The New Orleans community values
the gift of live music and performance enormously. Something that is as big a
part of the city's culture as music should be protected and preserved! That's
why the New Orleans Clinic & Assistance Foundation is offering free CPR
training for New Orleans's local performers! Sessions will be held weekly in
August and September as part of Keep the Beat Alive, on and off stage.
As explained by Erica Dudas, managing
director of the Musicians' Assistance Foundation, "Artists heal the community
and save lives through their music, now we're giving them the tools to do so in
an emergency situation."
This program will equip musicians
with lifesaving skills, as well as the ability to better care for themselves
and their fellow performers, creating a safer environment for everyone. Health
and safety are the number one priority of the foundation, so classes will be COVID
safe. Instructors will teach hands-on CPR, naloxone administration, and
important information regarding overdose response. Historically, there has been
an unproductive stigma associated with overdose in the performance realm.
Efforts like these provided by community organizations will help start the
process of dismantling the demonization of overdose and move toward
preventative care. In any community, looking out for the people around you
through collective care is a simple yet empowering act that can change the
future for the better.
To learn more about the New Orleans Musicians' Clinic and the CPR training, visit neworleansmusiciansclinic.org.
