We need this city to actually live up to its name-The City of Angels. We need to spread our wings. We need to show that we are more than red carpets, we are more than Hollywood, that we are a city ourselves of open arms. We are a city of generosity and compassion.

I stand on the shoulders of women who marched before me.

I was raised by a formidable woman. She always pushed me to be competitive in a man's world. That's maybe one of the attractions to journalism in the beginning. It was a male profession, and I was comfortable in that.

Part of what Special Olympics is trying to do is break down stereotypes that still exist for people. There is still a lot of fear.

My definition of success? Being the kind of woman that I would want to have as a friend.

Poetry can startle you, awaken you, make you fall in love, take your breath away. When those words sink in, you'll never look at your life or your journey the same way again.

When the world is so complicated, the simple gift of friendship is within all of our hands.