to my heart. I am a Brazilian immigrant, and my lived experiences give me powerful tools to understand and serve immigrant communities. Brazil, where I was born and raised, is the largest country in Latin America. It has a rich historical culture and a very diverse population that includes many races and ethnic groups. Growing up in this environment provides me with a deep understanding of transcultural competence. I am impatient about reducing global poverty, and passionate about having a social impact career that can help to create an equitable, sustainable, and creative world.
Tell us a little bit about your career prior to joining OIA?
I was a Volunteer Partnerships Coordinator with the Mayor’s Office of Civic Engagement and Volunteer Service with the City of Philadelphia from October 2019-July 2023. I previously served as an AmeriCorps VISTA focusing on the Natural Disaster Preparedness of Latiné communities, trained in volunteer mobilization and resource development. In the City of Philadelphia, I oversaw the Service Enterprise program by training and coaching Service Enterprise cohorts to strategic engage skilled-based volunteers across all levels of their organization. I also managed the Mayor’s Volunteer Corps portal regarding volunteer opportunities. I earned my Ph.D. in History from the Federal University of Minas Gerais (Brazil). As part of my Ph.D. studies, I was a Visiting Student Research Collaborator (VSRC) at Princeton University. Back in Brazil, I worked as a public-school teacher.
What do you do in your free time?
I love staying connected with my community. In my free time, I spend time with friends and talking with loved ones across the world. Most of my friends and family members are in Brazil, so we constantly videocall. I am a learner and explorer by nature. So, I am always travelling, reading, visiting different people, studying different languages. I am also a Batala Philly member – a Batucada group that plays Brazilian Samba Reggae. Playing with them helps me connect spiritually with my Afro-Brazilian roots.
What do you hope to accomplish in your new role?
I hope to reduce the language barriers and inequity faced by our immigrant and refugee communities. I also want to colllaborate to build a strong City by working together with our staff to ensure that we deliver equitable language access programming.
