For me it's just so exciting to have a daughter because I do think she will have even more opportunities than I had, and I had more opportunities than certainly my grandmother had. It's the arc of history, always bending toward justice and opportunity, and she will be part of that.

My grandmother, who passed away at the beginning of November, had a core adage in her life that life is not about what happens to you but about what you do with what happens to you. She recently had been cajoling me and challenging me to do more with my life. To lead more of a purposefully public life.

Intellectually, I loved my job, but I didn't get any meaning from it.

I really believe that with a little bit of information, kids can make a big difference.

When I first held my daughter, right after she was born, I felt like it was the moment I'd been waiting my whole life for, and it just felt even more miraculous than I ever could have imagined.

I hope to make a positive, productive contribution, as cheesy as that may sound.

You'd better talk to my dad. My mom's pretty busy.