Rough Draft

The Flint, Michigan water crisis started in April 2014 when the city switched its water source to the Flint River. The water was not properly treated, leading to lead contamination. This had severe health effects, especially for children. The crisis was worsened by environmental racism, as Flint is predominantly black with high poverty rates. The government's response was inadequate and residents had to take legal action. The crisis gained national attention after independent investigations. The government's attempts to fix the issue were ineffective. Lead and fecal bacteria were found in the water. Residents sued the city and eventually received a settlement, but the crisis is ongoing. The city has not replaced lead pipes and residents are still exposed to lead. The government officials responsible were not prosecuted. It is important to educate oneself about environmental racism and support social justice advocates. Welcome to Decode It. I'm your host Jasmine Brown. On this special episode we'll be talking about the Flint, Michigan water crisis. The questions I'll answer include what is the Flint, Michigan water crisis and why you should care. Stay tuned for part one. So now let's start from the beginning. The Flint water crisis is classified as a public health crisis occurring none other than Flint, Michigan in April of 2014. How did it begin you ask? It began in the city of Flint under emergency management when the water was decided... It began when the city of Flint under emergency management switched its water source from the Detroit Water and Sewage Department water to the Flint River. You may ask yourself, why was there a switch in the water source? I'll answer to save... I'll answer to save you money. I know what you're thinking. So what? They changed the water supply. Great, now they're saving money. Well, the short answer is no. The water from the Flint River was not properly treated. The lack of treatment led to the pipes corroding and leaving the pipes infested with lead. This contaminated the water and then this contaminated the drinking water with lead and other pollutants. For the viewers who don't know, lead in water is hazardous to humans and especially dangerous for children. Lead-contaminated water can cause brain damage, especially in children, leading to cognitive issues and learning disabilities. It can also cause reproductive issues, heart issues, and developmental issues. I think you can see where I'm going with this. Lead-contaminated water is detrimental to developing minds and adults alike. The Flint River for decades has been the city's go-to spot for disposing of waste, meaning Flint's factories, paper mills, and meat packing plants, both treated and untreated, dump their waste into the river for years. Now, I stated earlier that this issue started in April of 2014, but when was it resolved? For years, the people of Flint ingested hazardous water, but here's the catch. Well, I guess you'll have to wait here for my next episode of Decoded. Okay, listeners, welcome back. I'm your host, Jasmine Brown, and this is Episode 2 of Decoded, What Happened to Flint, Michigan? To recap, Flint, Michigan switched its water supply in April of 2014, and it was revealed in June of 2014 that the water was contaminated with lead. Now that you're all caught up, I'll answer what the catch was in Episode 1. Well, the residents were aware that something was different. The water was reported to be discolored and smelly. Now, listeners, what would you have done in this situation? Suddenly your water is a different color and smells? Well, that wasn't the end of it. Flint, Michigan residents started having health issues, but authorities tell residents it's nothing to be concerned with. I wonder why authorities didn't immediately spring into action. Hmm. Well, for one, let's look at the public. Let's see who this public health crisis affected. Flint has a population of around 100,000 people, and of that, 53% are black. Flint is also home to an incredibly high poverty rate and has low-level access to education. In fact, one-third of the Flint population falls under the poverty line. So, let's break it down. Flint is comprised of predominantly black residents with low incomes. Is anyone thinking what I'm thinking? Hmm. Racism. No, not just racism, but environmental racism. Environmental racism is defined as the disproportionate impact of environmental hazards, pollution, and the siting of waste facilities or environmentally harmful activities on communities of color, particularly African Americans, Hispanics, and Indigenous. I know, guys, that was a serious definition, but I'm not done. It also includes and is not limited to the intentional and unintentional discriminatory practices that communities disproportionately are plagued with with environmental risk. And this would not happen in white communities. So, listeners, have you ever heard of environmental racism? Have you ever been affected by environmental racism? Well, if the answer is yes, how do you combat it? Stay tuned for the next episode where I'll answer how you can combat environmental racism, how the Flint, Michigan water crisis became leading news, and, well, I guess you'll have to tune in to learn more. I'm your host, Jasmine Brown. Welcome back to Decode It, What Happened to Flint, Michigan. I'm your host, Jasmine Brown, and today we'll be talking more about the environmental racism and how the Flint, Michigan water crisis became worldwide news. Today I have a special guest, Cameron Harris, political scientist and incoming master's student for foreign policy. Cameron has extensively studied environmental racism. Thank you so much for being here today, Cameron. The viewers are begging to learn more about environmental racism. Can you give us some insight? But first, let me read the list of questions I'll be asking you that our amazing viewers have sent in. One, what is environmental racism and how does it differ from other forms of environmental justice? Two, do you believe that the Flint, Michigan's lack of motivation to solve this issue was racially motivated? Three, how do government policies and regulatory practices contribute to environmental racism? And lastly, what our viewers can do to combat racism. Well, right now this is the spot where I will be interviewing Cameron, and I'm just lagging that right now. I'll be in the final. But, wow, that was insightful and educational. Thank you to our special guest, Cameron Harris. Now, let's talk more about the Flint, Michigan water crisis. I'll be answering how the crisis made worldwide news, how the community was affected, and where Flint, Michigan is today. I'm your host, Jasmine Brown, and this is Decoded, What Happened to Flint, Michigan? So, you're wondering how the Flint, Michigan water crisis made national news, huh? Independent researchers and Flint, Michigan residents did their own investigation. Good for them, obviously, and spoke about the issue until it received national attention. A study of the Flint, Michigan water was actually conducted by Virginia Tech researchers not long after. Their research revealed a spike in lead levels in the water, and this spike was so high that it exceeded the federal level where corrective measures must be taken. You hear that, folks? Higher than the federal level. Then, it was also revealed that the children in Flint, their blood levels containing lead had doubled from the previous year. Oh my gosh, but that's not all. If you recall earlier, I said that Flint River was basically the city's dump site for waste. Well, hold on to your seats, because the river was also home to fecal bacteria. Fecal bacteria can cause an outbreak of pneumonia, and of course, it did just that. This illness killed 12 and resulted in the sickness of almost 100 Flint, Michigan residents. Wow. So, now it's confirmed that there's lead in the water and fecal bacteria. The government has to fix this, right? Well, wrong. The government, in an effort to quote-unquote fix their mistake, added more chlorine to the water without fixing the lead issues. Folks, this is what we like to call a quick fix. And from what I know about quick fixes, the problem is almost never solved. Well, the added chlorine in the water proved to be a breeding ground for cancer-causing chemicals. These poor residents have faced illness after illness, and at every turn, the government has failed them. The people of Flint, Michigan then petitioned the Environmental Protection Agency in hopes that there would be action on their part. Sadly, the EPA failed to act. Fed up and frustrated by the lack of response, Flint, Michigan resident Melissa Mays and supporting group sued the city. Good for them! And they sued because all they wanted was clean water. Thankfully, in March of 2016, all residents were provided with faucet-filtered water because of the actions of Melissa Mays. And in 2017, March, of course, a judge granted the residents of Flint a settlement that states the city must replace the lead riddle pipe, give access to free-bottled water for at least 13 months, and continue testing the tap water with additional health programs to help those who were affected by the lead-infested water. A happy ending? Wrong. Well, I guess you'll have to find out what happened next in the last episode of Decoded. Hi, I'm Jasmine Brown, your host of Decoded. This is the last and final episode of Decoded, What Happened to Flint, Michigan. So now, let's talk about what the city did and why there was not a happy ending. The city of Flint has not actively been checking for lead in the water, and they have failed to replace any pipes containing lead. So now it's possible that the lead levels have been just still there and residents are still being exposed. To be completely clear, any level of lead in water is hazardous and should not be consumed. So just because the water hasn't hit federal levels, it doesn't mean that it's safe. Lead is still in the Flint residents' water, and they continue to consume it. So, who paid the price for this? Residents paid the ultimate price and continue to pay as many residents do not have the choice of moving and are unable to sell their homes. Would you want to move to Flint, Michigan after this? Exactly. Those wealthy enough to move have escaped the daily exposure but still feel the effects. No government officials were criminally prosecuted. The residents of Flint continue to fight in civil court. Well, folks, that horrifying reality of Flint, Michigan water continues on. Now that you've heard everything, I challenge you to educate yourself about environmental racism, start supporting social justice advocates, and most importantly, hold your representatives accountable. And please listen to people of color. I like to say you should act. Go protest. Speak up. You won't regret it. Flint, Michigan should have never happened, but in the world there are more Flint, Michigans that never got this kind of recognition. Signing off on this very special series, Decoded, What Happened to Flint, Michigan, I'm Jocelyn Brown.