Who are we?

We humbly and respectfully recognize that we are occupying the unceded territory of the Chumash, Serrano, Tataviam, Tongva and Acjachemen peoples.  We express gratitude for their past and present stewardship of these lands and acknowledge the desire for current and future reconciliation along with preservation of these areas, now renamed Los Angeles, Orange and San Bernardino counties.

Pro Bono is short for the Latin phrase “pro bono publico”, which means "for the public good."  In our case, pro bono means for the good of the Deaf, hearing and interpreting communities. 

Pro Bono ASL is made up of both hearing and Deaf American Sign Language interpreters.  We are queer and LGBTQIA+ allies.  We are Deaf-parented, have ASL as our legacy language, and are parents of Deaf children.  We are immigrants, first generation Americans, adult descendants of enslaved Africans, life long Californians and recent transplants. We are Interpreter Training Program students and graduates, and community-raised interpreters. We are Black, Indigenous, Latinx and People of Color along with white allies.  We are full time interpreters and lifelong protestors.  We provide ASL access pro bono, as well as professional interpreting services and community support.  

According to the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) qualified sign language interpreters are required to be provided for deaf people upon request. Businesses and organizations must comply with this law by paying for interpreting services for their employees, clients and customers.

Specific exemptions from the ADA do exist, however, for religious organizations and private clubs.  Moreover, it does make exceptions for entities for whom paying for interpreter services would cause an unreasonable financial burden. In these instances, the services of a pro bono interpreter might be appropriate. Examples of these instances include funerals and memorial services, protests and rallies, and services for small business, micro-entrepreneurs and non-profit organizations with limited resources.

In addition to our pro bono work, we also provide ASL interpreting services for the community as paid professionals, and are prepared to accommodate assignments both in-person, as well as through Video Remote Interpreting (VRI).  Furthermore, we are here to support the BIPOC Deaf community in the areas we serve, in and around Los Angeles.  Whether it be through promoting the Deaf ecosystem or sponsoring Deaf organizations and their activities, we work as advocates for, and allies of, the traditionally marginalized Black and Brown Deaf community.