Families across Detroit are losing their homes. Children are being taken away from parents. And people are falling sick. Why?
Because in my beloved city of Detroit, the human right to water is getting trampled.
People are getting astronomical water bills — some as high as $2000. When they can’t pay, their water gets shut off — end of story. Not only do water shutoffs deprive people of water to drink, cook, and bathe — they lead to other horrific outcomes. Like the state taking away children and splitting up families. Or putting liens on homes, which can force people into foreclosure. Or jeopardizing public health when households cannot properly prepare for work or school.
My name is Sylvia, and I’m an organizer at Michigan Welfare Rights Organization (MWRO). Twenty-two years ago, I joined this organization because I was deeply inspired by its long-standing commitment to fight systemic poverty and ensure the rights of poor people. And ever since, I organize every day so that cash-poor and low-income Detroiters are able to live with dignity and with full human rights. Water is a huge part of that work right now.
I’m proud to say that for a small organization, we’ve made waves when it comes to upholding the human right to water in this city. From directly helping thousands of families prevent shutoffs or get their water turned back on to organizing international gatherings on water justice, we’re helping to solve this water crisis. But we know we can do so much more with more resources and capacity.
That’s why we’ve teamed up with an organization that shares our values and goals around water: Corporate Accountability. Together, we’re exposing the way private interests and corporate power dominate the political and economic landscape in Detroit. We’re challenging how the city is treating water like a commodity, and then punishing people who can’t afford to pay unjust bills. We’re making sure the human right to water is upheld — not just in Detroit, but also across Michigan, throughout the U.S., and around the globe.
You can be sure that we’re leading the way to water justice in Detroit. In the more than 50 years MWRO has been around, we’ve never wavered in our commitment to secure human rights and dignity for cash-poor and low-income people. Today, we’re fired up to be working with Corporate Accountability to bring water justice to Detroit — and serve as a beacon of hope and justice across the Great Lakes, the country, and the world.
Will you join me today in the essential work of advancing water rights and public health protections? When you give before midnight tonight, your gift will be tripled.
Together, we can create a world where everyone has the right to clean water at rates they can afford — whether in Detroit or Flint, Michigan; Lagos, Nigeria; or your city or town. Please join me.
