Anselm LeBourne gets an unofficial world record in June in the 800 meters.
Anselm LeBourne is not messing around.
LeBourne seems to approach every project with professionalism and passion. Since leaving Trinidad and Tobago to attend Seton Hall University in South Orange on a track and field scholarship, he’s continued his passion for running.
Currently, LeBourne is a nine-time world record holder in men’s masters track and field. In June, he created an unofficial new world record (the race was unsanctioned by the USATF) for the men’s 55-59 800 meters, at 2:01:63.
LeBourne is a standout in other ways. A 1982 graduate of the Stillman School of Business at SHU, he went on to a 25-year career as a Wall Street analyst. In his community, he has served as Vice Chairman of the South Orange Maplewood Community Coalition on Race. And he currently teaches business management to undergrads at Seton Hall as an adjunct professor.
And LeBourne is passionate about communicating. Toward that end, he founded SOMORE.org — the South Orange Maplewood Online Radio Experience — on September 30, 2013. The show, broadcast live from 8-9:30 p.m. Monday through Friday can be heard here. It is also available as a podcast on Tunein.com (search “somore”).
SOMORE.org streams live from 8-9:30 p.m. Monday through Friday.
This is no cheap basement production. LeBourne has constructed a professional radio studio, hired professional actors to do intros and voice overs, and operates the show with high fidelity sound and quality editing.
LeBourne reads the news, hosts guests and expounds on topics of local interest. Recently, he live-streamed the show from the first-ever Cultural Heritage Festival in Maplewood’s Memorial Park.
“That’s the thing,” said LeBourne in a recent phone interview. “I decided if I’m going to do this, I will have professional people, professional voice overs. Because SOMA has to be professional.”
“An underground station in New Jersey approached me to work for them. I did a lot of my own stuff. I declined and decided I wanted to form my own Internet radio station.”
LeBourne is already upgrading his radio studio for better sound. “My engineer is installing a new sound board. I have to try and make it the best that I can make it.”
Soon LeBourne will be streaming video of the show as well as audio. He has also applied for a low-powered radio station license through the FCC. Finally, LeBourne is also looking to host others who want to broadcast their own shows.
From listening to the show, it’s clear that LeBourne’s message is a positive one and that he aims to promote the news in a community building manner. On a recent program, he chastised those who criticized the turnout at the Cultural Heritage Festival. After Maya Angelou’s death on May 28, SOMORE.org featured outtakes of the poet reading her work, including her poem for President Clinton’s inauguration.
And if you don’t know LeBourne from his radio show yet, you’ve probably seen him around town running the lengths of its major thoroughfares.
“I love running. It’s my biggest hobby.” LeBourne said people say “hi” all the time though “they don’t know my name. They say, ‘I see you on Ridgewood, on South Orange Avenue on Prospect on Valley and ask, ‘Don’t you ever get tired?'”
Apparently not.
Read more about LeBourne’s humble beginnings and track & field feats here.
