“We have to look at what is happening in our Black and Brown communities and how they are being decimated by COVID-19,” was the powerful statement shared by Tina Knowles Lawson as she and her daughter Beyoncé reveal their latest endeavor to combat the unrelenting pandemic.
The mother-daughter duo plan to spearhead COVID-19 testing efforts in their hometown of Houston, Texas. According to a press release shared to Beyoncé’s official website, the star’s BeyGOOD organization will be initiating the #IDidMyPart campaign, which encourages Black communities to advocate for their health amid the ongoing coronavirus pandemic.
“The virus is wreaking havoc on the Black community so we need a movement to prioritize our health,” Knowles Lawson said in a statement. “It is critical that we stay vigilant with social distancing, wearing a mask, and most of all getting tested.”
Recent studies have in fact revealed that Black communities are being disproportionately affected by the global health crisis in the United States. According to a report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), as of mid-April, 33.7 percent of COVID-19 patients were Black, even while comprising only 13 percent of the United States’ population. In addition, 33 percent of all coronavirus fatalities have been Black Americans.
This Mother’s Day weekend, Beyoncé and her mother’s initiative will bring two days (May 8 and May 9) of testing efforts to Houston, providing 1,000 testing kits and protective gear such as face masks and gloves to participants. In addition, hot meal vouchers and grocery gift cards will be donated to health care workers and staff in Houston.
The ultimate goal of the campaign is for other high-profile celebrities to nominate each other to help fund testing efforts in their respective hometowns. According to the press release, Tyler Perry has already accepted the #IDidMyPart challenge and will help facilitate testing efforts in Atlanta, Georgia.
Prior to this recent effort, Beyoncé’s BeyGOOD launched a relief fund for essential workers affected by the COVID-19 outbreak. Through BeyGOOD, Beyoncé donated $6 million to the fund. In addition, proceeds from Beyoncé and Megan Thee Stallion’s new “Savage (Remix)” benefit Bread of Life Houston’s COVID-19 relief efforts.
It is evident that Queen Bey is doing her part and is inspiring us all to do ours. Learn more about BeyGOOD and all of their philanthropic efforts here.
