Bullying can have devastating life-long consequences, especially when that bullying happens at an early age. Everyday Hero Sean Roberts used his own experience of getting bullied to help young people who’ve been victims.
What You Need To Know
- AMRAK is a non-profit that makes movies that help raise awareness about bullying
- Sean Roberts experienced bullying when he first got to Central Florida, which led him to create the group
- Roberts: bullying can often be more about the person doing the bullying than anyone else
- EVERYDAY HERO: Find more uplifting stories around Central Florida
Roberts says he was working as a teacher in New York when he discovered a calling.
“Somebody spoke over my life and said I was going to be presenting to people on a different scale,” said Roberts.
When he got to Central Florida, Roberts says he was bullied as an adult while helping a friend with a movie production. So he decided to make his own movie called "Karma". But then he flipped the name around and called it AMRAK.
“So I came up with the idea of a taking a negative situation and turning it around as something positive,” said Roberts.
AMRAK eventually became a non-profit organization where Roberts now makes more video productions. The storylines center around bullying. And the young actors share their real-life experiences.
“Great discussions about confidence and knowing your own worth,” said Dylan Humphrey, an AMRAK participant.
Dylan and his sister Denver say they are bullied on the tennis court.
“Being the only African-American kids or being the only good kids out there, it was really hard,” said Denver. “People used to always judge.”
“And the names and the judgement, we’ve almost become immune to it,” said Dylan.
But as Roberts has learned, and now teaches others, the bullying can often be more about the person doing the bullying than anyone else.
“When someone says something negative about you, that’s key because they’re letting you know you’re about to be great – because why else would they say something negative about you if you’re a nobody,” said Roberts.
Roberts’ productions have premiered at film festivals and online. The experience has given teens like Dylan and Denver ways to mentally process bullying, and enough confidence to see it for what it is.
“It definitely helps us know that we helped contribute to a great product that this is,” said Dylan. “It’s very uplifting.”