Courageous Conversation Global Foundation: Hndsup

The year 2024 has already proven to be the deadliest year for police violence in America, with 326 Black people killed by police, a staggering 12% increase from the previous year. Additionally, Black women who are often left out of the discussion, make up about 10% of the female population in the U.S. but account for 20% of all women killed by police and nearly one-third of unarmed women killed by police. Despite the widespread use of police body cameras, only 20% of fatal civilian killings are captured on video. Worse still, footage from police body cameras is often blurred, unusable, or not recorded at all due to officer negligence or failure to activate the device. 93% of the time, prosecutors use footage to prosecute civilians rather than officers (ACLU, 2021). In response to these systemic failures, Courageous Conversation Global Foundation (CCGF) is unveiling HndsUp, a pioneering civilian wearable camera designed to illuminate the daily violence Black people experience in America. The device, which records police encounters, aims to turn an act of surrender into an act of protection, offering a new layer of security and accountability. Developed in partnership with David&Goliath Brooklyn, HndsUp is the first wearable camera of its kind, designed specifically for civilians. Resembling the design of the latest smartwatch, the device is worn on the wrist to ensure it is easily distinguishable from a weapon. With a simple voice command—“hands up”—the camera is activated, capturing the encounter with law enforcement and simultaneously uploading the footage to local news outlets and alerting emergency services if needed. The device also displays a body scan to clearly show that the civilian is unarmed. CCGF reveals this is the product they hope never to launch because the truth is that while technology like this could record police violence, it can’t prevent it. Only police training and conversation can stop it from ever starting. And that’s exactly what CCGF provides. The campaign officially launches today, during International Black Women's History Month, with a powerful film that showcases the technology's life-saving potential. Featuring striking visual effects by Jamm and a haunting musical score by DaHouse Audio, the film highlights the urgent need for technology like HndsUp to protect Black civilians in volatile situations with law enforcement. The timing of this launch is particularly significant, as Black women—mainly mothers—have long been at the forefront of efforts to protect their children from the ongoing threat of police violence. Black mothers, in particular, face the unique, heartbreaking challenge of preparing their children for the very real risks they face in their daily lives, often giving their sons and daughters explicit instructions on how to survive police encounters. While the HndsUp device is conceptual, it’s designed to illustrate the ways in which modern technology could theoretically offer protection, underscoring that real change must come from comprehensive training for law enforcement. One that speaks to the larger, more urgent need for systemic change. Because technology like this can record and document these tragic events, but it cannot prevent them.