In April 2025, Samirah Horton spoke on bullying at TEDxHCCS Youth. The nearly 10-minute long set began when she shared an experience she had at a basketball sleepaway camp four years earlier. Horton, 16, who has a naturally deep voice, was teased for sounding like a chronic cigarette smoker. When she sought support from her coach, she was instead told to “toughen up.”
Horton, a high school junior, posed a question to her audience: Is bullying a rite of passage or a detriment to one’s ability to succeed? She cited a 1960s NASA case study where children were subjected to creativity tests. Ninety-eight percent of these children, ages 3 to 5, were labeled creative geniuses. . The same students were tested over time, and by the time they reached adulthood, only 2% were considered creative geniuses.
Samirah Horton aka DJ Annie Red 
Samirah Horton aka DJ Annie Red, City Councilmember Chi Ossé, and mother Sonya Horton with family at the launch of the Banned Book Library at Nazarene Congregational United Church of Christ in Brooklyn, NY. 
Samirah Horton aka DJ Annie Red holding the two books she’s written, including The Bully Stop Credit: Sonya Horton For Web: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gNIMkN_1quM
While acknowledging that bullying is not the primary reason a child may choose to diminish themselves, Horton offered insight on how parents can support their children in facing adversity in the real world. She shared that being bullied over her voice wasn’t her first such experience, nor was it the first time an adult had essentially told her to “get over it.”
In elementary school, she wrote a song about being bullied called “No You Won’t Bully Me.” The song prompted her to write a book, “The Bully Stop”, and eventually start the nonprofit, You’re Never Too Young To Make A Change — which focuses on helping kids follow their passion. “Don’t be the next somebody, be the next you,” she said. “Nobody has to be the next Kai Cenat.”
Horton’s trajectory into a creative force began when she was just four years old. Her love of music was developed through her father who DJ-ed all of the family events. She was able to watch, learn, and play with her dad’s equipment. “We’ve always been the party household, so everyone’s always coming to our house,” she laughed. By the time she was six, she was booking paid gigs under the stage name DJ Annie Red – because her middle name is Anne and she once wore a reddish brown afro – eventually leading her to be the Kid Resident DJ for the Brooklyn Nets. “That was a milestone point,” she recalls.
An only child, Horton says that her parents poured into her after experiencing some serious challenges. Prior to her birth, her mother Sonya Horton experienced nine miscarriages.
“My parents put me in everything. Kudos to them. Art, I did dance, I did tennis. Robotics camp. They really poured into me,” she said. As a child, she had a chance encounter with actor and comedian, Dick Gregory, who called her an “Indigo Child,” a concept derived from a number of spiritual traditions about children who possess unique and powerful gifts. The power she believes she possesses? “I have a really good way with people,” she said.
This summer, the high school junior opened up a Banned Books Library at her church, Nazarene Congregational United Church of Christ in Brooklyn.
“The books that get banned are usually three categories: microcosms of our current government, books that are too taboo, or those real intellectual books. If you’re anybody who’s anybody, you like these kinds of books. So, the goal with the banned Banned Book Library, it’s not enough to just talk about it, we gotta take some actions,” she said.
Horton goes on to explain the process of how books get on the banned books list and shares that there are more than 4,000 books currently on the list including her favorite, “The Bluest Eye” by Toni Morrison. Currently, her Banned Books Library only has 67 titles, but she’s hoping to expand that and is actively seeking donations. “Church is open every Sunday. Bring some books.”
During the school year, Horton has a very busy schedule. Her mother assists in managing this balancing act, making sure school, basketball, deejaying, and her nonprofit work all have space to thrive while also giving Horton a moment of two to rest. During the summer, Horton’s schedule lightens up a bit, but she continues to pour back into her community by hosting a DJ camp for young kids.
Horton’s future plans include taking a year or two after completing an undergraduate degree in political science to tour Europe. Despite her mother’s fear and apprehension, Horton wants to get into the DJ scene abroad. When she does come back to the states, she plans to continue her academic career by going into law school and then go into politics.
“It excites me a lot,” she said. “I like the idea of being able to make decisions, being able to advocate for others. It’s very on brand for me.”
To learn more about Samirah Horton and the incredible work that she’s doing, you can follow her on Instagram @DJ_Annie_Red or visit her website www.djanniered.com.