"Language is an organic code. It is the acoustic instrument which humans use to both interpret and interact with phenomenon. To study a language is to study an organism. Each one is different. Each one has adapted according to the needs, pressures, and gradients of the humans who have devised over time." -Lito Porto, Ph.D., The University of Texas at Austin

"[Language learning] is about seeing each other as humans - about stripping down the things that make us different and coming back to what makes us people - about telling stories about the things we love, the heartbreak we experience, the families we have, and all the loss and joy we experience - the striking connections and heartfelt storytelling reminds us that as humans we all want to feel connected, seen and included." -Maria Hernandez, VELA Foundation

Refuge is not my name, Austin public library, 2018