African American Racers Association
The African American Racers Association (AARA) was founded on September 1, 2020, in Royal Palm Beach, Florida, by Christopher Harris & Sinclair Gordon.
Inspired by the Black American Racers Association (BARA), the AARA was created to highlight African American's contributions (past, present, and future) in motorsports, highlight businesses that exemplify inclusion in motorsports, and through their Race 4 Unity 501c3 organization, create educational programming and scholarships to expand youth interest and participation in motorsports.[1].
Founders:
Christopher Harris has over 20 years' experience with volunteering and creating grassroots programs in underprivileged communities. In motorsports, he has run numerous organizations in the event creation space. Also, he is formerly the General Manager of Palm Beach International Raceway and the creator of the world's first professional roll racing sanctioning body, the International Roll Racing Association[2]. He continues to consult and mentor various racers throughout the industry and still is the race director for numerous organizations. The AARA combines two of his greatest passions, motorsports and grassroots social work.
Sinclair Gordon has over 15 years of experience in the automotive industry. Working with major companies like Honda and Stanley Tools to eventually spearheading the launch of Yamaha products in the Latin American and Caribbean markets. He has also participated in many forms of motorsports ranging from autocross, roll racing to drag racing. His experiences through his automotive journey inspired him to create an organization that highlights equality and inclusion.
Objectives:
Highlight the trailblazers:
From the very beginning, African Americans have a rich and accomplished history in motorsports. The names and stories of these accomplished individuals have been largely unshared. The AARA website and Wall of Fame[3] is the platform for these individuals and their stories to be shared and celebrated. It's important for African Americans to be represented in motorsports to illustrate that everyone has a place in this sport. Representation is important.
Education:
Highlighting these individuals expands to educational programming and exposure. Creating a curriculum in schools and communities that don't have access to programs builds interest in and future participation in motorsports. The Race 4 Unity foundation will create these programs and provide scholarships to grow access and interest in motorsports.
Inclusion:
Throughout motorsports history, there are many non-African Americans who were able to look past the color of a person's skin and provide opportunities that weren't customarily afforded to African Americans. Individuals like Paul Newman & Carroll Shelby broke the status quo. Paul Newman referred Willy T. Ribbs to a competitive Trans-Am team, which on Newman's advice hired Ribbs. "It changed everything," says Ribbs[4]. The AARA wants to celebrate these individuals and businesses, regardless of race, who exemplify inclusion in motorsports.
Race 4 Unity 501c3:
Race 4 Unity is a 501c3 nonprofit division of the AARA which provides educational programming, opportunities, and scholarships to individuals who wish to grow in the motorsports industry. Education and exposure are key to growth. For some young students, positive portrayals of minorities in motorsports not only affect how others see them, but it affects how they view themselves.
Membership Program:
The AARA is a membership-based program. The base tier costs $50 per year. Members receive an ID card, welcome letter, AARA sticker, AARA patch, Monthly Newsletter, and an annual yearbook[5].
AARA Member Perks Program
The African American Racers Association provides members with exclusive perks and savings on everything from pizza and the zoo, to movie tickets, oil changes, hotels, and car rentals! Members are automatically enrolled in this program providing nationwide discounts from over 302,000 companies[6]
References
- ↑ Guerra, Ralph (16 November 2020). "The African American Racers Association Launches to Support Diversity in the Automotive Industry". Racing junk. African American Racers Association. Retrieved 16 November 2020.
- ↑ Smith, Steve (11 June 2018). "International Roll Racing Association: Organized street racing with attitude". Autoweek. Steven Smith. Retrieved 11 June 2018.
- ↑ African American Racers Assocaition. AARA https://aarassoc.com/wall-of-fame/. Retrieved 31 December 2020. Missing or empty
|title=(help) - ↑ Jurnecka, Ryan (25 June 2015). "12 Things I Learned Watching Winning: The Racing Life of Paul Newman". Super Street Online. Ryan Jurnecka. Retrieved 25 June 2015.
- ↑ "Join Us". African American Racers Association. AARA. Retrieved 31 December 2020.
- ↑ "AARA Member Perks Program". African American Racers Assocaition. AARA & Abenity. Retrieved 31 December 2020.
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