I don’t have a lot of money because I am young, but I do have a lot of time. And that’s all it takes … to change someone’s life.” -Brooklyn Roller
All she wanted for Christmas was a puppy- and in 2012, Brooklyn’s wish finally came true when Buddy, an adorable little Yorkie, became part of her family. Sadly, on April 8, 2018, they lost Buddy due to an illness. Brooklyn was able to turn this heartbreak into a ray of hope for many children, hence, the birth of her book, Adventures of Buddy Luv. Brooklyn is truly an inspiration for young people as she spends her time and strength helping others. In this episode, Brooklyn talks about her work at the Dream Factory and gives advice about conquering fear and being a young children’s author. Like Brooklyn, you too can create an impact because the truth is, you are never too young! Your ability to help is greater than your limitations. Tune in and spread the love. As Brooklyn says, “everybody needs some Buddy to Luv”.
Highlights:
01:38 What is Involved in Philanthropy
05:25 The Dream Factory
08:33 What’s Next for Brooklyn?
12:02 You’re Never Too Young!
15:08 Build a Bed
17:24 Overcome the Fear
Resources:
de de’s Books
Two Degree’s Series
Rescued Heart Series
Brooklyn’s Book
Everybody needs some Buddy to Luv! Tune in as @dedeCox sits with Brooklyn Roller, author of Adventures of Buddy Luv. Learn how you can also serve others regardless of age! #dedecox #kentuckyromanceauthor #unbriddledcountrytraditions #podcast… Click To Tweet
Quotes:
01:56 “A lot of people have a perception of pageantry that is totally not what it is. We think it’s all about the glitz and the glam but… there is a lot of volunteering that goes into that.” -Brooklyn Roller
03:03 “The smallest actions can often go the farthest.” -Brooklyn Roller
04:03 “I don’t have a lot of money because I am young, but I do have a lot of time. And that’s all it takes … to change someone’s life.” -Brooklyn Roller
12:02 “You’re never too young.” -Brooklyn Roller
Meet Brooklyn Roller:
de de has known Brooklyn since she was 6 and in the pageant industry. She soon became one of the biggest advocates for community service, especially with the Dream Factory of Louisville, KY. (de de served on the board for 26 years) Brooklyn became an ambassador and continues this journey. Her book was written because of her love for her pet that she lost – Buddy, and she continues volunteering.
Transcriptions:
de de Cox Hey guys, welcome to my podcast. I’m so excited. This time I have someone that is just a little bit younger than what you have typically seen probably in some of the podcasts. I actually have a llittle, I said little girl. She’s always been a little girl to me. I met her when she was seven years old. She competed in one of my preliminary pageants. She won and then we went on to the state competition, and she won the actual state competition. From there our friendship, the bond was formed. And I bring you current, because not only I can’t say little girl anymore, she has become a philanthropist. She has become a published author, a children’s published author, and she is preparing for college. So there’s so many big things happening right now. But this is the amazing Brooklyn Roller.
Brooklyn Roller Hello.
de de Cox So I want to ask you just to get you started, just to get us warmed up. Tell us starting in the pageant industry so young how philanthropy has affected you moving forward to where you are right now sitting across from me, what does philanthropy and what have you been involved in?
“A lot of people have a perception of pageantry that is totally not what it is. We think it’s all about the glitz and the glam but… there is a lot of volunteering that goes into that.” -Brooklyn Roller
Brooklyn Roller When I first started doing pageantry, I had no idea what I was getting myself into. I think a lot of people have a perception of pageantry that is totally not what it is. We think it’s all about the glitz and the glam and getting up and doing your makeup and going up on stage and dress and high heels, but really, it’s the total opposite of that. And because I found you and I started doing the pageant world, I realized that it is a lot of [inaudible] the fever, it is a lot of volunteering that goes into that. And it’s more than just the ground. So since then, I’ve been a part of the pageantry and Opal’s Dream Foundation, and I’m on the team board for Norton Children’s Hospital. I’m always there. Let’s go on and on but philanthropy has definitely become a big part of my life and I probably should for you.
de de Cox I don’t know that I would say you have me to thank for that. Say that we have the good Lord for bringing connections. I’m bringing this full circle out of the philanthropy. What has been your biggest strength to learn about yourself in philanthropy, about the community service about volunteering? What is your biggest strength that you think you have found that has maybe sort of defined you as you really bored into college life?
“The smallest actions can often go the farthest.” -Brooklyn Roller
Brooklyn Roller I think the biggest thing is that I’ve learned that the smallest actions can often go the farthest. And so just making that small impact in someone else’s life makes a huge difference. And so every day, personal goal to make someone’s day better. It could be something super small, but just to make someone smile, it changes per day and that’s what I try to do day in and day out.
de de Cox Well, I will tell you what is the biggest things how you touched my life was you receive the WLKY award of spirit of legal foundation award, which is given to two youth each year that have actually shown the commitment to the community and different things. And I remember your speech, but do you remember that one sentence that you said when you stood up there that I know will make an impact on you because it made an impact on me, what you said? [inaudible] Do you know what it was? I may not have a lot of, say that. So what did you say? Say it.
Brooklyn Roller I probably said something a lot. Well, we don’t have a lot of money, which I don’t, because I am young, but I do have a lot of time. And that’s all it takes is most of the time is just your time and giving the little time that you have, you know, I’m very busy with school and work, but I do have a little extra time on my hands and that extra time to change someone’s life, but I might use it for that.
“I don’t have a lot of money because I am young, but I do have a lot of time. And that’s all it takes … to change someone’s life.” -Brooklyn Roller
de de Cox She said in a speech. And when I heard that speech, the previous year, I had won the Bell award for my community service. And she attended that evening when she heard me speak and I was able to be blessed enough to hear her speak on receiving the award in the youth category. And she received scholarship money. And I remember that lesson she stood there and she was out to the audience and she told them she said, “I don’t have a lot of money.” And you said that, you said I don’t have a lot of money. She said that I have time or time and you know, I never that all of us don’t have a lot of time but believe it or not, you can find the time.
Brooklyn Roller You find the time. If it’s important to you, you always find the time.
de de Cox And philanthropy is important to you. You also going forward we have this year has been a big year for the pageant industry as well. You have several titles, and you’re taking your platform, can you tell us a little bit about what your platform is?
Brooklyn Roller My platform is with the Dream Factory and that was one of the first organizations that I got involved with. And the Dream Factory grant streams to critically and chronically ill children from ages three to 18. And ever since then, ever since a little girl named Brian, she was the first Dream Factory that I ever met. And she’s become like my entire world and so since then, I’ve been spending a lot of time with the Dream Factory. And I made it my platform when I go into the pageant world.
de de Cox And now we get to talk about the next big thing that is your book. And it’s Buddy Luv. And she has a story behind the Adventures of Buddy Luv, which is the book right here. And it’s very unusual how the book is made. I love the size of it. And I love the fact that it is for children and is very– the colors, the detail that she placed in this, and I’m going to let her explain how we came up with the Adventures of Buddy Luv.
Brooklyn Roller So a few years ago, I reached out to the national headquarters of the Dream Factory and I said, “Hey, this is where I am. What can I do?” Because I had always been a volunteer for the world chapter but I wanted to go far beyond that. And so they assigned me a project to where I could design a teddy bear that would be given to each Dream Factors that like green in the dream. And I had ordered a ton of bears to pick the exact one that I wanted. And I was designing the T shirt, I was branding the whole bear. The one part that I couldn’t quite grab ahold of was the name of the bear. Because this bear is going to be given to so many kids, it’s got to be special. So around that time my dog got unexpectedly he got sick and passed away. And I had asked for a dog for years. And so when I finally got one in 2012 for Christmas, he became my best friend. Every single day I came home from school and how badly my day was, he was always there. And so then when he passed away, that was really hard for my family and I. I remember that night when my dad came home, he couldn’t even say the words because he was just a mess. And you usually don’t see your dad cries, but when you see your dad cry, you know, it’s bad. So he came in, and we slept as a family that night downstairs in the basement, and we just cried together. And there was a lot of grief involved in that. But the positive thing that came out of it was I realized through that moment that everybody needs a buddy to love. It’s my dogs in this body there was it was a perfect fit. And because it’s been given to Dream Factory who have an [inaudible], they need to be reminded more than ever that they have a buddy to love.
de de Cox Well, everybody just like Queen, the song. Everybody needs somebody to love. Somebody to love. This is her book, I cannot be more proud of her. Because she reached out to me and said, “Will you help me?” Here’s a really cool thing. It’s okay to help kids, you know, they actually are smarter than you and I are. And because they’re younger than you and I they have more stamina to stay awake and like to write books and different things. But I want to know what you want to take further with the adventures of Buddy Luv. I’ve read the book. So what are we looking to in the future? Where is Buddy going to go?
Brooklyn Roller There is a book number two in the making. It’s been a little hard, the most difficult thing about being a young author is that you have to balance work, you have to balance school, go to college. So right now I’m currently doing a lot of scholarship applications. So I’m definitely very busy but in the free time I try and find time to write the second book. So Buddy’s just gonna keep on going on adventures. So this next adventure will be going to the hospital. So we’ll see where that leads.
de de Cox Now you realize that your grant dreams chronically and terminally ill children. Why the hospital? Why is Buddy going to the hospital? What had you yourself seeing by being the national minister, by being the local ambassador, what have you seen in the hospital?
Brooklyn Roller Especially during the times that we’re in right now, I can’t physically go to the hospital and visit the kids. And even a lot of the family members they can’t go so the hospital is that one place especially right now that they need to remember that they’re loved. They need to remember that they’re special because a lot of procedures I went to it will have surgeries and that’s not one place where a lot of kids get scared. And so for Buddy Luv to go and to make the person feel loved is exactly what I want to be able to be through but number two.
de de Cox Okay. I’m looking forward to book number 2 but I love book number one. Because of Buddy because of the book and because of your involvement with you know [inaudible] Bears. We give bears to the children and the schools of the Dream Foundation. We grant dreams chronically , well, we grant dream to senior citizens, blessings in a backpack. And then you’ve been involved with raising the children [inaudible] through five, and then taking it even further, what are you going to do when you go to college? Do you have that career mindset? Yeah? But what do you want to be when you grow up?
Brooklyn Roller I do. So at first, when I grew up, I always thought I wanted to be a teacher until Middle School, we went to this eighth grade, we went to some teacher conference thing. And I talked all about teaching, and because that’s what I thought I wanted to be. After that conference, I was like, that’s not for me. And so then I decided to look into different opportunities to where I could use my skills that I do have in a job environment. And that’s when I came across, I was actually at a Norton children’s team board meeting, and a child life specialist came in and talk about what she does. And that seems like a perfect fit for me. So I think I’m gonna go to college and become a child specialist.
de de Cox Now, I know you’re going to go to the college that suits you. And I know that everybody knows, I have to tell the what college you’re going to.
Brooklyn Roller The University of Kentucky.
de de Cox So we got to talk basketball, y’all because we just gotta leave that alone.
Brooklyn Roller I may be wearing red today. But I do believe boy, go catch.
de de Cox Go catch. We’re really playing hard in the NCAA tournament and the SCC championship. But so being a young author, because you actually were published at what age? Did you 17?
Brooklyn Roller Well, actually 18. I’ve just turned 18.
de de Cox You’ve just turned 18, okay. So what big piece of advice would you give to a children’s author? Like someone your age? I mean, you know, I can publish a children’s book. But what do you give to someone that’s your age to think there is just no way that I could ever do this. What would you say?
“You’re never too young.” -Brooklyn Roller
Brooklyn Roller You’re never too young. I know, when you first gave me the idea that I should write a children’s book. She’s crazy. There’s no way. I wouldn’t know where to even begin. But then I decided, you know what, let’s sit down. Let’s start writing. And it wasn’t as hard as I thought it would be. And I ended up realizing that I loved it. So that’s why I’m continuing it. And I’m making a new series and I’m working on nook number 2 because I found a passion in writing.
de de Cox Can you imagine what Buddy could do as your child’s life specialists and how you can use the very first book that you have written? How does that make you feel, knowing that you’ve not just written a book but you’ve done something extraordinary with the book.
Brooklyn Roller Yes. I want to be able to use my books when I do go into the hospital when I am working as a child life specialist, because the whole series is about focusing on the obstacles that kids with critical and chronic illnesses. Do you have to have critical and chronic illnesses to read the book? No. But that’s what it’s trying to center on because they need to know that they’re loved. And so I hope to use that in my career when I go to college and started becoming a child life specialist.
de de Cox Well, I will tell you, Michael always joked with me that I’m like the one that does all the book signings and stuff. But I’ve noticed you’ve been doing a lot of readings. How did you go about getting the schools to allow you to do that with the pandemic? Because you have to deal with 70 CDC guidelines, let’s say that way? How did you start to do that?
Brooklyn Roller When I released the book in September, a lot of things were closed down at the time. So I couldn’t go right into the schools but I waited a little bit. And then finally, schools were allowing me to come in. And I say, I’m 16 apart from the students. But I started going into the schools and I’ve loved every minute of it. I think I could read or I think I can recite my book in the middle of my sleep, because I’ve read it so many times. But it’s been so special to sit down with the students and to read my book and to talk about what being an author is like, and I think I’ve even met some future authors myself, so I’m really excited for that.
de de Cox So when you go in there, what has been the most unusual question that a child has asked you when you’ve read the book?
Brooklyn Roller I’m not sure about a question. But I did have a student so it was really pretty and it’s really funny, because like a week later, he went home and I know his sister, and his sister was like, “Oh my gosh, he just broke his arm. Can you send him a video or something? Because he just broke his arm and apparently has a big crush on you.” So I ended up sending him a video because he broke his arm and he’s really down because he had a couple days off school because he is a friend. So and then we ordered the book that night, because he said that was the one thing that he wanted for his birthday was my book. So that was a really special moment because I think going into school you don’t really realize how big of an impact you have until you hear stories like that where they’d loved your book.
de de Cox Tell me about it because I was there when this took place. Tell me about the distribution of the book to the largest school system in our Commonwealth, which is Jefferson school system. Tell me a little bit about that.
Brooklyn Roller I got to donate 95 of my books to the Jefferson County school system and going there was one of the best experiences I think I’ve ever had. Because I realized, wow, this is really happening. And I think until you see, like your vision through, like, I think when I first started this process, I didn’t realize that I would be as successful as I have been with the book. I honestly thought, well, no one’s gonna buy it. No, you know, I wouldn’t be successful with it. But going to Jefferson County school, it’s like I am making an impact and I am making a difference in my community, one Buddy Luv book at a time. So that was really special, especially seeing what difference that I can continue to make with the other books as well.
de de Cox We have one more big project coming up that we’re hoping will take place this year during the pandemic. And this is Build a Bed. So expound on that just a little bit about what Build a Bed and how we are working with Benji to also include Buddy in that.
Brooklyn Roller Yes, so Build a Bed, I’m able to donate 75 books, Buddy Luv books to build a bed. So they will go to each bed for the kids that need a bed. So I’m really excited for that and I can’t wait to see that there too.
de de Cox Now Build a Bed is something that takes place in Louisville, Kentucky, and Benji Langley, who was also part of our WLKY, he received the mayor’s award. He builds beds for children that do not have beds, they’re just laying on the floor. And he’s got it down to a science. And so you guys, she approached Benji and said, I want to be able to give back something, because they always have blankets, they have sheets, they have pillows, they try to get one stuffed animal for the children and stuff. But she approached him and said, I want to donate a book for each of the beds. And so that’s when we get to that point, because we have to do a one day affair. We all have to put the beds together with the frames and different things and she will be able to put that book on every child’s bed. 75 beds that will, you know, have Buddy Love and you will continue the adventure. If you had to say anything that maybe you were fearful of when you started the journey, what would be your fear? What was the fear that may have prevented you?
Brooklyn Roller One was time. Finding the time to actually write the book. And then also questioning if I was good at what I was doing. You know, I questioned a lot of my writing. I think I even go back and change a lot of things in the first book. So it’s definitely influenced my second book because I’m like, Okay, let’s make this exactly how I want to be. But I learned a lot through the first process and I’m ready to go on to book number two and beyond that, so.
de deCox You have to give them your website. What’s your website?
Brooklyn Roller www.brooklynroller.weebly.com
de de Cox And that’s Weebly, W-E-E-B-L-Y.com brooklynroller.weebly.com. So we want to be able to go on there. And also we’re on Amazon.
Brooklyn Roller Yes.
de de Cox And we come in softback and in hardback. Yes. Yes. Are there any other sites– I know that Target, the Walmart, that kind of thing, Barnes and Noble we can order on, are there any other things that would be specific to where we can find you? Via Facebook?
Brooklyn Roller I do have Facebook. So you can find me on Facebook @brooklynroller and there also is an Adventures of Buddy Luv page on Facebook and Instagram.
de de Cox That’s even better, so that you can follow Buddy and his adventures too. And who knows that second book. I’m so excited that you guys get to meet the little girl that I have watched grew up into an amazing, amazing children’s published author. Thank you guys so much.
Brooklyn Roller Thank you.
de de Cox Oh, thanks for tuning in. It is the Kentucky Romance Author Podcast. We are Unbridled Country Traditions because in the country, there’s obviously tradition and now you’ve met a lot of the traditions that I have grown up with. One of them being kindness. God bless.