Yahoo Finance Trey Flowers teams up with a Black-owned tech platform to help marginalized voters
There’s a new Black-owned app that’s making it simpler for Americans to participate in civic engagement, and it has the endorsement of Detroit Lions DE and two-time Super Bowl champion Trey Flowers.
EMPOWRD specifically targets groups who have been disenfranchised, alienated, or generally disengaged due to time constraints. In September, they launched “Get EMPOWRD to Vote,” an initiative to encourage citizens to register to vote and advocate for peers to do the same. Additional features in the EMPOWRD app include the ability to identify voting locations, a preview of your election ballot and most importantly, report any serious concerns at polling sites.
Speaking with Yahoo Sports, Flowers touted the accessibility of the platform and its commitment to keeping users informed on issues affecting marginalized communities long after the November 3 general election.
“Local and state elections are just as important as national races, and the work doesn’t end Tuesday,” he said. “EMPOWRD will exist year-round to make sure that ahead of every election, you’re informed on the candidates and their specific policy agendas.”
From millennials holding elected office to even more leading the charge on the grassroots front, one could say this new era of activists are playing a significant role in ensuring a prosperous future. For those unsure about where they can make a difference, Flowers offered up words of advice.
“Be encouraged and remember your current actions will ultimately impact future generations. I want to lead by example any way I can, as I know people are watching my every move. It doesn’t matter if you’re a professional athlete or a community organizer, do your best to stay active and stay hopeful.”
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An Alabama native, Flowers comes from a long line of activists. His grandparents and extended family participated in the historic Selma to Montgomery marches in 1965. Hearing the personal stories of their struggle for liberation especially resonated with the 27-year-old, and he said it was a catalyst behind his reason for joining forces with EMPOWRD in the first place.
“We have to remember, 1965 wasn’t that long ago. Most people who participated in that march are still alive to tell their stories. We owe it to them to exercise our civic duty, because it’s something they fought so hard to achieve and we can’t allow their efforts to go to waste.”
EMPOWRD is available for download on iPhone and Android systems.
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