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HPH Weekly: The children of the Flint Michigan water crisis, ten years later

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Written by

Jo Zhou

Published

April 25, 2024

Read Time

2 min

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The children of the Flint Michigan water crisis, ten years later

Marcel Simmons squats on some rocks near the edge of the Flint River. He stares somberly up at the camera. — Kimberly Todd

It has been a decade since the water crisis in Flint, Michigan began. HPH writer Shantal Riley looks at the aftermath for those who will live the longest with the consequences: the children whose growth and development was impacted by exposure to lead. The community has rallied around its young people, but the scope of their problems is immense. “Despite all the good stuff that we’ve been able to put in place, people continue to struggle,” says Mona Hanna-Attisha, a pediatrician whose whistleblowing on lead levels in Flint’s children pushed public officials to acknowledge the crisis.

A place for Indian women to do… nothing

An Indian woman in a bright magenta sari smiles as she sits on a wooden swing in a small gallery space. On the walls are pieces of colorful square fabric with hand-stitched messages. — Indu Antony

Indu Antony knows firsthand how hostile public space can be for women in India. So she created Namma Katte, a space for women to do whatever they want—including nothing at all.

Snapshot: Governments can make indoor air healthier

Governments routinely monitor outdoor air quality—but not indoor air, which is what the majority of people breathe most of the time. Regulation could make our air healthier, researcher Lidia Morawska argues.