If I had my way, I'd end all wars and poverty. We should all be more aware of what's going on in the world around us and less ignorant.

The unsaid message of that endless rack of juniors' pushup bras? No matter what size you are, it still isn't good enough.

We all love people who give credit to others for their success. Companies would probably do better with CEOs who didn't blow their own horn and ask for ridiculous salaries and new yachts every year.

By creating so many illusory images of physical perfection, whether on store aisles or storefronts ads, magazine covers or TV show, we speak more to the profit margins of companies than the self-esteem of today's girls.

It seems we're not only uninformed about our present, we're ignorant of our past.

Since the age of four, I've been exploring what I can do with the written word: everything from championing literacy and youth voice to raising awareness about world hunger.

A lot of negative words adults call the young, like 'naive,' 'impulsive' and 'way too connected online,' are all things we can turn into strengths to help us.