Karine Jean-Pierre

My parents taught me by example what it means to be American: to hope and to dream, and to work hard for those hopes and dreams.

The day of Trump's inauguration, he talked about 'American carnage.' I was providing political analysis for PBS NewsHour, so I had to watch it live. I felt hopeless. But then the Women's March happened.

In 2018, I witnessed Americans all over the country vote in the most diverse Congress in history, repudiating the Trump administration's regime of white supremacy.

Trump wants people like me and my family to be scared. He leads out of fear, because that's what he is: fearful, of who we are and what we are capable of when we use hope and love to guide us.

Representation does matter. You hear us say this often in this administration, and no one understands this better than President Biden.

I am a Black, gay, immigrant woman.

I once had a job where I was essentially a fundraiser assistant. It was a volunteer thing I was doing, and I didn't like it.

I was a phone canvasser, and I was terrible at it. It's really hard to ask for money, especially over the phone.

Nixon's impeachment-forced resignation gutted trust of the Republican party for years.

The 2018 elections gave Democrats a landslide victory in the House and showed that voters are eager if not desperate to hold Trump accountable.

Democratic lawmakers increasingly rely on people of color to show up at the polls to remain in office, but following an unfortunately familiar pattern, then ignore the views of the very people responsible for voting them into office.

When you ask who I am, my parents are from Haiti. So we have an amazing history of the first Black republic... that is something that I hold very dear, very close to me.

We were wrong when we defined 'civility' as saying the wrong things the right way.

Whether it's a job or life choice, make sure you're figuring out what makes you motivated, not what motivates everyone else.

I spent my whole childhood, my college years, thinking that I was going to be a doctor.

There's something called the Hatch Act that I have to be very mindful of.

I've always known I've had to work harder, be smarter and have a longer resume than the men I'm working with to be valued for what I bring to my table.

Being the oldest of three siblings, I had to take care of my siblings while my parents were working six, seven days a week.

Throughout my non-linear career, I've learned to tap into my inner power - particularly when I worked in the White House under President Obama.

I was the oldest of three and there was tons of pressure on me to succeed.