On April 21, 2017, members from Black Millennials for Flint, along with members from Tavares Taylor Charities and the National Black United Front, traveled to Flint, Mich., to engage with the community organizations and residents. Since the beginning of what we know as the Flint Water Crisis, 1,105 was the number of days then that had passed. Michigan, touted as the Great Lakes State, is surrounded by all five Great Lakes, granting it access to the largest bodies of freshwater in the world. In effect, Michigan residents quite literally have access to the freshest water on earth. Yet three years later, bottled water is still a great need.
When members from Black Millennials for Flint, the Tavares Taylor Charities and the National Black United Front traveled to Flint, the key goals were to deliver and distribute approximately 14,000 gallons of water acquired via fundraising efforts and to canvass neighborhoods. When we arrived in Flint, little did we know, less than 12 hours before, a public town hall meeting addressing the water crisis took place that left 6 people in jail. Needless to say, by the time we arrived at our first destination, tensions were high. Instead of getting out into the neighborhood to canvass, we attended a rally in front of Flint City Hall. Our small team is not from Flint and does not claim to understand the deeply rooted sentiments that compelled residents to rally earlier that day. Certainly, the town hall addressing the water situation was a concern, but even before the water crisis, Flint was among the most impoverished cities in the country. It’s safe to say the water crisis has only made things much worse.
On Saturday, we met with members from First Trinity Missionary Baptist Church who had been delivering water door-to-door since the crisis began in 2014. The church relies on charitable donations and a partnership with Sam’s Club that allows them to purchase a steady supply of water. While the state is supposed to cover this service, it has not been fully effective. Residents have access to water filters but describe that the filters have not been installed properly, effectively canceling out the mitigating impact of the filters. In lieu of issues like these, many residents prefer bottled water for cooking, washing dishes and general drinking water.
When we arrived with our 18-foot U-Haul in the Redstone and Atherton townhouse communities that were slated to receive water that day, it was clear that community members had been waiting to receive water. We placed three large cases on water on the steps of each apartment, and some asked if they could get more cases. One woman jokingly told us that she’d take the water from another porch if her neighbor didn’t bring it inside fast enough. Another remarked that she did not believe there was lead in the water—she asked us how we knew there was lead in the water or if we could prove it. Yet another woman stated that she doesn’t drink water at all, stating that she dislikes the taste, her mother never drank water and that she knows others who don’t drink water as well. The children gazing out of the apartment appeared to share a similar sentiment.
Long term, Flint is a city that needs more than water. It needs more than its pipes replaced. Yes, it direly needs both bottled water and lead-pipe replacement, but it also needs jobs. The unemployment rate in Flint is 11.4 percent, one of the highest in the country. It needs a school system that will work on the special needs of the children who’ve already been impacted by the lead exposure and are exhibiting attention and cognitive development issues. It needs access to quality health care, for children and for women who may one day bear children. It needs to invest in public education to begin to rebuild the trust that has been lost over the 3-year debacle that has yet to be solved. There are many people, such as those of Flint Rising and the members of First Trinity, who continue to support their city, to hold their leaders accountable and to advocate on behalf of those without the means.
For more information, contact info@nationalblackunitedfront.net.
