Our children are our greatest treasure. They are our future. Those who abuse them tear at the fabric of our society and weaken our nation.

There can be no keener revelation of a society's soul than the way in which it treats its children.

One circumstance that helped our character development: we were needed. I often think today of what an impact could be made if children believed they were contributing to a family's essential survival and happiness.

I am society's child. This is how they made me and now I'm sayin' what's on my mind and they don't want that. This is what you made me, America.

I'm 23 years old. I might just be my mother's child, but in all reality, I'm everybody's child. Nobody raised me; I was raised in this society.

We must work together to ensure the equitable distribution of wealth, opportunity and power in our society.