Fighting for Flint

In response to the ongoing water crisis in Flint, Mich., University of Toledo students are organizing material and political support.

For the past two Saturdays, Jocelyn Watkins and other local organizers braved the frigid temperatures and traveled to Flint to deliver gallons of water and baby supplies as well as canvass around the city.

“I think it’s important for all of us to recognize water — clean, safe water — is a human right and we need to stand in solidarity with Flint,” Watkins said.

Watkins is a social work graduate student, which is one of the many reasons why she is responding to the Flint crisis.

“As social workers, it is part of our code of ethics to advocate for the poor and vulnerable and oppressed and always advocate for social and economic justice, so it’s part of our profession and our passion,” Watkins said.

Watkins works with the help of other social work students, the Phi Alpha Honor Society and community members to organize the Toledo-Flint Solidarity Network. As of now, the network has delivered almost 4,000 gallons of clean water and 23 cases of baby wipes to Flint. Last Saturday they arrived in Flint with an entire semi-truck full of water.

Organizer Danielle Stamper, who is studying for a master’s degree in social work, said the group has been able to accomplish this work with the help of a GoFundMe fundraising page. The group raised over $4,000 over the course of a month.

Stamper directly coordinated with Kroger to provide a semi-truck to transport 18 pallets of water on Feb. 20, but she said that’s not enough.

“Water donations are a Band-Aid on gaping wound,” said Kassandra David, another network organizer. “We need political action to actually make Flint an inhabitable city. There’s so much work to do and that always feels a little daunting.”

The problem began in April 2014, when an appointed crisis manager switched Flint’s water supply from Detroit’s water to the Flint River in order to cut costs. Even after treatment, the Flint River water contained high levels of chemicals that corroded pipes that transport the water through the city. The lead pipes corroded and leached high amounts of lead into drinking water.

According to the Flint Water Study’s website, in 2015 they detected 25 parts of lead per billion, which is much higher than the U.S. EPA’s maximum of 15 ppb.

President Obama signed an emergency declaration on Jan. 16 that mandated federal support in Flint during the crisis. Residents have been advised not to use the water at all.

Toledo activist Katrina Bacome said local assistance is necessary, too.

“I think it’s important because there are people in Flint who don’t have clean water to drink, they don’t have water to bathe their children in, they don’t have water to do dishes with, and anything we can do to pitch in to help should be done,” Bacome said.

Bacome and Watkins said Toledoans should relate to Flint’s water crisis.

“Toledo had its own water crisis not that long ago, and that was only three days, so can you imagine what it’s like not to have clean water for two years?” Bacome said.

Additionally, Watkins added that Flint stood in solidarity with Toledo during the three-day water crisis in Aug. 2014, and provided water for Toledoans.

Solidarity and advocacy are the main reasons why Bacome, Watkins and David suggested getting involved in this issue. Giving water and money helps, but it doesn’t resolve the issue they said.

“I believe that when a material need arises that you can directly address — in this case, giving water to people who need it — two amazing things happen: people feel politically empowered because they can see how their actions directly benefit folks, and radical consciousness can be raised,” David said.

For those who want to get involved, David said there are numerous ways to help. Anyone can donate to the network’s public GoFundMe at https://www.gofundme.com/tolflintsolidarity. Students or community members can also travel about two hours to Flint with the group to help canvass or volunteer.