Stars come out to support evacuees
Beyoncé joins in a ‘celebration of survival’ in her hometown
Beyoncé broke down in tears as she listened to stories from Hurricane Harvey survivors Friday afternoon at St. John’s in downtown Houston.
One family who lived in an impoverished neighborhood at Hempstead Road and Loop 610 lost everything. Another family of 16 fled to Houston after being displaced during Hurricane Katrina in New Orleans — and this time escaped their home through a picture window.
Daughter Blue Ivy wiped away her mother’s tears as they sat together in the front center pew alongside mother Tina Knowles-Lawson and Destiny’s Child bandmate Michelle Williams.
Beyoncé returned to her hometown Friday to provide words of comfort to those affected by the historic storms. The Houston native recently launched BeyGOOD Houston, an initiative that is working with local residents affected by the hurricane through Bread of Life Inc. and Greater Houston Community Foundation.
“Y’all are my family. Houston is my home. This church is my home,” Beyoncé said. “I was maybe 9 or 10 years old the first time I sat there where my daughter is sitting (now). I sang my first solo here.
“This is a celebration of survival. Y’all are my family. And I thank God that y’all are safe, that your children are safe. The things that really matter are your health and your children and your family and your life. I just wanna say I love you.”
Several celebrities, by sheer coincidence, showed up Friday in Houston to visit with evacuees. Janet Jackson, who performs Saturday at Toyota Center, took a tour through the sheltered hurricane evacuees in the George R. Brown Convention Center before being mobbed by fans.
Actor and comedian Kevin Hart, who challenged other celebrities to donate to Harvey relief funds shortly after the storm hit the Bayou City, and actress Jennifer Garner, a Houston native, visited with folks at the NRG Center shelter run by Baker Ripley.
But even though Houston has produced several stars, many people consider Beyoncé to be the city’s favorite daughter. She walked into St. John’s with her daughter and quickly took a seat as Rudy Rasmus grew emotional onstage.
“We have all seen a lot. Been through a lot. And the truth of the matter is we’re just getting started. This is just week 1,” St. John’s senior pastor said. “There are people in this room who I might not have intersected if not for this storm. But now that we’ve intersected, we are connected forever.”
A crowd of 400 evacuees, who were transported in from all over the city, enjoyed a chicken and fish lunch. There was cobbler and brownies, too.
Knowles-Lawson, Williams and rapper Ingrid, who hails from Third Ward, strapped on aprons to serve evacuees.
Families were treated to a mini praise concert featuring David Michael Wyatt, who was seen on BET’s “Sunday Best” gospel competition.
“Houston has a big place I my heart. When I joined Destiny’s Child, I had to move here to Houston. It was like seeing my second home just being torn to pieces,” Williams said. “I tell people all the time, right off Holly Hall, turn right at El Mundo, that was my stomping grounds. There’s a whole lot of Houston in me.”