I would warn any minority student today against the temptations of self-segregation: take support and comfort from your own group as you can, but don… - Sonia Sotomayor

Quiet pragmatism, of course, lacks the romance of vocal militancy. But I felt myself more a mediator than a crusader. My strengths were reasoning, crafting compromises, finding the good and the good faith on both sides of an argument, and using that to build a bridge. Always, my first question was, what's the goal? And then, who must be persuaded if it is to be accomplished? A respectful dialogue with one's opponent almost invariably goes further than a harangue outside his or her window. If you want to change someone's mind, you must understand what need shapes his or her opinion. To prevail, you must first listen.

I've known how to control my anger, but that doesn't mean I don't feel it. Page 190

Sometimes, even if there was no useful advice to give, I saw that listening still helped.