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Meet Morgan M. Lange of Azuli Language Solutions in Tucson

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Today we’d like to introduce you to Morgan M. Lange.

Morgan, please share your story with us. How did you get to where you are today?
I grew up in Northern Virginia and was friends with people from all over the world. Diversity was the norm I grew up with and expected. I started studying Spanish in a public school as a child. I struggled in the beginning, but after a few years realized I had a knack for it. I continued with my formal studies through college at the University of Arizona, though my primary focus at that time was on my other field of study: Ecology & Evolutionary Biology. After graduation, I moved to Portland, OR, where I was working in the environmental non-profit sector. Simultaneously, I developed a fascination for Latin American countries and cultures and took numerous trips to Mexico and Guatemala, traveling and volunteering at arts and environmental organizations along the way. Eventually, I realized that while the field of environmental sciences was my passion, it was not the right career fit for me. That was 2009 when non-profit organizations were particularly hard hit by the economic crisis at that time. A quarter of the staff where I worked was suddenly laid off and I was among them. This was my out, my opportunity to do something I had long dreamed of but didn’t know when or how. I decided to move to Mexico, where I lived for many years in Merida, Yucatan – an invaluable and pivotal time in my life. When I returned to the U.S., I was living in Charleston, SC, exploring new avenues and opportunities. I knew I wanted something different than what I had ever done before, and something that allowed me to use my skills as a fluent Spanish speaker. I did some research and discovered the field of translation and interpretation, and after an in-depth look at training programs around the country (and some abroad), I discovered one of the best programs I could find was back in Tucson at Pima Community College. I was eager to move back to the desert and quickly enrolled in the Translation & Interpretation Studies program at PCC. I loved every minute of my two years as a Translation & Interpretation student.

The program provided exactly the education and training I needed to develop my skills as a professional and prepared me to pass the Arizona Supreme Court’s certification exam to become a certified legal interpreter. Unsatisfied with the local employment opportunities available in Tucson, I decided to start my own business, and Azuli Language Solutions was born. Most translation and interpretation professionals seek employment in the legal or medical fields, but I wanted to work with all types of companies including financial, legal, and educational institutions, governmental agencies, healthcare organizations, scientific research firms, media companies, and of course non-profit organizations, to name a few. I have made it my mission to include the diverse voices and interests in our community in the larger conversations that affect us all. My team and I specialize in searching for the true meaning of our client’s message and transferring that meaning into the target language. Whether it is the employee benefits booklet at Casino del Sol or the website at Hughes Federal Credit Union, we believe that all employees, clients and customers deserve access to the information they need to make informed decisions. This not only benefits the end-users but the companies and organizations that take the time and care to provide such information inevitably benefit, as well. It’s a win-win for the entire community.

We’re always bombarded by how great it is to pursue your passion, etc – but we’ve spoken with enough people to know that it’s not always easy. Overall, would you say things have been easy for you
Smooth? Not exactly. As I said, I started out thinking my life would be spent devoted to the environmental field but that turned out to be more politics and less progress than my heart could bear. Without realizing it, I had a built-in back-up plan in place which took the form of my bilingualism. Going back to school took time and commitment, more of both than I had expected, but it was well worth it. Starting a company from absolutely nothing, without any training or education in business, has certainly been a challenge. It has provided the opportunity for me to learn about sales, marketing, negotiation, social media as a business tool, networking, accounting and finance, insurance, business planning and strategizing, contracts and various legal issues including copyrights and intellectual property, all to a degree which I never thought I would need or want. For me, the biggest challenge as a small business owner was having to “wear all the hats” at first, coming up with creative cost-effective ways to leverage the tools and skills I had to build a strong and trustworthy brand, find the right clients, plus manage and complete all of our projects in a timely manner. All on a shoestring budget.

Tell us more about the business.
At Azuli Language Solutions, we embrace the ever-increasing diversification of cultures and languages in our communities, schools, businesses, country, and the world. We believe in inclusion and diversity. We know that having all voices at the table be heard makes our relationships, businesses, and communities more rich, more beautiful, and more powerful. We know first hand of the magic that takes place when people truly connect and understand one other when we bridge the gap created by a language barrier. People feel heard, included, and respected, when previously they were excluded from the conversation. Azuli is proud to provide high-quality translation and interpretation services in English and Spanish, connecting businesses to their clients, healthcare professionals to their patients, elected officials to their constituents, and organizations to the individuals they serve. Each project is completed by a highly trained and certified translator and then reviewed by another certified translator. We specialize in making sure we understand and capture the true meaning of each client’s message and then carefully transferring that meaning into the target language. We also provide transcriptions and consulting services, including training on how to best work with interpreters in the workplace. We will be expanding to offer services in other languages soon.

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Image Credit:
Credit main personal photo to Juan DiArte

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