Quotes from Brooke Baldwin

It's so important to talk to the first responders.

As for my mom, her biggest gift to me was teaching me I can and I must use my voice. I owe her a debt of gratitude.

I want to help lift women's voices. And I realize, in doing that, I need to use my own.

I dedicated my first 'American Woman' series to my mother. She and millions in her generation felt they couldn't use their voices, but they taught their daughters they must use theirs.

Throughout the 2016 presidential election, I listened. At debates and rallies, I heard their voices clearly and felt compelled to do something more. Thousands and thousands of women spoke with confidence and conviction.

I knew the second I slipped on my dress that it was the one. I felt sexy, not super bride-y, and just entirely me.

Just ask my boss - any time a major story breaks, I'm banging on his door to send me.

Feeling physically strong in the morning truly helps me keep focused the rest of the day.

You never ask a Maasai warrior how many cattle he has; it's like asking someone how much money they've got in their bank account.

When either major stories break or something just really touches me, I initiate and pitch, then follow through. I will literally march across the newsroom and bang on the president of CNN's door. He knows when I'm coming.

Yes, I'm grateful for technology. But I'm also happy for the off switch.

I actually love being a little older and doing this wedding thing. At 38, I know what I like and what I don't.

It's a funny thing when you finally have an excuse to get all of your favorite people from all corners of the globe together in one room for my wedding. Other than saying 'I do' to my hunky Englishman, that is the thing I am most excited about!

Wedding dress shopping is basically like dating. You pick the one based on how you feel.

I'm fortunate enough to get hair and makeup every day because of what I do, but it's the same, consistent look. Great for TV, not so fun for a wedding!

What surprised me the most? Christina Hagan, the millennial Congressional candidate and ardent Trump supporter. I walked into her living room in rural Ohio one summer weekend with an open mind, and I'm grateful she offered the same in return.

I'll never forget coming home after covering Sandy Hook. Seeing the faces of family members. The firefighters who could never unsee the unthinkable. Those tiny caskets. I came home, sat in my dark apartment because I didn't even bother to turn the lights on, and wept.

My job is to be OK without a precise plan.

My rule - and I feel like this is a pretty good rule for life - no drinking while on television. I do not ever imbibe.

My drive comes from my parents and from Westminster.

Westminster is no joke. I took some tough classes there. It prepared me for a tough career.

The first time I ever saw James in a tux, I told him, 'Oh, my: wherever and whenever we get married, you have to wear one of these again!'

Ava DuVernay, Sheryl Crow, Diane von Furstenberg, Ashley Graham, Tracy Reese, Pat Benatar, Issa Rae, Betty White - they've all shattered glass ceilings, whether in music, fashion, or film.

People are full of great advice... Professors, parents, friends mean well... But in the end, the person driving this thing called life is you. Listen to you. Spend time being alone. Learn your worth. Dream. And never forget where you came from.