Occasionally I remember some contribution I made to society, a long time ago. I write about it on this blog, which I assume will someday be the reference source for my biographers. (I’m too old to be humble any more.)
A friend recently described a deposition of some women I knew to speak only Spanish. I asked how they were translated to the court. I was told that it was done over an AT&T phone service.
I am responsible for starting that service.
Back in the mid 1980’s my minority clients complained that the phone operators were useless in helping to make long distance phone calls to Mexico. As plaintiffs, my clients pleaded with the California Public Utility Commission to order the phone company (Pacific Bell at the time) to create a Spanish speaking operator service. The phone company complained that it would cost over $100 million to create the service. More than their profit in calls to Mexico.
As an expert witness I testified that I could set up the operator service in San Bernardino County for under $50 million and make it profitable. The Commission ordered the creation of the Spanish operator service.
I suggested to the phone company that it would be cheap to add operators with other languages.
The phone company followed my suggestion and opened an office in Monterey which grew to handle 115 languages.
Police and emergency services everywhere in the U.S. use these services when they encountered people who don’t speak English.
You’re welcome.