He has high aspirations in the music business

Anthony Roberson, who was bullied during middle school, is studying audio engineering at Lee College.

“I want to be a songwriter and music producer. I also want to start a record label. I know those are big goals and will take a lot of hard work and dedication, but it’s my passion.

“I even have a name for my label: I’m Here Records. It comes from my favorite movie, ‘The Color Purple.’ There’s this part where the main character, Celie, is leaving her abusive husband, Mister. He tells her, ‘You’re black, you’re poor, you’re ugly, you’re a woman, you’re nothing at all.’ And she says to him, ‘I’m poor, I’m black and I might even be ugly. But dear God, I’m here. I’m here.’ What I took from that is, I may not have all of the things that the world says I need to be successful. But I’m still here, and I feel like the universe has put me here for a reason. That’s why I’ve chosen the name, I’m Here Records, because of what it means to me.

“There are different people I look up to who have gone through really painful childhoods and other horrible things that were much worse than what I experienced. Seeing them rise above all of that and becoming successful in business and in their careers is really inspiring.

“What I would tell others is if you have a dream, go after it and never let anybody tell you that you can’t do it because of your race or your sexuality or whatever. I have a long way to go. But I’m confident that I can get through it all. I will come out on the winning side in the end. I will be successful.”