Get Involved

Get Involved

 VOLUNTEERS
 EXPERT READERS
 UNIVERSITY OF ARIZONA OPPORTUNTIES
 INDEPENDENT CAUCUSES 
 

Check back here frequently for ways members and non-members can get involved with ALTA!

Volunteers

ALTA is a member-led organization, and we could not continue to do the work we do without member support. 

Interested in volunteering on any of ALTA's committeesContact ALTA President Chenxin Jiang at president@literarytranslators.org.

Expert Readers

One of the things that makes the National Translation Award (NTA) distinct is that it is the only award in the United States that includes evaluations of the translations vis-à-vis the source texts. We rely on the expertise of translators, or expert readers, who work from the original languages of the NTA-longlisted titles to provide an evaluation to our judges, which will then inform their choices of shortlisted and winning titles. Per NTA Policies and Procedures, these translators must have expertise in the source language of the text they are asked to assess, and to have published at least one book in translation. ALTA is able to offer a $50 honorarium to each expert reader for evaluating one longlisted title.

Interested in being added to our list of expert readers to be called upon during the NTA judging process? Contact Communications and Awards Manager Rachael Daum at rachaeldaum@literarytranslators.org with the language(s) you read and translate from.

University of Arizona Opportunities

Graduate Assistantships and Undergraduate Internships 
**We are currently hiring for a GA, starting in summer 2024 and continuing through the 2024-25 academic year. Read the position description and apply Here.**

ALTA offers year-long graduate student assistantships and flexible, for-credit internships to undergraduate students at the University of Arizona who are looking for experience working in a nonprofit literary arts organization.

To learn more about graduate assistantships, contact Program Director Kelsi Vanada at kelsi@literarytranslators.org.

To learn more about undergraduate internships, contact Communications and Awards Manager Rachael Daum at rachaeldaum@literarytranslators.org.

Faculty Affiliates

ALTA’s Faculty Affiliates at the University of Arizona are a crucial part of our shared effort to advocate for bold, diverse approaches to literary translation and multilingual arts on local, national, and international levels–in research, teaching, and public life. Membership is not required, but is encouraged. UA Affiliates receive a 50% discount on memberships (and UA students can join for free)!  

To learn more about becoming a Faculty Affiliate of ALTA, contact Program Director Kelsi Vanada at kelsi@literarytranslators.org.

ALTA-Supported Independent Caucuses

BIPOC Literary Translators Caucus

The BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, and People of Color) Literary Translators Caucus is a space for literary translators who identify as Black, indigenous, and/or person of color. The caucus shares knowledge, discusss issues, organizse regular feedback circles, and more. The BIPOC Literary Translators Caucus was formed at ALTA43, the 2020 virtual iteration of the annual fall conference hosted by ALTA. Though it is based in the US, people joining from around the world are welcome to join, and membership is not limited to ALTA members. The main online space is a Slack channel in which many conversations are currently taking place. Members also meet twice a month on the weekend at a rotating time of day. One meeting is a feedback circle where we listen to and discuss each other’s works in progress, and one meeting is for hanging out and discussing what’s next for the group. Meetings are open to all caucus members, and you should feel free to come to any even if you don’t know any other members—the group would love to meet you!

To join the caucus, please click here.

Queering Translation Caucus

The Queering Translation (QT) Caucus is a space for literary translators (LGBTQIA+ and allies) who practice queer(ing) translation, broadly described that was formed and met in 2020 and 2021. The QT caucus potentially offers sustained conversation about how queerness informs translation practices. The group welcomes people joining from around the world, and membership is not limited to ALTA members.

**This group is currently on hiatus.**

If you are interested in joining this caucus in a leadership role, we are eager to discuss how we can support you! Please write to info@literarytranslators.org.

Other ideas?

If you interested in forming a new literary translation caucus, we are eager to discuss how we can support you!  Please write to info@literarytranslators.org.