Violet speaks Spanish and understands it. She loves Cuban food! My mom is very good at teaching her about our culture, whether it be the food or Spanish or explaining to her that she's Cuban.

Living in Maryland, I saw that the opportunities were far greater in California than back home.

I was living in Maryland and my first week was dreadful. My first week I actually got into a fight at school

I enjoy being happy every day, and hopefully you can hear my happiness in my music. Life is beautiful.

Even in relationships, I don't get my hopes up or anything, especially not right now because I know I'm young and I've got plenty of time later in the future.

I also have two dogs, a Chihuahua and a Yorkshire terrier, so if they like him, that's a good sign.

I like doing arts and crafts, so I would probably go to one of those fun little ceramic places and go paint some plates and do something fun like that

For one year I did go to Performing Arts School, and I had very weird friends.

Love yourself for who you are. You are beautiful inside and out, and nobody can take that away from you.

I signed to Def Jam and within two months, I heard that Ja Rule was looking for someone to do a song with.

When I meet somebody, I hang out with them, and it's all good, but I don't take it too seriously

The purpose of writing is to inflate weak ideas, obscure poor reasoning and inhibit clarity.

Oh, I don’t mean to infer that you’re not a great guy. I’m sure you’re the exception to the rule.

Style is a simple way of saying complicated things.

There are 249 millionaires in Congress. Remember a couple of years ago when this new Congress told us they had the solution to the recession? Apparently, they didn't share it with the rest of us.

Children understand and remember concepts best when they learn from direct personal experience.

They think that I was like Amy Grant, when actually no! The label went bankrupt and maybe sold a couple hundred records and that's about it. I was just trying different things.

I do think there is a strange idea that the media has that if you tell the public what you think, they can no longer think for themselves.

I don't think I'll be making documentaries my whole life.

Poetry and music I have banished, But the stupidity Of root, shoot, blossom or clay Makes no demand. I bend my body to the spade Or grope with a dirty hand.