This One Feels Different: The NAJIT 2026 Conference

This One Feels Different: The NAJIT 2026 Conference

By: Julli Jaramillo

As I think about June, I keep coming back to the conference and how different it will feel to walk into the NAJIT 47th Annual Conference this year.
Not because it’s a conference.
We’ve all been to those.
Because of who is going to be in the room.

As spring sets in and we look to summer, many of us are starting to think about the FCICE exams offered this year. The opportunity for federal certification is available to Spanish interpreters hoping to achieve this sought-after credential and expand their client base. The Written Exam will be offered next month, and the Oral Exam will be held in August. 

The time to start preparing is NOW!

Most of the time, our work is just us.
We are the interpreter, the translator, and we are also our own coworkers. We’re the ones catching things in real time, adjusting, deciding, holding the standard, and carrying it through. Different courts, different expectations, different pressures, and we move through all of it largely on our own.

So being in one place with people who actually understand the work changes things.

For me, I get to meet others who genuinely love the work. I get to hear about their path and see how their journey brought them into the room.

I get to connect with people in a way that doesn’t happen in our day-to-day life. Conversations that go beyond surface level. Conversations that stay with you. And laughter too, the kind that makes your stomach hurt because these people understand who you are in this field without needing much explanation.

And I get to take up space too.

In a place where my ideas and my voice can contribute to something bigger, where I can help facilitate community and be part of the change happening in our field and organization.

I’m looking forward to that more than anything, being in our own space and seeing what conversations actually take shape once we’re all in the same room.

This year, you can feel that it’s centered on members, on making sure people feel seen, supported, and actually cared for, because this work can be isolating, and moments like this remind you that you’re part of something that actually holds you in it.

And yes, Disco Night fits right into that.

Not just as something fun to do, but as part of that same energy. After everything we carry during the day, we get a moment to just be there together without the weight of the work and dance the night away until 11, because we got an extension :).

And also everything around it.

I’m not even overthinking it. I already know it’s going to be fun, informative, community-focused, and overall a remarkable experience.

If you’re going, I think it’s worth thinking about what you want to get out of it before you even walk in.

If you’re on the fence, hop on over, rise with the phoenix, and join NAJIT in Atlanta.

I will be available to all members during the conference, so if you see me, come say hi and let’s connect. Let me know how you want to be part of what we’re building. NAJIT belongs to all of us, and we’re all responsible for its growth and continuation.

See you in Atlanta!

Keep the Conversation Going

If this topic resonated with you, be sure to check out our previous blog posts for more insights on the realities of our profession, and the evolving world of judiciary translation and interpreting:

• Rethinking Reputation — Is reputation built by titles, or in the quiet moments where presence and empathy meet?
• Peer Observation and the Interpreter — What would change in our work if we stopped fearing observation and started using it?
• Dreaming of Federal Certification — What does it really take to move from practicing interpreting to performing at a federally certified level?

You can find these and more in our blog archives!

Interested in sharing your insights with our community? Check out Writing for The NAJIT Observer to learn how you can contribute.

The images used in this post are sourced from Unsplash, Pixabay, AI generated, and/or credited to their rightful owner. They are used for illustrative purposes only.

Julli Jaramillo is the Publishing Coordinator and Editor-in-Chief for NAJIT. She holds a master’s degree in Translation from NYU and has extensive experience in quality assurance, content development, and strategic growth. Passionate about NAJIT’s mission to uphold ethical standards for judiciary translators and interpreters, she is dedicated to driving the organization’s growth while ensuring its publications meet high-quality standards and adapt to evolving industry demands. In her free time, Julli enjoys baking and creating art.

Feel free to reach out to her (editor@najit.org) to chat about the NAJIT Observer or Proteus—she is excited to collaborate!