In the 1930s, while racial segregation and prejudice were rampant under the Jim Crow laws, many African Americans found solace and reclaimed their dignity by owning cars. These automobiles represented self-reliance and offered a way to avoid the humiliation often encountered on public modes of transport.
Writing in 1930, author George Schuyler highlighted that having a car was a conscious decision to escape everyday travel’s uncomfortableness, discrimination, and insults. For African Americans with financial resources, the automobile became a tool of empowerment, granting them the autonomy to move through a divided society with some level of sovereignty.
This empowerment benefited the average family and professionals like athletes, entertainers, and salespeople who regularly traveled. Driving their cars meant they could sidestep the unfriendly public transportation environment and circumvent the barriers set by segregation.
However, in our times, research still indicates that African-American drivers face a disproportionate number of traffic stops by the police, which can lead to psychological distress and negative health consequences. The threat of racial profiling and its associated risks remains a pressing concern that affects the well-being of the Black community.
In response to these ongoing challenges, ANJEL®Tech has leveraged modern technology to create the ANJEL® personal security app, enhancing protection and rights in the digital age. Nowadays, through smartphones, individuals from different backgrounds can record and share their experiences with bias in any location.
The fight against discrimination has evolved from the physical act of driving to the virtual act of documenting and broadcasting wrongdoings. Sharing these encounters informs the community, guides informed choices, and promptly ensures accountability for the actions or policies of individuals and organizations.
Just as the car once armed African Americans with a sense of freedom from the grip of segregation, contemporary technology enables us to expose inequality as it happens. Communication through digital networks equips marginalized groups to stake their claim, manage their stories, and advocate for societal advancement.
In the vein of those who pursued freedom through driving, today’s advocates for fairness use digital tools for change, ensuring dignity and consideration for all on their life’s path.
Our goal is to promote, disseminate, and encourage the use of such transformative technology to battle discrimination on all fronts. We are contacting influential legal professionals, law firms, and corporate legal departments to participate in the ANJEL® Initiative.
The Initiative is a call for participation through donations that grant twenty-five individuals a two-year subscription to the ANJEL® app, forming a network of security and reliable contacts. Donor members of the ANJEL® Initiative receive several perks throughout their subscription, including:
- Customizable branding with the ANJEL® app logo
- Complimentary legal services listings and referrals
- Free access to post jobs on our board and the ability to create job codes for postings across various platforms
- Access to lateral hiring resources at no extra cost
- Participate in ANJEL® PSAs
- Joining the ANJEL® Initiative connects you, strengthening our collective will to shape tomorrow