“People don’t want to abandon who they are in order to have a better future. Language gives them options—and dignity—to be both rooted and reaching.”
– Paul Frank
In this powerful episode, Norah Jones is joined by Paul Frank, Associate Director for Language Solutions at SIL International. With more than four decades of experience in the field, Paul shares his journey from rural Mexico to the mountains of Colombia to international leadership roles supporting minority language communities.
His message is rooted in lived experience: language is not just about communication—it’s about connection, identity, and opportunity.
In this episode, you’ll learn:
- How Paul’s early experiences in Tzeltal-speaking communities shaped his career
- Insights from his linguistic and community development work in Colombia
- The founding of SIL LEAD and the global impact of the Bloom book creation software
- Why multilingualism is the global norm—and why honoring it matters in education and policy
- What it means to support language choice, not language loss
Paul has worked in over a dozen countries, trained educators and linguists around the world, and helped launch a platform—Bloom—that now supports book creation in nearly 1,000 languages.
Contact Norah :
fluencyconsulting@gmail.com
Website: https://fluency.consulting
Your journey to discover the richness of language starts here. Join us on the website and embark on a learning adventure like never before!
Social Media Platforms :
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/FluencyConsultingLLC
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/fluency_consulting/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/NorahLulicJones
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/fluency-norah-jones
Popular Podcasts
Bookmarked by Reese's Book Club
Welcome to Bookmarked by Reese’s Book Club — the podcast where great stories, bold women, and irresistible conversations collide! Hosted by award-winning journalist Danielle Robay, each week new episodes balance thoughtful literary insight with the fervor of buzzy book trends, pop culture and more. Bookmarked brings together celebrities, tastemakers, influencers and authors from Reese's Book Club and beyond to share stories that transcend the page. Pull up a chair. You’re not just listening — you’re part of the conversation.
On Purpose with Jay Shetty
I’m Jay Shetty host of On Purpose the worlds #1 Mental Health podcast and I’m so grateful you found us. I started this podcast 5 years ago to invite you into conversations and workshops that are designed to help make you happier, healthier and more healed. I believe that when you (yes you) feel seen, heard and understood you’re able to deal with relationship struggles, work challenges and life’s ups and downs with more ease and grace. I interview experts, celebrities, thought leaders and athletes so that we can grow our mindset, build better habits and uncover a side of them we’ve never seen before. New episodes every Monday and Friday. Your support means the world to me and I don’t take it for granted — click the follow button and leave a review to help us spread the love with On Purpose. I can’t wait for you to listen to your first or 500th episode!
Dateline NBC
Current and classic episodes, featuring compelling true-crime mysteries, powerful documentaries and in-depth investigations. Follow now to get the latest episodes of Dateline NBC completely free, or subscribe to Dateline Premium for ad-free listening and exclusive bonus content: DatelinePremium.com