We know how crucial it is to have access to clean water. And living in the midst of a global pandemic this year has only underscored what we already know about water justice: that access to safe and affordable water is not only a human rights issue, but a public health issue as well.
Yet this is not the reality for billions of people across the globe — and in Flint, Michigan, the city’s water crisis continues to affect the lives of many of its residents. Despite having contaminated and poisonous water flowing through their taps for over six years, Flint residents continue to pay up to hundreds of dollars a month for water they can’t drink, bathe in, or even adequately wash their hands with.
That’s why this #GivingTuesday, we’re teaming up again with Flint Rising, a grassroots organization working to advance the human right to water and one of our closest partners in the fight for water justice.
This year, Flint Rising has not only been seeking justice and accountability for Flint’s water crisis, but also engaging in critical mutual aid work and defending democracy in the run up to the elections during these uncertain times. Making sure people across Flint have access to both affordable and clean water is a matter of life and death during and following a global pandemic. It’s the ability to wash your hands and protect yourself from COVID-19. It means staying hydrated if you get sick. And it’s the option to cook dinner for your family at home rather than going out during a public health crisis.
Flint Rising is working to ensure that both in the short term and following the pandemic, their friends and neighbors have the water they need to stay safe. And we’re helping to make sure they have the resources they need.
We’ve set an ambitious goal to raise $15,000 this #GivingTuesday to support our allies in their ongoing campaign for the right to safe water. What’s more, every gift in our #GivingTuesday campaign this year will be quadrupled. This means that your gift of $100 becomes $400!
And when you give right now, half of your gift will support Flint Rising’s campaign for water justice in Michigan and the other half will power our campaign for the human right to water worldwide. So will you pitch in to ensure we meet our goal?
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The water crisis in Michigan is a fundamental matter of justice and the result of a suspension of democracy. The people of Flint had no say when their water supply was switched to the filthy Flint River, which triggered the water crises. The switch was made possible by Michigan’s racist emergency manager law that allows the state to install unelected officials who can override local governments.
And making matters worse, internal corporate emails showed that executives at Veolia, the private water corporation contracted to study the water quality in Flint, discussed the potential for lead in the water but failed to raise these concerns to the public. This was confirmed in an exposé published by The Guardian and MLive late last year, which detailed public court records we worked with Flint Rising to secure.1
The effects of this disastrous emergency manager law have been especially profound for communities of color, particularly Black communities in cities like Flint. But the fearless activists at the helm of Flint Rising have been tirelessly organizing on this issue. They’ve mobilized in support of fellow Flint residents, who are demanding their very basic right to access clean water for their daily needs. They’re demanding a long-term solution to the water crisis, along with accountability for those who played a role in it. And they’re working to make sure that the immediate needs of people during this global pandemic are met.
At Corporate Accountability, we’ve been working in deep partnership with Flint Rising to ensure that this tragedy isn’t forgotten, and that those that played a role in the crisis are held accountable. And this #GivingTuesday, you have the chance to support organizers on the ground as they demand the human right to water.
It’s far past time that the people of Flint have clean and affordable water again. Join us and donate today to make sure that your generous gift goes towards supporting Flint Rising and demands for water justice in Flint, Michigan.
