Monologue Of Olivia Berman

Olivia Berman. Black, adopted at twelve months by two gay men, and raised in a Jewish home. Olivia was the opposite of a typical white girl. Growing up with an autistic brother and a sister who lost her battle to cancer was more than she could handle. Almost everyday Olivia thought about how much easier it would be to vanish from the earth. Would anyone even notice? Wouldn’t she be just another dead body that would need to be buried?
Any day Olivia made it to school was a miracle. Her confidence was only one thing that was taken away by her classmates with constant bullying. The other kids bet whether she would even show up. Would today be the day there would be an empty seat in class, one less person taking up the hallway? To them, Olivia was just another black girl who didn’t take school seriously.
When others looked at Olivia, they saw a black girl with two white fathers. An interracial family. There weren’t many people who really knew Olivia, who knew about the challenges of having an autistic brother and a sister who passed away. The Berman family was financially stable, with a few rough spots here and there. Her two fathers stressed Jewish values of giving back, being

grateful for what you have, and the importance of being part of the community. Those were at her core, the foundation of who she was.
In her room, Olivia sat in the dark. No light, no sounds, nothing but herself. Thinking back to her day at school, it was just another day of hiding for her safety. She had already lost everything she cared about, it was just a matter of time… ring ring… ring ring… As Olivia stumbled to pick up the phone and catch her breathe to say hello, the sound of cries echoed in her ear. This was the first time in months that Sara had called her.
“Why? Why me?” Sara caught her breath, “what did I do to deserve this?”
Having not talked to Sara in months, Olivia was confused, “Are you ok?”
“Dead! That’s right, he’s dead. My own dad, dead!” Sara screamed into the phone.
Olivia had a choice to make. She could either comfort her friend, or leave her to deal with it on her own. The way Olivia dealt with the situation allowed her to come to realization about what a gift she had. Turning her own experience into a way to help.
Thoughts rushed through Olivia’s head as she reconnected to her values. The reason she wasn’t going to kill herself right then and there, was her recognition that her purpose was to help improve the world by helping others. That was it! Take what you have and change it into something that can alter others’ perspectives. Olivia suffered at a young age, when others were learning how to tie their own shoes or ride a bike. She realized that while her life was chaotic, others had it worse. Olivia knew what a crazy life she had, but that didn’t stop her from being a good person and always wanting to give to others.
Olivia’s goal was now going to be to help others understand that life was too short to complain, to take what you have and make the best of it.

She realized she didn't have to bury her emotions but could express them in ways that would motivate others. She soon began to speak at senior homes, schools, organizations, and more, Olivia told her story over and over again. Audiences from all over the world came to see her speak at conventions. That was Olivia Berman for you, eighteen years old and she couldn’t be more satisfied with the person she had become. Convention after convention, Olivia soon became world renown. The advice and story Olivia told went viral! She made money, but it wasn’t important. Olivia spoke for free yet became wealthy with the message of hope she brought to

others.
As remarkable as Olivia’s story is, her devotion to others kept her going. “You are who you are and instead of trying to change yourself to be someone who you aren’t, take a step back and realize what you can become.” The connection to her culture and her core values were at the heart of who she became, just your average girl.