The Linguist

20 The Linguist Vol/61 No/2 2022 thelinguist.uberflip.com FEATURES Jessica Dunrod reports on a project using translation to counteract underrepresentation in children's literature T he discussion about the lack of representation in children's literature is one which has only recently started to get the attention it deserves. The 'Reflected Realities' report, published by the Centre for Literacy in Primary Education (CLPE), found that only 5% of books published in 2019 featured a Black, Asian or underrepresented main character, which is an alarming figure when we consider that 35% of children in British classrooms come from these backgrounds. Indeed, I am eight times more likely to find an animal as the main character in a children's book than a character that looks like me, my son or my nieces and nephews. In addition to continuing to study the implications of such underrepresentation as we experience it in our society today, I felt compelled to offer some sort of solution that would immediately begin to challenge and remedy such issues, at least for my nation in Wales. When it comes to underrepresentation in Welsh literature specifically, although very little research has been conducted we are certain that the statistics are far worse than for the UK as a whole. In early 2021, I released my children's titles Your Hair Is Your Crown and Outstanding, and in doing so, became the first Black children's author born in Wales. This did not sit well with me, suggesting that underrepresentation in Wales had long gone unchallenged. As impactful as my work may seem, it was also clear that writing a couple of children's books would not end this damaging legacy, where young children feel like they do not belong and are not worthy enough to be represented in their favourite books, or that their natural features are not considered to be beautiful or worth writing about. After leading a discussion for Literature Wales's 'Developing Writers of Colour' programme, it occurred to me that Wales was still a couple of years away from publishing more diverse and inclusive children's titles. Unwilling to wait, I proposed a short-term solution that would begin to resolve the problems of underrepresentation and immediately diversify Welsh literature. The answer to me was simple: translation. I had studied, with dismay, Even-Zohar's Polysystems Theory, which analysed the relationship between literature and languages as systems, leading to more complex, socio- cultural systems that account for the linguistic dominance or inferiority of one language system compared to another. I grappled with Orientalism, a theory which represents or reframes other cultures based on stereotypes, and contemplated the implications of such theories today, and the options translators have to counteract them. I always understood translation as an act, and choosing not to translate certain texts as an act as well. I knew that someone needed to act; I certainly didn't expect it would be me. With Lily Translates, my translation firm dedicated to children's literature, I established the Lily Translates AwDuron Fund in collaboration with the main early years Welsh language provider in Wales, Mudiad Meithrin. The purpose was to cover the costs of translating books by Black and Asian children's authors, as well as other marginalised writers, into the Welsh language. This turned out to be the greatest single effort to diversify Welsh literature to date. It seemed like a simple solution: by translating representative books into Welsh we could immediately begin to diversify Welsh literature while waiting for more underrepresented and Black Welsh authors to emerge. Schools, educators and libraries could then gain access to inclusive, Welsh- language literature which reflects their classrooms and multicultural society, facilitating a more wholesome educational experience where every child is included. Thanks to the support of local and national press, including the BBC, The Voice and The National Wales, which helped raise awareness, the public donated sufficient funds to cover the Welsh translation of six titles. Mudiad Meithrin donated £700 in addition to time and resources, and the initiative would not have been possible without their support. While launching campaigns and liaising with the press, I also set up an application process inviting underrepresented children's authors to submit their titles to be considered for the free Welsh translation, plus extra support. Then began the fun part: project management of six translation projects within a limited timeframe, as we wanted to exhibit the translated titles at the Senedd (Welsh Parliament) and had to consider printing and posting times. Being able to offer translators well-paid and exciting projects is the best part of my job, and distributing the projects among the translators on my team and meeting new collaborators was a wonderful experience. Gwenllian Lansdown Davies, Mudiad Meithrin CEO, translated Mari Loves Mangoes MARGINALISED VOICES

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