Meet Kyla Wilkenfeld-Bronson

We had the good fortune of connecting with Kyla Wilkenfeld-Bronson and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Kyla, is your business focused on helping the community? If so, how?
I began Heartsong Interpreting because I was seeing a lot of cultural insensitivity and inequity, and it felt wrong. Too often, accessibility looked like “look what I am doing for you” instead of “you belong here too.”

As a Black interpreter in a very White field, opportunities were hard won and closely scrutinized. The more I put myself out there, the more I noticed that Deaf communities were not being represented culturally. The interpreters themselves were excellent. Their ASL and voicing skills were top notch. And yet, there were gaps that only cultural competency could fill.

I decided to try to do something about it. I began contracting with Interpreters of Color and intentionally matching not just skill, but lived experience. Interpreters working with communities they belong to whenever possible. Interpreters who understand not just the language, but the cultural context of the space they are in.

I would like to think that Heartsong helps people feel more included in the interactions we are part of. My goal is for people to feel seen, to feel respected, and to know they are being represented as fully and thoughtfully as possible.

Can you give our readers an introduction to your business? Maybe you can share a bit about what you do and what sets you apart from others?
What sets Heartsong apart is intentionality. We think carefully about who is in the room and how people experience access. Skill always comes first, but we also consider culture, identity, and lived experience whenever possible. Representation is not an afterthought. It is part of the work.

Starting was easy. Maintaining my ethics, growing trust in the community, and finding interpreters who believe in my goal so Heartsong can continue to serve the communities out there? That was not easy.

I am a Black queer woman in a profession that does not often center people who look like me. There were moments of doubt, moments when impostor syndrome almost won. I listened to, paid attention to, and applied Deaf voices’ advice and desires. I’ve trusted my instincts even when they went against the norm.

One of the biggest lessons I have learned, and am still learning, is that you do not need to shrink yourself to be taken seriously. Your values can be your strength. I am most proud of the relationships Heartsong has built and the trust we have earned by showing up consistently, thoughtfully, and with care. Understand that impostor syndrome is still a thing. I have done my best to talk to my support system to separate the distortion from the truth.

What I want the world to know is that Heartsong Interpreting exists because access should feel human. People should feel seen, respected, and included, not just accommodated. That belief is at the center of everything we do, and it continues to guide where we are going next.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
A week off, lets see: my house, my couch, my bed…. oh you mean show a friend lol. Wow, a week to show off MY LA? I’d start with food.

Breakfast at Honey Bee’s. They have the very best pancakes in the city in my personal opinion. Also their pupusas? 10/10 take some home for lunch!
*4715 W Adams Blvd.,
Los Angeles, CA 90016
Phone. 323-731-7203
Email. honeybeeshob@gmail.com

I love art so the Broad downtown is a must. No matter what is there, this free museum is worth the trip.
The Broad
221 S. Grand Avenue,
Los Angeles, CA 90012

you said a week right? OK,
I would also grab some simple snacks and maybe lunch in the area and take them to the Garden on top of the Disney Concert Hall. Did you even know it is there? This hidden Gem is a favorite place for me.

I love purusing the Alley downtown and looking in the shops, you never know what treasures you will find. The Kut is one of my favorites to look in. Great out of the box fashion and she even has sewing classes (I am still abysmal).

A show is always a thing and the choices of theaters LA has to offer is AMAZING!

Pampas Grill is a must go in Culver City… some of the best Brazilian food around! 3857 Overland Ave, Culver City, CA 90232

Gianna Dorsey took me and my bridesmaids on THE MOST FANTASTIC graffiti photoshoot. It was epic and something I believe you should do if you can. I’m working on scheduling a second go in the new year.
@giannasnapped https://www.giannadorsey.com

If you can get an invite, The Magic Castle is a fun outing, It is old Hollywood charm with so many fun Magic experiences. Really there is so much to do, I could go on.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
I have to say, I wouldn’t be where I am without the support of my daughter and later my wife. They are my foundation, and my loudest cheerleaders when I forget to cheer for myself.

Coming in at a close second, oddly enough, are the naysayers. The people who told me I would not make it. The ones who said I signed too Black or that I was not what they wanted to see. They broke me for a time,

At the end of my 1st year of the interpreting training program, I was told those, not so nice, things. I had committed to volunteering at the NAOBI (National Association of black interpreters). That conference changed my life.

From the moment the doors slid open, I was surrounded by people who signed like me, understood me, and proved that the negative comments were opinions not fact. Because of NAOBI, I learned how to take my personal style and apply it to the characterization in my performance interpreting

Website: https://www.heartsonginterpreting.com

Instagram: @heartsonginterpreting

Facebook: Heartsong Interpreting

Other: TT – @heartsonginterpreting

Image Credits
Jeannette Bronson