Alexandria Braswell

I attribute my success to my husband. He's my biggest cheerleader. He's so shy, but for some reason, he is very supportive of me constantly being out and about, surrounded by people. I also had to learn a lot of lessons the hard way, and I feel like because I got dumped in the deep end so much, and it was sink or swim, that I came out of it much, much stronger.

I've received two pieces of advice that really stick with me. One is from a very dear friend of mine who's a lawyer. He said in politics, fake it. Fake confidence, fake that you know what you're talking about, just - you have the knowledge in you, but you know, just act like you know what you're doing, and confidence will get you very far. And then one of my professors in college used to say, 'God, grant me the skills I know I possess.' And I hold on to that mantra a lot when I find myself in a harder day interpreting - just, God, grant me those skills, and I know I possess somewhere in this brain of mine.

For young women entering politics, I would say don't be intimidated. And people will try. People will try as hard as they can to intimidate you, make you feel stupid, make you question yourself. Hold firm, especially if you're running for office. It's your campaign. Make decisions for yourself, take advice where it's needed, but have a strong, strong, strong backbone, and don't be taken advantage of. For brand new interpreters, it's okay to be terrified, it's okay to make mistakes, it's okay to laugh at those mistakes. And when you finish a job, go home and sleep peacefully, knowing I did the best I could, I tried the best I can, and here's what I learned from today, and move on. Don't torture yourself over every single little mistake you make throughout the day.

Politically, I was a Democrat in Cullman, Alabama, which is the reddest congressional district in the country. That was the largest challenge. In interpreting, we meet a lot of folks who have never worked with an interpreter before, have never had a deaf student before, and having to explain Deaf culture, laws, and advocations that the federal government has set in place for our students is more challenging than I thought it would be, because a lot of educators can feel like their toes are being stepped on, or that we know better than them, but that's never ever the case. It's just we're trying to constantly educate about the rights that the deaf community are entitled to. As for opportunities, I could do anything. I could work for the FBI, the CIA, I could work at a hospital, the school system, colleges, I can interpret for the mayor, the president - the needs are absolutely endless.

Maintaining honesty and clarity is very important to me. I also value not overgeneralizing. By that, I mean if one person believes or behaves a certain way, I would never say, well, they all act like that, meaning everybody in this particular religious faction or their whole family. I don't like that at all. I try to judge each person based on their personal experiences and my personal experiences with them. And I don't believe in third-hand or second-hand information. If I hear something that is concerning or bothersome, then I prefer to approach the source directly than hear 18 miles down the grapevine that something has been said.