The literacy level at Mississippi prisons? Fifth grade. Can't read, what are you going to do? If you've got a conviction rap, what are you going to do? It's a real crisis.

I was taught that the world had a lot of problems; that I could struggle and change them; that intellectual and material gifts brought the privilege and responsibility of sharing with others less fortunate; and that service is the rent each of us pays for living - the very purpose of life and not something you do in your spare time or after you have reached your personal goals.

The legacy I want to leave is a child-care system that says that no kid is going to be left alone or left unsafe.

History does not pose problems without eventually producing the solutions.

Dr. King used to say, 'I was sitting in the back of the bus, but my mind was always up front.' Don't let anybody tell you that you can't do it. You aim high and you work very hard and now I think it's clear that you can be anything you want to.

It is time for every one of us to roll up our sleeves and put ourselves at the top of our commitment list.

I hope that people of all faiths will start looking for our too-invisible children who are crying out for help.