This editorial is brought in collaboration with OnStar. 

Leaving the house and returning in one piece is a luxury that has become all too common. And since family is the cornerstone of many communal units, ensuring those you love the most are safe and secure ranks high on the importance scale.

One family unit that definitely has safety at the top of its priority list is The Fredericks. The family of four is able to tap into added peace of mind with the OnStar’s Guardian App.

The Guardian App provides key OnStar safety and security services everywhere you go. The app offers essential safety services on your compatible smartphone, whether from the comfort of your vehicle or stepping out for an afternoon jog.

The need for safety increases among underrepresented communities, namely Black people. Even when organizations are poised to serve and protect Black people, there is an apparent disconnect. According to data from Pew Research, 84% of Black adults do not feel as though they are treated fairly when dealing with police. Whether navigating police interactions or implementing strategies for encountering biases, Black people’s viewpoint of safety is far more nuanced than the rest of the world. Kevin “KevOnStage” Fredericks aligns with this perspective.

“As a Black dad, I think there’s an extra layer of safety and security that you have to teach your kids that I don’t think other races have to worry about. You gotta seem non-menacing… like a Green Book for survival. Instead of like, here is a safe place – here’s how you navigate America,” Kevin explained. 

Knowing that your mere presence can be interpreted as a threat, a set of unwritten rules exist in Black communities. While the Guardian app was not created to combat the systemic issues that force these rules to exist, its features like location services and emergency services can serve as allyship tools as Black families intentionally work to keep their families safe.

For The Fredericks family, feeling protected goes a long way. Whether it’s specially trained OnStar Advisors to help with roadside assistance or key safety and security services anywhere you go with the Guardian app, you can count on OnStar. Tools that help support Kevin and his wife Melissa’s personal parenting mantra: “trust but verify.”

So no matter the situation, know that the technology built across OnStar’s platforms was designed with your well-being in mind. And regardless of where you go next, be safe out there!

This article was brought in collaboration with OnStar. Whether a crash, crisis or an emergency, OnStar Advisors are ready to help 24/7. Visit OnStar.com to learn more.