Written by Tanya Terry, with photos by Tanya Terry
Featured photo: Flint Residents George F. Grundy II, Yolanda Figueroa, Joshua Thayer and Virginia Nolan took part in a march during the 10th anniversary of the Flint Water Crisis.
Thursday, April 25 marked the 10th anniversary of when Flint disconnected from Detroit’s municipal water system and began drawing drinking water from the Flint River. This was the beginning of the Flint Water Crisis.
During events planned leading up to the anniversary of the Flint Water Crisis, held on the anniversary or following it, Flint residents expressed some of the intense emotions and the thoughts they still have.
On Wednesday, April 24, as well on April 25, the City of Flint opened the public water facilities for tours to allow Flint residents to see some of the upgrades that have taken place to Flint’s water system. More than $146 million has been invested in removing lead service lines and revitalizing Flint’s water infrastructure. Mayor Sheldon Neeley’s goal was that the tours would help foster understanding about the infrastructure upgrades that have been implemented over the past five years.
Flint Community Lab commemorated the 10th Anniversary of Flint Water Crisis with refreshments, giveaways and guided tours of the lab by the staff of the Flint Community Lab. The community-run lab has conducted over 3,000 tests for lead and copper, as well as offered vital insights and resources to the community.
Flint Genesee Job Corps student, 21-year-old Tekeveiohn Evans, shared his thoughts concerning the water crisis with the Courier after touring the Flint Community Lab.
Evans explained he was actually a resident of Saginaw, Michigan who came to the Jobs Corps in Flint to learn the welding and security trades.
“This has been a decade-long issue,” said Evans. “I’ve seen multiple families and many of my peers be affected by and even traumatized by the water crisis. This was back in 2014, 2015. I made a lot of friends in 2017. They’ve experienced their family members dying, their brother, their sisters, aunties, mothers, grandmothers, just traumatized by it. I just felt if anybody had to be here, I had to be here because I’m a young man. I feel my voice matters.”
Evans said he strives to do “the best he can,” not only for the city of Flint, but the entire state of Michigan. He pointed out cities like Benton Harbor have also had water system that exceeded the federal drinking water action level for lead.
“I’m going to make as much noise as I can,” Evans added.
Evans attended the event for education and connection.
“As long as I can connect with others, my voice is heard. As long as my voice is heard, change is going to come.”
A public march took place with speakers the same day, beginning at the People’s Church of Flint on Garland Street and eventually heading to Flint City Hall.
There, Hill Harper, award-winning actor, humanitarian and philanthropist said action is needed.
“A Special Masters Report recently showed that there is $46 million of accrued interest for the unpaid settlement,” Harper pointed out.
He said it must be demanded that immediate allocation of the $46 million be added to the adult plaintiff’s pool in the settlement without any lawyers, commissions, contingencies or court fees being removed from it.
“People have suffered in ways the settlement doesn’t even count….I think we’ve got to do a call to action and then we have to do what citizens have always had to do: protest and call their elected officials and the judge. Send the judge an email. Make a demand. Have a town hall. Have public actions that make this demand.”
Harper said people have been hurt so badly they haven’t felt they had the voice or agency to fight back.
According to Harper, the march wasn’t just a protest and commemoration— but a battle cry against environmental injustice that plagues Flint and communities nationwide.
Flint Resident George F. Grundy II also participated in the march.
“The experience with the march was disheartening,” said Grundy. “Why after 10 years do we have to continue to do this? Why is there no conclusion? Why is there no point of creating an opportunity to move forward?”
Grundy told the Courier what the 10th anniversary of the water crisis felt like to him.
“Imagine being in a bad and abusive relationship and that person gave you a disease that you can’t get rid of,” he said. “Now, you’re in this relationship that you can’t get out of, and they continuously disrespect you and do all kinds of things, knowing that they’ve done something to you. They’re unapologetic to you. They don’t want to make it right. They just tell you you have to deal with it. That’s most definitely how I feel about the water crisis. We’re in a bad relationship with our government on every level. They’ve all put us in an environment of trauma, and that trauma creates barriers that even mentally both adults and kids will never get over, even once a settlement has been reached.”
Grundy added water is a common necessity everybody on the planet needs. Although he said he was there to support people who have hope, he says he wants to do something beyond just talking about the way the water crisis has left Flint residents without those who caused the situation being held criminally accountable.
“I’m ready for those that want to take action and make those who made us uncomfortable understand what it feels like.”
Grundy said Flint, “the home of the industrial age” and the Flint sit-down strike, has given too much to this county for what residents are receiving now.
On Thursday evening, a Solidarity Forum took place UAW Local 659 Hall. On Friday, a vigil and healing ceremony took place at the People’s Church of Flint on Garland Street. Additionally, The Gloria Coles Flint Public Library hosted a community resources fair and legal update for people affected by the water crisis.
