Just a block away from our office doors in the heart of Washington, D.C., a call for justice rings out.

A call for an end to systemic racism.

A call for all of us to stand with the Black community by looking within ourselves, our neighborhoods, and our workplaces to examine our roles in perpetuating injustice by remaining silent.

At ACT | The App Association, we wholeheartedly answer this call, both as an organization and individuals. Black lives matter. Technology has played an essential role in bringing many grave injustices to light. It has given many in the Black community a way to connect with others and speak out about violence and racism. But it can also perpetuate oppression via algorithmic bias, surveillance, and education.

We know there is much more we can do to include and promote Black voices in the app economy and technology sector. We must advocate for policies that increase opportunities rather than perpetuate injustice.

Here’s how we will take action:

  • We will use our platform to give voice to the experiences of our Black members and the app development community via our thought leadership, events, and Amplify blog series.
  • We will establish an internship program with historically Black colleges and universities (HBCU) students interested in exploring the intersection of technology and policy advocacy.
  • We will engage with the venture capital community and policymakers to address the fact that Black business owners face disproportionate obstacles in raising capital.
  • We will advocate for policies that give Black students more access to STEM/STEAM education and coding skills at all levels, and related internship and job opportunities that aren’t just a diversity hire checkbox.
  • As a member of the Federal Communications Commission’s Advisory Committee on Diversity and Digital Empowerment, we will provide advice and recommendations to the Commission regarding how to empower disadvantaged communities and accelerate the entry of small businesses, including those owned by women and minorities, into the media, digital news and information, and audio and video programming industries.
  • Through our advocacy on telecommunications issues, such as rural broadband and TV white spaces, we seek to close a “digital divide” that has left too many in the Black community without access to critical services such as education, healthcare, and workforce development.
  • We will continue to push for regulatory changes on the availability of digital health tools, such as telehealth and remote patient monitoring, to address the racial disparities of healthcare, particularly to fight chronic diseases that disproportionally affect Black Americans like diabetes and heart disease.
  • We will keep fighting against efforts to weaken encryption and undermine personal privacy. In addition to acting as the protective buffer of most internet traffic—everything from commercial transactions to social interactions—strong encryption also protects those who may need increased privacy due to harassment and abuse including minorities, victims of domestic violence, and the LGBTQ+ community.

On a personal level, many of our staff have contributed time and donations to the groups leading the call for change nation-wide and in our industry. Here are four organizations we ask for you to join us in supporting:

  • Black Lives Matter Foundation, Inc is a global organization in the US, UK, and Canada, whose mission is to eradicate white supremacy and build local power to intervene in violence inflicted on Black communities by the state and vigilantes.
  • Black Girl Ventures is a Washington, D.C.-based organization that provides Black/Brown woman-identifying founders with access to community, education, and leadership development in order to meet business milestones that lead to economic advancement through entrepreneurship.
  • Crooked Media’s Justice Change Fund is a donation fund created by podcast network Crooked Media to distribute a lump sum donation equally amongst 12 organizations leading the charge for justice reform.
  • Code2040’s mission is to activate, connect, and mobilize the largest racial equity community in tech to dismantle the structural barriers that prevent the full participation and leadership of Black and Latinx people in the innovation economy.

This is merely the starting point for action at the App Association where we can make an immediate impact on behalf of our members and our industry. We have a new awareness and resolve to help bring justice for the Black community through thoughtful and effective tech policy.

On behalf of the App Association staff,

Morgan Reed
President

Mike Sax
Chairperson and Founder

Chelsea Thomas
Executive Director