The Black OC is a creative movement utilizing the power of hip hop to build community, establish greater equality among all demographics while promoting a higher standard for urban culture.
At Students Teaching Film, Ferin Kidd mentors at-risk youth in photo and film with the understanding that not only are these constructive activities for them to express themselves, but a path to potential career opportunities in their future.
Ferin Kidd, Executive Director THE BLACK OC is a filmmaker and activist. He is the CEO of 365 The Movement (an innovative and socially conscious hip-hop label) and the Chief Representative of The Black OC (a creative movement utilizing the power of hip-hop to build community and establish greater equality among all demographics, while promoting a higher standard for urban culture). In addition, Ferin mentors at-risk youth in photo and film with the understanding that not only are these constructive activities for them to express themselves, but a path to potential career opportunities in their future. Ferin has completed a documentary of his firsthand experience in Minneapolis during the protests that took place immediately following the murder of George Floyd. Ferin is also in the process of authoring a book titled after his documentary #Bang4Change.
IN THE NEWS! Ferin Kidd, Chief Representative of The Black OC speaks at Sasscer (Black Panther) Park in Santa Ana, CA during a Juneteenth vigil and demonstration for George Floyd and all victims of police violence. Ferin emphasizes to the crowd the need for solidarity between the Black and Brown community (the 2 populations most impacted by systemic racism and it effects: Poverty, crime, policing, etc.). Furthermore, he calls for an end to gang violence, advocates unity between people of all colors while accentuating the need to stand in support of each other's struggles against inequality and injustice. Ferin also implores those who have not lost their constitutional rights due to criminal histories to exercise them and change their communities and local governments from within first. The crowd hears his roar and pumps their fists in support of unity and solidarity, then takes a knee as a symbolic oath to cease their participation in gang violence before finally heading to the registration table to begin exercising influence in local government.
(Photo by Paul Bersebach, Orange County Register/SCNG)
Ferin Kidd is the new Orange County. As the national movement to end police brutality has progressed, he’s emerged as a prominent activist and charismatic community leader, providing a unifying voice for the Black community through his movement The Black OC.
“If you’re Black and from O.C., I hope you’re proud of it, too,” he said. “We have a responsibility to go out in the world and reflect the beauty and strength and power of our blackness.”
Calling on all people to stand against white nationalism, Kidd unfurled a “#Bang4Change Unity Flag” made up of four bandannas – black, brown, beige and white.
“Growing up Black in OC is a particularly unique experience, because you’re acutely aware that you’re Black by virtue of the fact that many people here are not,” he said.
I decided to create The Black OC as a way to organize the rapidly growing and thriving Black population in Orange County, as well as begin clearly defining what it means to be, culturally speaking, Black in OC so that the younger generation doesn’t make the same mistakes that many of us did (i.e., mistaking being black with being self and socially destructive).