HOUSTON – Tina Knowles Lawson, who is a philanthropist, entrepreneur and fashion designer, is teaming up with her daughter, Beyoncé, to help create a local testing mobile site in African American communities in efforts to slow the spread of COVID-19.
Lawson has created an initiative called “#IDIDMYPART” to help encourage residents in Houston to get testing during the pandemic. She said she has recognized that African American communities have a higher infection rate and fatalities, which is why she wants her community to know their status to prevent further cases and deaths.
"We are all in this together. But we have to look at what is happening in our black and brown communities and how they are being decimated by COVID-19,” Lawson said. “It is critical that we stay vigilant with social distancing, wearing a mask, and most of all getting tested. If you don’t get tested then you don’t know if you are a carrier of the virus. Being asymptomatic is how you infect your entire household and those around you, the very people you love. We have got to go to these free testing facilities and find out our status.”
The initiative is sponsored by BeyGOOD, an organization founded by Beyoncé.
The #IDIDMYPART Mobile Testing Relief Campaign will launch Mother’s Day weekend and aims to bring awareness to the daily testing administered by United Memorial Medical Center, initiated by Congresswoman Sheila Jackson-Lee.
What can participants expect?
According to a press release, about 1,000 test kits, face masks, gloves, essential vitamins and household supplies will be distributed to residents at the testing site. The test is also free and will operate as a drive-thru testing site where participants will not have to leave their vehicles.
Those who get tested will also receive a grocery gift card from BeyGOOD, purchased from H-E-. According to a press release, H-E-B has pledged to match BeyGOOD’s contribution.
Compliments of BeyGOOD, participants and medical staff administering the test will receive a voucher to two local favorite restaurants, Frenchy’s Chicken and Burns Original Bar-B-Q. Participants will also receive templates on information on how to stay safe. In observance of social distancing measures, supplies will be placed in vehicle trunks as participants exit the testing sites.
Here are the following dates and times on the mobile testing
May 8: United Memorial Medical Center Healthcare staff will administer 500 COVID-19 tests in Houston’s 3rd Ward at Cullen Middle School, located at 6900 Scott St. Testing will take place from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
May 9: An additional 500 tests will be administered again by UMMC, this time in North Houston at Forest Brook Middle School, 7525 Tidwell. Testing will also take place from 10 a.m. to 5 .pm.
“We must all do our part in saving lives and protecting our communities,” said BeyGOOD’s Director, Ivy McGregor. “What Ms. Tina has created is a huge step in showing us that we must put our health first.”