I WANNA SEE YOU BE BRAVE.

"Dream on it. Let your mind take you to places you would like to go, and then think about it and plan it and celebrate the possibilities. And don't listen to anyone who doesn't know how to dream." -- Liza Minelli

Shalom, friends, fans, and wanderers alike. My name is Rachel Barbra Berry★. To tell you about my life — my full life — will take time, patience, and possibly a Kleenex or two. I encourage you to go grab a few if you’re currently without them, and if you don’t have any on hand, well, then good luck to you. In order to give you a full, all inclusive look into the life of the only and only (that’s right — I’m the original, any duplications should be ignored, reported, and shunned), we’ll have to start at the beginning, long before I was the success I am today. I was born out of love. My two Dads, Hiram and Leroy, had finally reached the stage in their married life where they were ready to settle down and adopt. But, they couldn’t settle for anything that was less than second best. They went through many, many, many possible candidates for a surrogate, but only when they found the perfect match did they make things official. Their sperm was mixed in a bowl, and because of it, I still don’t know which one is my biological father. I like it better that way, though — it makes my bond with them even more special. But, of course, nine months later, and a little miracle (yours truly) was born into the world on December 18th, 1994. They named her Rachel — both for their love of the television show F.R.I.E.N.D.S, and also for it’s meaning and symbolism in the Jewish faith (it was said that Rachel was the favorite of all Jacob’s wives). Barbra, of course, came from my one and only inspiration — Ms. Barbra Streisand herself. My Dads knew of my love for her already, since they were very specific and careful with what music they played into my birth mother’s womb. I was born Rachel Barbra Berry, but I assure you that I’ll be leaving this world as Rachel Barbra Berry★, for there is no other star that shines quite as brightly as I do. You might ask why every time I sign my name, I end it with a gold star. Well, it’s simple — my gold stars are a metaphor for me becoming a star. Metaphors are very important, you see. They show everyone what you wish to be, and there’s no doubt in my mind that my talents will take me to the top of the A-list. I started my musical theater training when I was very young. After winning my first singing competition when I was ten months old (see more about that story here), they immediately enrolled me into dance classes, and I was tapping my way to the top when I was only three years old. I was very verbally and musically inclined — a gift I got from both my Dads and my birth mother, who some might know as the former director of Vocal Adrenaline, the Nationally acclaimed show choir from Akron, OH. During my sophomore year, her and I met with one another and spoke intimately about the details of our relationship, and while we know we’re never going to experience the mother/daughter relationship we both crave, we can still respect each other, and our talents. If I had to choose someone to be more successful than me, it’d be her. After all the hard work she’s put into everything she’s done, she deserves it. Middle school was honestly a blur. It was a weird concoction of name calling, lunches in the bathroom stalls, and singing into my hairbrush at the end of the day. In Lima, OH, the arts aren’t exactly appreciated the way they should be, and it wasn’t until recently that I found a way to incorporate something fantastic into the mundane school system. Of course, I grabbed chances everywhere I could get them — community theater (of which I’ve starred in several productions), dancing competitions, and competitive talent shows around the local tri-county area. I’m a star — I was born to be on a stage and share my talents with the world. My voice is my strongest force, without a doubt. While others may excel in Math, or Science, or History, I’m nearing perfection when it comes to singing. Put me on a stage against anyone you know, and I promise you that I will out-sing them until there’s no tomorrow. I’ve worked hard my whole life in trying to become the best performer I can be, and because of it, I know I’m entitled to a sense of pride and accomplishment. I’m one of a kind, after all. And while others may laugh and roll their eyes, I simply stand my ground and keep my head held high. There words mean nothing to me. Upon entering William McKinley High School, I was both excited and distraught. Freshman year, I allowed myself to become a nobody. I was the lowest on the scale, I was as worse as it could get. I spent my time in clubs — sixteen of them, to be exact, and as I speak to you now, a young girl going into her senior year, I can say that I’m still the captain of every single one of them, proudly so. Sophomore year was really when my life took a turn for the dramatic, and upon the creation of McKinley’s competitive show choir, the New Directions, I finally felt as if I had a place at that school. My friends within the actually club itself are few and far between, and I’m positive most of them would rather throw me into the ocean than listen to me lecture them on the importance of perfect pitch and tone quality, but at the end of the day, we’re family, and I believe that family is there for each other, no matter what. Proudly, I co-captained that club with my then boyfriend Finn Hudson, and together, we showed everyone at our school that Glee club wasn't just for losers — it’s a place for everyone, and inside it, everyone has a place. After high school, I moved to New York, where I attended the New York Academy of the Dramatic Arts. I lived in Bushwick, with my very best friend Kurt Hummel, and my other friend, Santana Lopez. During my second semester, I received the honor of being cast in the revival of Funny Girl as the leading role of Fanny Brice, a role I maintained for a solid seven months before I retired. I almost jeopardized my spot in the show when a producer from FOX approached me with interest of a TV show, and me being a girl with her eyes on the prize -- I went with it. We spoke again, and after hiring a writing team, a show was created in my honor -- That's So Rachel. Filming began immediately, but after the pilot aired, the show was dropped from their line-up. I was told that, while they had the right idea, my show wasn't meeting their standards. I was promptly removed from the set, and upon having nowhere else to go, I found myself back in Lima, where I'm currently residing. I'm living with my Dad, and though it's a job I didn't expect to have, I'm the new director of the New Directions, William's McKinley's premiere show choir. Kurt's back to help me get out feet off the ground, and though our friends are the competition, I'm sure we'll find a way to rise above it all. So you're aware, this is an LBGTQ friendly blog! I’m very open minded, and I’m very much accepting of all people, regardless of race, religion, sexual orientation, and the like. My two Dads raised me with an admirable amount of respect for those around me, and living in the middle of no where has really tested my limits. If you’ve come here to spew any unnecessary hate, I will not fail to put you in your place before swiftly ignoring you and/or reporting you. Ignorance of any sort will not be tolerated here under any circumstances, and I suggest you re-think pressing that ‘follow button’ if you’re the kind of person who gets easily offended by simple things such as human beings loving each other in a friendly and welcoming environment. I’ve got a big personality — of this, I’m already aware. Let me state now for the records, though, that I never said I was a good person. I’m selfish, I’m driven, and I’m dangerously ambitious. I’ll stop at nothing to get what I want, and sometimes my judgment is clouded because of these wants and needs. I’ll always say sorry when I know I’ve done wrong, though, and I like to consider myself a very loyal and very kind friend, should you wish you go down that path. I’m a lot to handle — I’m high maintenance, I’m abrasive, I’m pushy, and sometimes, I’m self-centered. But, I feel I have a reason to be this way. I’ve been training my entire life for the things I want, and I know that some day, I’ll be gracing Broadway stages all across New York City. It’s my destiny, after all, and I can promise you that I’ll be the brightest star the Big Apple’s ever seen.

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