The Flint, Michigan water crisis is a heartbreaking tragedy that should never have happened. As detailed in the compelling documentary ‘Here’s to Flint’, this avoidable catastrophe began when the city’s Emergency Management Department made a cost-cutting measure to switch the water supply away from Lake Huron and Detroit River, to the highly polluted Flint River. Many of the city’s residents, many of whom are poverty-stricken and African American, were unaware of the disastrous health hazards this posed. When they did notice strange illnesses such as rashes, hair loss, nervous system disorders, and even cancer afflicting their children, their complaints were not taken seriously by officials. It was only after elevated levels of lead were found in the water supply that something began to be done about it.
The film details how brave citizens stood up against power and demanded corrective action from those responsible for this crisis. But their future depends on more than just a few protesters; it requires both immediate and long-term changes to prevent similar tragedies in other places across America. This should serve as a warning for communities everywhere – that our government should never be allowed to put profits ahead of people’s lives again.
This important story needs to be seen by everyone so we can all understand better what happened in Flint and take meaningful steps towards preventing it from happening again elsewhere. ‘Here’s To Flint’ offers us an urgent reminder that we must do better for our fellow citizens in need; watch it and you’ll come away feeling inspired by those who refused to give up on their fight for justice.
