Big Freedia and her “Rona Rona”

Big Freedia, the Queen of New Orleans Bounce, is lending her support to CORE (Community Organized Relief Effort), an emergency relief nonprofit organization co-founded by Sean Penn and Ann Lee, that has been on the frontlines of COVID-19 relief. The organization is committed to an integrated approach, inclusive of free testing, contact tracing and supported quarantine services, with a focus on serving vulnerable communities such as low-income groups and people of color.

To help gain awareness about the program, Big Freedia is releasing her new song, “Rona,” where she advocates for safe practices to stop the spread of COVID-19.

“When they asked me to make a song, I was fully on board,” says Big Freedia. “Many people in my community work as essential workers and are at high risk for getting sick. Anything I can do to spread the word about testing and best practices for COVID, I’m down to do.”

As part of the organization’s national relief effort, CORE has been operating in New Orleans in partnership with Mayor Cantrell and the City of New Orleans Health Department since May.

ABOUT CORE
CORE (Community Organized Relief Effort) is a nonprofit organization dedicated to saving lives and strengthening communities affected by or vulnerable to crisis. Within hours of the 2010 earthquake in Haiti, founder Sean Penn mobilized a powerful network to take immediate action. More than 10 years later, CORE continues to lead sustainable programs focused on four pillars: emergency relief, disaster preparedness, environmental resiliency and community building. The organization has expanded beyond Haiti to support communities in The Bahamas, Puerto Rico and the United States. CORE has taken a leadership position in the COVID-19 response and is committed to an integrated approach, the CORE 8, which is inclusive of streamlined testing with timely results; comprehensive and timely contact tracing programs; and supported quarantine and isolation services that provide shelter, food, and wage replacement. The organization has administered 1.8 million tests across dozens of test sites across the nation, with a focus on serving low-income groups, communities of color, first responders and essential workers.

More information: www.coreresponse.org/covid19 and follow CORE on Facebook, Instagram or Twitter.