I am a teacher of a charter school in the Fruitvale District of Oakland. For the past four years my largely Hispanic 6th grade class has worked with the Center For the Art of Translation. The Center's master poet, John Simon, has been in colaboration with my students translating poetry written by the likes of Neruda, Ochoa, Teillier, Blanco, and many others. My students are introduced to the Spanish writers of poetry and then hone their translation skills while carefully picking and choosing English words that complement the poet's ideas. Typically a student writing time follows where they craft original poetry written in the style of the poet being studied. I am constantly amazed at the quality of the written word that comes from my students. This quality is directly attributed to the direction of Mr. Simon's poetry program. I, myself, write poetry during this time and have written my most meaningful poetry. The students share their poems at the end of the period with me sharing my poems also. The students find this time very rewarding as do I. At the end of our sessions the students edit and revise their work for publication in the school's annual poetry compendium. This will be my fifth year in association with the Center for the Art of Translation and cooperation with Mr. Simon. This is a very worthwhile writing program led by an excellent poet. Patrick Galleguillos 6th Grade Dolores Huerta Learning Academy
The Center for the Art of Translation is an exceptional organization, that not only exposes various communities within San Francisco to rich literary traditions, but also provides elementary and middle schools throughout the Bay Area the opportunity to enrich their curriculum through their Poetry Inside Out (PIO) program. Bringing poetry and translation to bilingual classrooms, PIO instructors teach literary devices, creative thinking and cultural understanding, installing mature skills in the very young. Often times the work these students produce with the PIO program wins them national recognition and a ticket into highly regarded schools, and it always, without fail, lifts their self esteem and helps them realize their potential.
The Center for the Art of Translation is unique, a lively presence on San Francisco's downtown scene, bringing literary translations to a wonderfully wide audience through its innovative "Lit and Lunch" series, among other venues. Unlike Translation programs that are centered in universities, the CAT reaches non-academics and academics alike. Its publications reach readers nationally, and its dedicated staff connect to a variety of local and national organizations to build networks and spread the good words.
The Center for the Art of Translation (CAT) is unique. All the other translation centers in the U.S. with which I became acquainted as president of the American Literary Translators Association are based on university campuses and focus on the needs of academics and professional translators. CAT is dedicated to bringing translations of international literature to a wider community through its publications, its innovative Lit & Lunch series of lectures by translators, and its highly successful Poetry Inside Out educational program. Thanks to its commitment to work of the highest quality and to the dedication of its talented staff, CAT has built a very enthusiastic audience for literature in translation. It’s a superb organization.
CAT is an amazing organization -- and completely unique. It's about recognizing, supporting, and promoting the art of translation, and getting world literature out there into a public forum in front of English-speaking audiences who might not otherwise be exposed to these voices. I try not to miss their terrific Lit and Lunch series, which showcases a really broad variety of writers and performers, and is always enlightening, funny, smart, and thought provoking. Participating in their programs and reading their original and comprehensive anthologies helps me feel informed and educated about what's happening in world literature today.