By Rachel Williams, NACAC Communications

New Orleans, LA (July 31, 2024) – The ambassador of New Orleans Bounce music — Big Freedia — was welcomed at Guiding the Way to Inclusion with a standing ovation. 

From New Orleans, Big Freedia is a hip-hop artist, TV personality, cultural influence, LGBTQ+ rights advocate, and more. In a Q&A session led by John Hollemon, director of diversity, equity, and inclusion at NACAC, Big Freedia shared insight into her upbringing, how school counselors were an influential part of her education, using her platform for good, and more.  

On her educational journey and the impact of counselors: 

Big Freedia: The counselors we had here in New Orleans, they practically raised us at school. The teachers and counselors were like mothers to us. They would tell us right from wrong; they were our first stop if we had any problems. My advice to school counselors today: first and foremost, listen. Give your students the love you’d give your own child.  

Growing up in a neighborhood with poverty, my mom pushed me to go away for college. I went to nursing school at Texas Southern University, but ultimately didn’t finish because my music started taking over. The journey of being able to go away from home was great, though.  

On being featured in Beyonce’s “Break My Soul” and the song becoming the unofficial anthem of the Great Resignation and people prioritizing their mental health: 

Big Freedia: I am grateful to Beyonce forever for that opportunity. When we have these jobs and we give all we have to them, we can feel burned out. That song pushed people to know there’s still hope on the other side.  

On LGBTQ+ rights and leveraging her platform for social change: 

Big Freedia: Growing up in New Orleans, I had to fight for who I wanted to be. My mom has always been my biggest cheerleader; she encouraged me to show who I am. Now, I feel that I have to fight for my people who feel they don’t have a voice or can’t fight. As a member of the LGBTQ+ community, I had to fight for things as a child. Now as an adult, I don’t have to fight so much because I’ve fought all my life and I speak for it loud and clear. When it comes to my community, I’m going to do it.  

On Bounce music: 

Big Freedia: Bounce music is up tempo, call-and-response, heavy-bass kind of music. It’s part of the New Orleans culture. There are the starters and founders of the culture and the ones who came after them — I feel like I’m in the middle of bridging the gap from the old to the new generation. I travel around to teach people about Bounce music and the culture and when I do, I feel like I’m bringing New Orleans with me.  

On the biggest life lessons throughout her career so far: 

Big Freedia: My most important lesson is to keep God first. People forget who they are or they become someone else in this business. I want to remain true to who I am. It’s about making people happy and bringing peace.  

Also, find someone who is in your corner. If you don’t have anyone in your corner, something is wrong. Life is stressful. Whether it’s work, your bills, your kids, all of the things bothering us — we all have issues. When I do, I turn to God and gospel music. I know how to keep myself at peace with that.  

On what’s coming next: 

Big Freedia: A new season of “Big Freedia Means Business” is coming out in October. In 2025, I’m also releasing a gospel album and going back to the musical roots of where I started.  

GWI attendees also heard from Calvin Mackie, founder of STEM NOLA, a non-profit organization created to inspire and engage communities in learning opportunities about STEM. The theme of Mackie’s message was hope.