…I have a flat spot right in the front of my head from trying to break down walls my entire career, forcing diversity of thought and opinion into new… - Gwen Ifill

I was drawn to journalism because of the need to be the necessary voice - not to force my opinions on others but to broaden the stage for the debate…

I just keep my head down and try to accomplish what my parents set out for me: that there wasn't anything I couldn't do. But I also look up periodically and think, "Who else can I pull along?" Because it's a failure if I'm up here by myself.

I really want to keep my mind open to all possibilities. If I make up my mind in advance what I believe about something ... I stop listening. We all stop listening once you've made up your mind … I want to be curious. I want to maintain my curiosity about what the answers to the question might be. And I want to hold out for the possibility that someone will surprise me.