In Long Island, people care about how much money you have. Even I did when I was growing up. I never wanted kids to see my mom's house because I was embarrassed that they'd tell everyone, 'Oh, Madison's mom is poor!' And she was definitely far from poor.

I truly believe that diversity is so important, and I hope that I can use my platform to encourage and inspire other aspiring female artists.

It's important to drive your own ship, and it's your career, so you might as well take it by the reins.

I'm very much focused on my career.

I was desperate to go back to New York and when 9/11 happened, I feared moving to the bulls-eye and that was very hard because I have a lot of family there and I really had to question what I didn't like about this community.

The more we can be in a relationship with those who might seem strange to us, the more we can feel like we're neighbors and all members of the human family.

Although children are only 24 percent of the population, they're 100 percent of our future and we cannot afford to provide any child with a substandard education.

Stories can encourage us and embolden us to face ourselves and to feel. Stories can make us feel less alone. If we're reading a story that moves us, we can feel that emotion that I feel towards my father or mother or girlfriend. So they can give us late-night company.