R&B producer presents life story

Music executive Amir Windom took the Whittenberger Auditorium stage Thursday evening to talk struggles, success and the importance of diversity in his life with an intimate group of students who had gathered there.

Windom presented his life story and tips for success as a part of IU’s inaugural year of the Diversity Lecture Series, a program created and directed by IU senior Leighton Johnson.

The goal of the series, Johnson said, is “to raise awareness on campus about what the true meaning of ‘diversity’ is.”

The common misconception of the term is what inspired him to create the program, he said, and he has worked with several groups on campus, including the Union Board, Black Student Union and African American Arts Institute, to make the event possible.

Windom was brought in as a speaker because “he looks at life from a global perspective,” Johnson said, and has a lot of knowledge to share.

Windom is half African American and half Korean. Johnson said he believes it is important to bridge the gap between cultures to create a better learning environment and life perspective, which is a point Windom mentioned several times during his lecture.

“If you’re white, you get nothing out of being around all white people. If you’re black, you get nothing out of being around all black people,” Johnson said. “Your greatest thoughts and ideas come from people who have different perspectives on life.”

Windom, who has worked in the music business since he was 19 years old, related to the audience by beginning his life story with his college years.

“What makes me passionate about coming here (is) I was truly in your shoes six years ago,” he said. “I was sitting in the same shoes wondering what to do next.”

He said he went to college planning to be a star athlete — a football player — and a broadcast journalism major. He soon realized, though, that it wasn’t the right path for him.

He got his feet wet in the music industry when he interned at Bad Boy Records at 19.

His career took off from there, he said, and four years later he was the youngest music executive in the industry.

He helped to create Grammy-winning songs and worked with artists such as T.I., Madonna, Jay-Z and Kanye West.

He said he was one of the masterminds behind the phenomenon that was Bruno Mars’ “Just the Way You Are.”

He said he did it by stepping outside of his box and being uncomfortable, and figuring out who he wasn’t rather than who he was, which was one of his most emphasized pieces of advice.

He had left school to work in the marketing department of Def Jam Records after his first internship, and worked for years before he decided to go back and finish his degree.

That choice resulted in a packed schedule that included four to five classes a day and his full-time executive job.

He said what kept him going was a realization: “This is your shot to be great. This is the shot that you get to change your life forever. This is how you create your legacy.”

The Diversity Lecture Series will continue throughout this semester under the theme of “Going from Success to Significance,” and next semester Johnson said the series will focus on issues and themes within the Latino community.

Windom had one common thread during his lecture, which was that anybody can do anything, as long as they put their minds to it.

“You guys are all going to be somebody,” he said. “You won’t see it happening, but it’ll happen. Just like,” – he snapped – “that.”