Dakota Fanning Quotes

Here's what I see all across this great city - people working together to make Boston a better place to live and to raise children, to grow and pursue dreams.

I learned so much from other actors and they definitely didn't treat me like some sex bomb or bimbo. I felt fully accepted in the regular movie world. I didn't feel categorised.

We're helping those children who cannot help themselves and giving a push to those who can. We've done it by working together for a common purpose. I see no reason to stop now.

I'm not interested in making all-black films - I come from a very diverse culture; I want to work with every type of person. I work a lot with women executives because they seem to be a lot more open minded about that and a lot more progressive in that way.

I view my role more as trying to set up an environment where the personalities, creativity and individuality of all the different employees come out and can shine.

Whenever I have a job, it's very important for me to handle myself in a way so that when there's another person, a young person of color, or even someone who's my age now, that they'll say, 'Oh, Dule was cool. Yeah, he handled his business. Yeah, he really added to what we did here,' so maybe we'll do it again.

If I can help create an environment where the principles that I believe in can be implemented - to me, that's fulfilling.

Disability is a matter of perception. If you can do just one thing well, you're needed by someone.

Oh, my goodness, when you're a mother and you just give birth to a child with spina bifida and - or Down's Syndrome or cerebral palsy, there's a bit of a shock you're going to have to go through, a bit of an adjustment curve.

We must listen and learn, show humility and seek again to talk for and to people's ambitions and concerns.

Let us walk into the conference room as equals and not second class citizens.

Believe it or not, one teacher used to call me a giant spastic for not being able to play football.

Pity? You don't want to be pitied because you're a cripple in a wheelchair? Stay in your house!

Once you have a Down's syndrome child, you can't conform. In a way, you're free.

I've had tons of bullies who would call me retarded, even on my Facebook page. It's sad and it really hurts. I want to tell people not to use the word. Don't say your friend's retarded when they do something foolish. If you have a disability, keep working hard. Whatever it takes, do it, and don't be mean to people.

Ten years ago, it was really difficult for a young actress to walk onto a set and disagree with the director and having that be OK and have a conversation about it and everyone be cool with it.

Employers have recognized for some time that it's smart business to have a diverse workforce - one in which many views are represented and everyone's talents are valued. Well, disability is part of diversity.

It's about communication. It's about honesty. It's about treating people in the organization as deserving to know the facts. You don't try to give them half the story. You don't try to hide the story. You treat them as - as true equals, and you communicate and you communicate and communicate.

I am on the International Board of Best Buddies, and I am also working with Special Olympics, and with The Arc to help people with disabilities become more independent and more included in their communities.

Through the 'It's About Ability' campaign and with parents and other members of society, we have created a social family for children with disabilities.

To the families of special needs children all across this country I have a message for you: for years you have sought to make America a more welcoming place for your sons and daughters, and I pledge to you that if we're elected, you will have a friend, an advocate, in The White House.

I have a wonderful assistant. I tell her I need four amputees and a midget, and she finds them.

In any human-rights campaign, everybody must do what they can.

If I can be an inspiration for someone, that's fine, but just don't look down on me. Don't say, 'Oh, you're in a wheelchair.'

It was physically difficult, adjusting to wheelchair life, but I remember a great relief and happiness that I was finally getting somewhere, finding musicians to work with that were sympathetic.