Breaking Barriers by Building Solutions
Sandra Trejo-Wirfs, owner of Dreamer Translation Services. Photo by Jennifer Marquez, JEFAS Magazine
By Karlha Velásquez, JEFAS Magazine
When clients came to the Iowa Works office in Ottumwa looking for help translating important documents, many left empty-handed. That service was no longer available. Sandra Trejo-Wirfs couldn’t stand by and do nothing. She knew that for many immigrants, a translation could mean the difference between moving forward or staying stuck.
Building a Business While Serving the Community
So, she created her own solution: Dreamer Translation Services LLC. Between her full-time job, community leadership roles and raising four children as a single mother, Trejo-Wirfs built a translation business that serves immigrants across southeastern Iowa and proves that sometimes the most powerful community change comes from someone who refuses to accept “no” as an answer.
Her solution didn’t come out of nowhere—it was rooted in firsthand knowledge. Trejo-Wirfs has worked at Iowa Works for more than 15 years, where she rose to the position of operations manager. She recalls that back when the office was known as New Iowan Service, they used to offer translation of birth certificates, notarization of documents and other essential services. However, after administrative changes, the agency shifted its focus solely to workforce development, leaving translation assistance behind.
“I saw there was a real need in the community,” says Trejo-Wirfs. “Due to a conflict of interest, I can’t offer my translation services within my job. Still, I always guide people and give them information about where they can find help.” When she’s not guiding walk-ins at Iowa Works, Trejo-Wirfs is working behind the scenes to meet deeper needs.
In addition to running her business, Trejo-Wirfs serves as the president of the local chapter of LULAC (League of United Latin American Citizens) in Ottumwa. Through this organization, she offers her services as a Spanish-English translator and notary.
“I understand people’s needs, so I try not to charge too much, but I do need to cover costs like paper and supplies,” she explains. Most of her clients come through word of mouth. Translating birth and marriage certificates, reading letters and sometimes accompanying people to medical appointments or court hearings are just a few of the services she provides—when her schedule allows.
She avoids immigration-related work, as it demands too much time and interferes with her work hours. Her motivation isn’t just professional; it’s personal.
Leading by Example: Community and Family
Trejo-Wirfs is a busy woman, deeply committed to her community. Born in Jalisco, Mexico, she arrived in Ottumwa with her parents and two siblings after her parents gained legal status through the 1987 immigration reform. As the middle child, she learned perseverance and the value of hard work from her father. “He taught me how to move forward,” she recalls.
Widowed young with four small children, she leaned on her mother’s support and her own determination to push through. Her children are now grown. Her oldest is 30 and has given her a granddaughter. Her 28-year-old son lives in Des Moines; the other, 22, studies at the University of Northern Iowa; and the youngest, 20, is in the military, awaiting deployment to Kuwait—a situation that weighs heavily on her.
“All I can do is pray he comes back alive,” she says, her voice trembling. Though her son is excited to serve, she constantly reminds him of his roots: “You have to represent, son. Even though you were born here, you carry Mexican blood.”
Trejo-Wirfs is remarried to a non-Latino who is incredibly supportive. “He respects and values the time I dedicate to helping others. He’s proud of me,” she says. She has involved him in immigration-related events so he can better understand the struggles of those seeking legal status.
Sandra Trejo-Wirfs, owner of Dreamer Translation Services. Photo by Jennifer Marquez, JEFAS Magazine.
A Life of Service and Resilience
Trejo-Wirfs also serves on several local boards, including the Community First Credit Union, the YMCA and the Human Rights Commission. She also volunteers with the Iowa Migrant Movement for Justice, an organization that provides legal support to immigrants. Her schedule is always full. After her day job, she heads to meetings or works on translations for her business.
Despite all her commitments, Trejo-Wirfs makes time for small pleasures that connect her with herself. Her biggest escape from the daily hustle is spending time with her beloved granddaughter. She also enjoys pampering herself with freshly done nails and lashes that, as she says with a laugh, “boost my self-esteem.”
Language is the biggest barrier many immigrants face, and Trejo-Wirfs knows this firsthand because she experienced it. In the 1980s and ‘90s, speaking Spanish at school made her the target of bullying and discrimination. “You’re not dumb, but when you don’t know the language, they make you feel like you are,” she says.
Sandra Trejo-Wirfs juggles board meetings and translation appointments, family dinners and community events. Yet, she makes time to fight so that no one else has to feel how she once did. She firmly believes that not knowing English is not a disability. With every translated document, every guided trip to court, every immigrant who walks away with the help they need, Trejo-Wirfs proves that community commitment can also look like a mother, a wife, a worker and a woman proud of her roots.
