The old notion that children are the private property of parents dies very slowly. In reality, no parent raises a child alone. How many of us nice middle-class folk could make it without our mortgage reduction

The core of the culture is racism and how black men are viewed. They've always been demonized and seen as threats in our culture. Another holdover from slavery. We've got to deal with that core root of racism and demonization of the upbringing of black men. Black women are not exempt by any means.

I'd like to transform the system in very fundamental ways, but you've got to do that in every way that you can. You can't wait for some magic bullet or some magic politician or some magic anything to have that happen. You got to get out there and use your vote.

It is a spiritually impoverished nation that permits infants and children to be the poorest Americans.

So often we are depressed by what remains to be done and forget to be thankful for all that has been done.

Understand and be confident that each of us can make a difference by caring and acting in small as well as big ways.

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