Meet Wendy

We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Wendy a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Wendy, so good to have you with us today. We’ve got so much planned, so let’s jump right into it. We live in such a diverse world, and in many ways the world is getting better and more understanding but it’s far from perfect. There are so many times where folks find themselves in rooms or situations where they are the only ones that look like them – that might mean being the only woman of color in the room or the only person who grew up in a certain environment etc. Can you talk to us about how you’ve managed to thrive even in situations where you were the only one in the room?

I have learned to be effective and successful when I am the only one in the room because I come from a large family of four brothers and two sisters. The same was expected from all of us, were always treated the same. There were no differences even though I was the youngest one, we all had to give and behave the same way. Therefore, as a grownup, I never thought that I was different from anyone else specially through challenges. It was ingrained in my brain that I have the same opportunities that everyone else has, and it was up to me to achieve and succeed in life. I believe that because there were never differences and everyone was expected to provide the same results as anyone else, I never saw my self as different, I have always focused on the challenges instead of who could do it better or worse than me.

Let’s take a small detour – maybe you can share a bit about yourself before we dive back into some of the other questions we had for you?

To me, humanity is exciting and special. We can learn quite a bit about ourselves through the relationships we build or tear down. Nonetheless, we always learn from these experiences, they shape us into the humans we become. Through relationships we learn about our emotions, our hopes our dreams, and even why we dream the way we do.

I also believe that the arts come from feeling, we could not feel if we were not able to know what it feels to love, to be compassionate, to hate, to find beauty in the world. Even if others don’t see the same. I believe this is where my love for the written word comes from, words have shapes, feelings, textures, smells. They can also alter your moods, can provoke love, passion, anger and compassion for others. The word has the power of submerging us into a world that is so intimate and unique, that at times it becomes impossible to explain what we see, smell, taste and feel. This is where we can engulf in other writer’s worlds, the worlds they can only share with us through the written word.

This is why, when translating other writers work of art is so exiting and honorable to me. I can dream their dreams and be that bridge that transcends language and space. Translations to me area a treat, a desert after eating the main course. I thoroughly enjoyed translating Carol Di Prima’s YA Fantasy novel, The Mmajjian Warrior and The Enchanted Carousel into La Guerrera Mmajjica y el Carrusel Encantado.

If you had to pick three qualities that are most important to develop, which three would you say matter most?

The three most important qualities for a writer and a translator are sensitivity, intuition, and open mindedness. Moreover, it is necessary to be skillful at listening to what the writer and poet is saying through their soul, to sometimes imagine beyond words the message they are trying to send through their writings, and patience, we must possess the skill of being patient one must endure challenges, difficulties, delays without frustration or judgement.

Moreover, the honor of reading so many works by artists from past generations, who endured challenges, persecutions, heartbreaks, who were loved and unloved. Writers that through their pens and typewriters were able to change the world; definitely impacted my life in an irreversible way. I always thought that if these artists were able to endure so much, in a world imagined or real, I am also able to do the same.

Okay, so before we go, is there anyone you’d like to shoutout for the role they’ve played in helping you develop the essential skills or overcome challenges along the way?

My mother is resilience personified, she always taught me that you keep going no matter what circumstances we faced. That no challenge lasts forever and there is always light at the end of the tunnel. And my husband who has an amazing fury for success and lets nothing stop him from achieving his dreams.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.feliztranslations.com
• Instagram: https://instagram.com/feliztranslations

Image Credits

Wendy Feliz Maldonado