Free car service on prom night to keep kids safe is goal for 2 businesswomen

KINGSESSING - There are a lot of safety concerns that come with prom night, but two young women are making sure the night is less worrisome for parents.

Saleema Thompson is getting ready for her senior prom being held Friday night at the Hilton on City Avenue.

"I'm excited about the actual prom. I’m just ready to have fun and turn up," she laughed.

Saleema and her date, Spencer, go to Motivation High School in Southwest Philly and it’s a big night. But, in the shadows of all the glitz and glamour is the concern of safety during prom season. Friday night, though, these two have an extra layer of protection, thanks to two businesswomen.

"They love it so much. They feel so comfortable with it. The kids get to have safety and they get to ride in style," said Onori Ajong.

Together she and Benzii Diaz came up with the idea to provide free luxury car service to get young people to prom and back home at the end of the night.

"It’s hard to preserve their youth at this age because of the gun violence, the drug epidemic, because of the rise in physical and sexual violence, so we don’t want to hold them back from having fun. At the same time, we want them to be protected," said Diaz, who is the founder of the See Us Foundation which helps survivors of sexual assault and trafficking. She also works with prevention.

Ajong is the founder of Girls Day at the Range and a certified arms instructor who also provides black truck and security services.

"The parents are really scared to let their kids come out, it’s so much stuff going on," she said. But the escort they're providing is putting Saleema's mom more at ease.

"She has her license, actually, but she didn't want to drive so it was just a good fit to ask Onori to escort them to prom so they can make it there safe," said Tyeesha Fogan, Saleema’s mom.

As family and friends gathered to take pictures and see the pair off, Ajong and Diaz are focused on ensuring one thing.

"Every parent wants the security that their child is going to walk back through those doors at the end of the day," said Diaz.

More information about Girls Day at the Range can be found at their website or their Instagram page.

More information for the See Us Foundation can be found on this Instagram page or this Instagram page.