Abstract
While language brokering practices and interpreter training have been extensively studied, little research has examined how young people conceptualize their own visibility and agency as they move from informal family interpreting to professional education. This study explores self-perceptions of visibility among 67 young adult language brokers enrolled in an undergraduate interpreting program in the northeastern United States. It investigates: how these individuals perceive their visibility prior to formal interpreter education, and whether this perception changes as they progress through their program. Employing a mixed-methods design, the study combines quantitative data from the Interpreter Interpersonal Role Inventory (Angelelli, 2004b) with qualitative analysis of personal narratives. Results indicate that participants initially perceive themselves as having moderate visibility. However, as their interpreter education advances, their self-perception of visibility tends to decrease. Formal training may influence how young brokers understand and position their roles, potentially aligning them more closely with professional norms that emphasize reduced visibility. This research advances theoretical understandings of interpreter agency and challenges traditional views of visibility as problematic, offering insights for professional training and practice.