Books are the way the dead talk to the living.
I have always aspired to be the type of role model who can bridge the deaf and hearing communities.
I have spent many years trying to recover a common language, one that can cross the distance between people.
You can't have people listen to you unless you come to their world and then bring them to yours.
Having a family that loves books and loves to read has always created a common ground for communication.
One can say of language that it is potentially the only human home, the only dwelling place that cannot be hostile to man.
If you spoke to me in Zulu, I replied to you in Zulu. If you spoke to me in Tswana, I replied to you in Tswana. Maybe I didn't look like you, but if I spoke like you, I was you.
I think any advocate who is effective has fully acquainted himself or herself with the legislator they are going to meet. Know what committees they are on, what issues they are interested in, all in an effort to build a bridge for communicating with them.
