Singer-songwriter Lauren Jauregui performed a moving acoustic set as part of the "Together At Home" virtual series on Monday.
Jauregui performed her singles "Expectations," "Invisible Chains," "Nada," and "Lento," flowing seamlessly between English and Spanish. The former Fifth Harmony member eloquently called on her fans to take action during the COVID-19 coronavirus pandemic, drawing on a wealth of knowledge about the virus and public health responses.
"I’m here to help combat this crisis, this pandemic, at the source," she said. "We’re helping to provide PPE [personal protective equipment] to people on the frontlines."
During her set, Jauregui talked about the importance of social distancing.
"This virus doesn’t care who you are, where you come from, what level of wealth or status you have. It’s a virus. It’s contagious," she said. "Please be considerate of people who have immune deficiencies, people who are older, who have less ability to fight the infection."
She urged her fans to get involved in any way they can — from donating to local community centers to respecting bans on public gatherings.
Jauregui also acknowledged the financial difficulties many people are facing.
"A lot of people right now are out of jobs, have no idea how they're going to pay rent," she said. "This $1,200 from the government is great and all, but it’s not correlative with the cost of living for most people."
"If you do not have the funds [to donate], there's no shame in that, and there's no pressure to use money you cannot afford to give, so just do your part," she said. "The easiest thing you can do is stay at home."
Jauregui said that volunteering is another way people can help out.
"If you have the capacity, look into local organizations that are helping people in need, those who lost their jobs, those who are homeless, those who don't have the privileges we have — it’s not many of us who have these privileges, the majority of people in the world are suffering," she said.
The singer-songwriter dedicated a significant amount of time during her livestream to discussing the pandemic, giving her fans a look at her deep interest in activism and organizing.
She also talked about the surreal nature of the pandemic.
"This is probably one of the most jolting things [we’ve experienced], it’s on a global scale, everyone is affected by this," she said. "There’s a real halt on life as we know it."
The "Together At Home" series, launched on March 16 by Global Citizen and the WHO, allowed Jauregui to share her thoughts on the crisis and become an eloquent spokesperson for public health. She joined dozens of artists, actors, and health experts who have taken part in the campaign to support the WHO’s COVID-19 Solidarity Response Fund. Through the campaign, Global Citizens can take actions on a number of topics, including calling on world leaders to fund relief efforts.
Globally, more than 693,000 people have been infected by the coronavirus and 33,106 people have died from it, according to the WHO. The WHO is working to ensure that countries are fully equipped to treat patients, support health care workers, and contain the spread of the virus. The organization is also funding research into potential treatments and vaccines.
As global health response teams work together to put an end to the pandemic, everyone around the world can play their part by washing their hands, practicing social distancing, and helping their communities in various ways.
By visiting Global Citizen’s "Together At Home" campaign page, you can learn more about coronavirus and find ways to get involved in your community.
The "Together At Home" series has featured artists such as Chris Martin, John Legend, Charlie Puth, Camila Cabello alongside Shawn Mendes, Lindsey Sterling, Kerry Washington, Chloe X Halle, H.E.R., Jon Batiste, The Lumineers, and more.
You can see all of Global Citizen's COVID-19 coverage here.
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