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adventure in our unique upbringing. Growing up raised by Caribbean culture, yet surrounded by conservative white culture, I longed to discover African -American culture — my roots in this country. I often felt isolated. The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill saved my life, making hip -hop my pathway to exploring my Blackness. I studied African -American Studies and English at Stanford University and screenwriting at USC School of Cinematic Arts. Now, as a hip -hop emcee and screenwriter, I strive to bring the stories of POC's in predominantly white spaces to the forefront. My debut album, "Who Is Retro Raptress?" features my single "The OC" which chronicles my story of hip -hop, racism, immigration and acceptance in Orange County. It has been performed at a Frida Cinema Red Carpet Gala hosted by my production company, House of Deborah Jane Studios. My studio has long demonstrated a strong commitment to tackling issues around race in Orange County through the arts. The Red Carpet premiered a screening of our film, Strange Fruit: The Hip-hopera, and a racial reconciliation panel featuring Santa Ana Councilmember Johnathan Hernandez and NAACP Youth Director / Founder of OC Justice Initiative Justice Crudup. Filming "The OC" and producing the Black and Brown in OC event allows the opportunity to showcase diverse experiences through innovative cinema and live performance. House of Deborah Jane Studios proposes to shoot the music video in April and premiere it at The Frida Cinema in Santa Ana in June. Acting as a catalyst, the music video will spark round table discussion from other Orange County residents as the premiere's grand finale. Usual and performance art from local artists, as well as multi - generational guest speakers, make this event a true open mic illuminating multicultural voices from the community as well as historical legacy. Orange County can be a very isolating place for people of color. Thus, a major benefit of this event is shared storytelling that fosters an inclusive, fun and safe environment for meaningful community building. (Honestly, I wish I had this event growing up!) Most importantly, Black and Brown in The OC promotes unity, empowerment and the discovery of what it means to carve out Black and Brown identities in Orange County. LINKS: "The OC" Song: https:Hyoutu.be/gW_9JHtEPbk?sl=vs!pXj-v30UyBF78 44th Annual OC Black History Parade Performance: https://www.instagram.con-Vrctro_raptress/reel/C28Xk2ovDil ! Red Carpet Gala Performance & Making of The OC: https://www, instagram.corn/reel/Cs73gk7AKe8/ Red Carpet Gala Racial Reconciliation Panel https://www.instagram.corrVreel/CyA9XrgrOOh/ Red Carpet Gala Overview at The Frida Cinema: https://www.instagram.co"reel/Csmu5udMtRN/ ABOUT THE PRODUCTION COMPANY: House of Deborah Jane Studios (HODJ) is an independent Orange County - based production company committed to creating dynamic content for an