The UM Office of Sustainability hosted “Something in Our Water” in an effort to raise awareness of water contamination and its correlation with urban racism Wednesday night.
As a part of the University’s annual week-long commemoration of Green Week, speakers were brought in from across campus to bring attention to issues involving environmental and financial issues in water safety.
(Photo by: Ariel Cobbert)
Buka Okaye speaks to the crowd.
Panelists included National Sea Grant Law Center Research Counsel member Catherine Janasie, UM NAACP President Buka Okoye, William Winter Institute for Racial Reconciliation Academic Director Jennifer Stollman and professor of environmental toxicology Kristie Willet.
(Photo by: Ariel Cobbert)
Dr. Jennifer Stollman from the William Winter Institute speaks during the “Something in our Water” presentation.
Stollman said environmental racism is more likely to happen in areas where hazard and pollution, such as unsafe levels of lead, are more prominent.
The placement of landfills and other industrial facilities has an impact on the quality of living for citizens within the low-income communities where plants are located.
Stollman, who lived less than an hour from Flint, said she thinks Flint’s lead-laced water was a clear case of environmental racism.
Janasie said one of the causes for the problems Flint is facing is the fact the lead was known about by the Environmental Protection Agency before January 2016.
“Is this situation intentional or unintentional?” Stollman asked. “Was this purposely done to the people in Flint?”
Okoye said environmental racism is tied to environmental justice.
“It’s because there are people with political power that is not substantial enough to actually take control and fight back against leaders in communities that have more say so of infrastructure the community,” Okoye said.
(Photo by: Ariel Cobbert)
Dr. Kristie Willet speaks during the “Something in our water” presentation.
Willet said lead in drinking water is not a new problem, and people have known about the danger of toxic lead levels since the Romans. Lead consumption is a concern for adults, but is even more dangerous for youths.
Willet said, if adults were to consume lead-laced water they would absorb 20 percent of the lead, whereas children would absorb 70 percent.
“I’m amazed at the community of Flint that they were able to step out and fight against what I see as environmental racism,” Stollman said.
Stollman said if the issue had not been a staple in the national news, she is not certain whether citizens would be taking the lead levels in drinking water seriously.
Okoye and the UM NAACP chapter are taking action and sending water to the Flint community this week.
“As long as racism exists, so will this issue,” said Okoye.
