‘Berg discusses Flint Michigan water crisis

The pediatrician shares her story of exposing the infamous health crisis.

0
618
Dr. Mona Hanna-Attisha sharing her role in the crisis.

The Minority Pre-Health Society at the College invited pediatrician and health specialist Mona Hanna-Attisha, M.D., for a virtual lecture this past week on Apr. 6. She shared her role in uncovering the water crisis in Flint, Mich. and the new opportunities it gave her in the healthcare field. Hanna-Attisha started her academic career by earning a bachelor’s of public health from the University of Michigan before earning her medical degree at Michigan State University. She was named one of Time magazine’s 100 Most Influential People in the World and was granted the Freedom of Expression Courage Award by PEN America for her work in the health crisis. Hanna-Attisha is also the author of “What the Eyes Don’t See: A Story of Crisis, Resistance, and Hope in an American City,” in which she reflects on and explains her role in the water crisis in Michigan.

Hanna-Attisha started her lecture by pointing out the root cause of the crisis: the new water source. The pipes used to carry the water from the new source to the city started to corrode, causing high levels of toxic lead to seep into the water. Without pinpointing the cause of origin, it would be impossible to return the drinking water to lower lead levels.

“If we only look at that superficial layer, it’s almost like putting a Band-Aid on that problem and skipping the diagnosis to avoid treatment,” Hanna-Attisha explained. “The real villains are the ongoing effects of racism, inequality, greed, laissez-faire and even neo-liberal capitalism that poisoned Flint and their policies.”

Hanna-Attisha went on to describe the multitude of hardships she faced while initially trying to gather data on the crisis.

“I kept trying to get data from preexisting surveillance systems from the county or state but they did not offer anything and kept closing doors in my face,” she said. “What enabled me to persist through these science data challenges was a constant grounding in asking ‘why.’”

The question of “why” is what kept Hanna-Attisha invested in the Flint water disaster. She answered this question when explaining that she wanted to ensure the safety of her children and others in the area. Injustice in Flint also pushed her deeper to find the resolutions to the pressing issue. Hanna-Attisha’s first line in her book states, “I am Iraqi…” She then built upon her role as a woman of color in the healthcare industry.

“Being a woman of color and an immigrant, I see the world differently and I have a heightened antenna for injustice,” she said. “They are like my superhero powers.”

“Being a woman of color and an immigrant, I see the world differently and I have a heightened antenna for injustice. They are like my superhero powers.”

Dr. Mona Hanna-Attisha

An anonymous student who attended the lecture commented, “The additional comments she made both in the lecture and in her book about her personal story added to the strong message of what she was doing. This aspect is something I found very interesting because her discussion about culture and history can be related to the current crisis she was witnessing.”

“My favorite part of Dr. Mona’s talk was when she talked about her own personal background, and how coming from a family of Iraqi scientists and dissidents helped her find the courage to speak truth to power,” shared Casey Miller, Ph.D., assistant professor of anthropology at Muhlenberg. “And more specifically in pursuing her public health advocacy work when her findings were initially dismissed by the State of Michigan.”

Hanna-Attisha presented her data and results of toxic lead levels in the water at multiple press conferences using props, like pipes, so her data would stand out to the policymakers. Despite facing backlash, she persisted and created positive change in the Flint area.

“Dr. Mona’s talk was extremely fascinating and very inspirational,” explained Sara Tabakha ‘22. “Despite not having peer-reviewed evidence, she still used that information to protect the people of Flint, even if there were consequences.”

“Dr. Mona’s talk was extremely fascinating and very inspirational. Despite not having peer-reviewed evidence, she still used that information to protect the people of Flint, even if there were consequences.”

SARA TABAKHA ‘22

“Dr. Hanna-Attisha taught me that barriers should not prevent one from accomplishing something, but should fuel your determination,” shared Melissa Borker ‘22. “She said that when the Michigan health department did not release data or when the federal government told her she was causing hysteria, it pushed her to fight even more for her community.”

Hanna-Attisha concluded her lecture with a word of advice for those currently on the pre-health track. She accredited her skills as a good leader to her years in college, reiterating the importance of “the four P’s:” find your passion, find your people, be persistent and be prepared. 
She concluded by reciting a Dr. Suess quote from her book by saying, “Unless someone like you cares a whole awful lot, nothing is going to get better. It’s not.”

LEAVE A REPLY

Please enter your comment!
Please enter your name here