Localization Today

Hristina Dojčinova, a communications and events director and long-standing advisor in the language industry, shares her remarkable journey from Macedonia to Canada.

She discusses founding the first professional association for translators and interpreters in Macedonia, the role of community and standards in shaping her career, and the lessons learned along the way. Hristina reflects on the evolving relationship between technology and language work, emphasizing the enduring importance of cultural sensitivity, human interpretation, and customer service.

In this special episode recorded live at GALA 2025 in Montreal, we sit down with Andrew Hickson, Media Production Manager at Ludeo Studios and longtime champion of Translators Without Borders. Andrew shares the story behind the beloved GALA fundraiser, now a tradition since 2017, and how it continues to raise awareness—and funds—for language access in underserved communities.

We discuss the importance of community in the language industry, the challenges facing small and mid-sized LSPs, and the launch of Kangaroo, a new QA tool developed by Ludeo Studios. Whether you missed the event or just want to hear more about the people and passion behind it, this conversation offers a look into what makes our industry more than just business.

István Lengyel, CEO and founder of BeLazy Technologies, joins us at GALA 2025 in Montreal to discuss the evolving role of automation and integration in the localization industry.

From the early challenges of building BeLazy to today’s focus on supply chain innovation, István shares his perspective on why visualizing data flows, embracing interoperability, and understanding real-world use cases are critical to success. We also explore how BeLazy is pivoting to meet changing market demands, how mapping workflows can reveal hidden opportunities, and why resilience and experimentation are key to staying ahead.

At GALA 2025 in Montreal, we sat down with Viviana Bernabé, Head of Accessibility and Interpretation at WeLocalize, to talk about the evolving role of interpreters in an AI-driven industry.

Viviana reflects on the outcomes of the recent SIG session at GALA, where participants gamified future use cases for interpreting technologies, and explores how regulation, trust, and context continue to define where—and when—human interpreters are essential.

This panel brings together language policy advocates, legal experts, and industry leaders to unpack the implications of recent executive orders under the Trump administration—particularly the declaration of English as the official language and the revocation of a long-standing language access directive.

Moderated by Eddie Arrieta (Multilingual Media), the discussion features Bruce Adelson (attorney and former DOJ official), Bill Rivers (language lobbyist and chair of SAFE AI), Mila Golovine (MasterWord CEO), and Giovanna Carriero Contreras (AAITE). The panel explores legal frameworks, symbolic impacts, real-world effects on hospitals and schools, and what professionals and communities can do to protect civil rights in uncertain times.

Interview by Deema Jaradat

In this interview, Michael Mulé of the U.S. Department of Justice discusses the historical framework of language access in the United States, common counterarguments, and the use of automatic translation technologies in language access contexts. Interviewee Deema Jaradat provides key takeaways and shares some closing thoughts.

By Cameron Rasmusson

On March 1, 2025, U.S. President Donald Trump issued an executive order declaring English the official language of the United States. The author reflects on the degree to which the executive order will reshape language access in the United States and how these changes might affect language service providers.

By Mimi Moore

This author discusses the challenges and complexities of managing change in regulated industries, particularly medical device manufacturing, highlighting the reasons for the perceived slowness of these industries to adapt and emphasizing the need for regulatory scrutiny, risk management, and patient safety.

By Deema Jaradat

Machine translation engines often struggle to produce accurate, consistent, and culturally sensitive output in Arabic. In this article, the author argues for improving the technology through corrective and preventive measures to enhance its efficacy for Arabic.

By Melissa May

For clinical trials involving linguistically and culturally diverse patient populations, successful eConsent implementation goes beyond simply digitizing consent forms. A successful implementation strategy includes regulatory compliance, data privacy, and cultural sensitivity.