Lori Thicke: Translator, Writer, Entrepreneur, Humanitarian
Our Renaissance Person of the Quarter began her entrepreneurial journey at 12 years of age, and has since created the world’s largest humanitarian translators’ network
Lori Thicke, a native of Canada, founded her first company when she was just 12 years old. She went on to found her next company at 17 and, as a result, appeared regularly in the local press. At 19 she sold her company to return to university. While earning her two degrees she also worked part-time as a journalist and book editor.
In 1986, after receiving a Master’s Degree from the University of British Columbia, Lori moved to Paris. There she founded Eurotexte, later renamed Lexcelera. In 1993, Lori co-founded Traducteurs sans frontières in order to provide pro bono translations to humanitarian organizations. Lori is also the Founder of the U.S. based sister organization, Translators without Borders, which became an American 501 (c)(3) non-profit corporation in 2010.
Mental health outreach workers from IOM and translators from Translators without Borders work together to conduct research on how well words like “stress” and “abuse” are understood in Kanuri and Hausa, and whether words like “rape” and “mental health” carry a stigma. Teacher’s Village IDP Camp in Maiduguri, Borno State, Nigeria. Photo by Eric DeLuca, Translators without Borders.Students reading Rohingya (written Hanifi script) from books in Kutupalong Refugee Camp near Cox’s Bazar, Bangladesh. Photo: Eric DeLuca / Translators without BordersTWB Chairman of the Board, Andrew Bredencamp, meets with Rohingya community members in Bangladesh. Photo: Irene Scott / Translators without BordersTWB Head of Crisis Response, Ellie Kemp, and TWB Chairman of the Board, Andrew Bredencamp, visit Cox’s Bazar region in Bangladesh. Photo: Irene Scott / Translators without BordersYahaya (center left) TWB Kanuri Team Leader conducts research on how well words like “stress” and “abuse” are understood in Kanuri and whether words like “rape” and “mental health” carry a stigma. Teacher’s Village IDP Camp in Maiduguri, Borno State, Nigeria. Photo by Eric DeLuca, Translators without Borders.2018, Comprehension testing in Northeast Nigeria led by TWB’s Recruitment Officer, Nurangiz Khodzharova.
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