I remember when my mother, Shyamala Harris, bought our first home. I was thirteen. She was so proud, and my sister and I were so excited. Millions of Americans know that feeling of walking through the front door of their own home for the first time - the feeling of reaching for opportunity and finding it.

Don't pretend that you can just be oblivious to politics. You can't. What you never do is break your personal code. Have a code and keep it. You should never compromise what your priorities are.

I am a prosecutor in my bones. When I see something, I immediately go to: how is this going to affect a child?

I believe that a child going without an education is a crime.

In every work environment, there will be politics. If you really want to rise to the top, you need to figure out what those politics in your workplace are. Then, you hook it in. You decide what conforms and what does not conform to your personal code.

My mantra about everything that has to do with public policy is: identify and reject the false choice.

I have loved to cook since I was a child in my mother's kitchen. If I don't have time to cook, I'll just read a cookbook.