Hi! My name is Karla. I am originally from Mexico, but I grew up in a town called Cut Off about an hour and a half south of New Orleans. I have been informally interpreting and translating for family and community my whole life. I’ve been professionally interpreting and translating since 2017, primarily in my capacity as a paralegal for an immigration law firm.  In Summer 2019, I completed an Interpreting for Social Justice training in New Orleans and joined BanchaLenguas in December 2019. 

I have done interpretation work in various settings, ranging from the local United States Citizenship and Immigration Services office to at-home natural births. Besides my language justice work, I’m a visual artist. You can see my doodles each month in Antigravity Magazine’s tarot column, and you can check out my visual art at my website: maricosas.com or my instagram: @karlinche_. Some topics that get me excited include: sexual & reproductive justice, disability justice, immigration, the body, memory, mental health and healing, spirituality, and art. 

I know that language justice makes us more powerful. The presence of language justice in a space means that our ideas can engage and build across borders. I know firsthand that the immigrant communities present in New Orleans each have rich histories, perspectives, and wisdoms to share with the Black and Brown people who are here. I love my culture and I love this region, so it brings me great joy to help cultivate language justice in the place I now call home. 

Other cool things about me: I have a gray kitty named Ajo, I love karaoke, dancing, water, bugs, and thrifting, and I also cook great beans. 🙂