When You're Up For An Award At

I Was The Youngest And Only Girl In A Family Of Two Older Brothers.

I Have Made The Choices That Work Best For Me. I Know I Cannot Please Everyone, And That's Fine.

I Hope That Through My Example, Such As My Role On 'the West Wing,' I Can Help Change Attitudes On Deafness And Prove We Can Really Do Everything... Except Hear.

I Live My Life Like Everyone Else; Everyone Has Their Own Obstacles. Mine Is Deafness.

I'm A Proud Person Who Happens To Be Deaf. I Don't Want To Change It. I Don't Want To Wake Up And Suddenly Say, 'oh My God, I Can Hear.' That's Not My Dream. It's Not My Dream. I've Been Raised Deaf. I'm Used To The Way I Am. I Don't Want To Change It. Why Would I Ever Want To Change? Because I'm Used To This, I'm Happy.