“In public health, we talk about how your zip code is more important than your genetic code."
Dr. Katie Martin
The recent water crisis in Flint, Michigan has spurred national and local outrage as allegations arise of environmental racism against lower income and black communities. A public health advocate said there needs to be more collaboration among federal, state, and local agencies to resolve the problem.
Dr. Katie Martin of University of St. Joseph in West Hartford, during an appearance on WNPR's Where We Live, said various agencies' goals are different. But the role of government is to provide for the safety and well-being of all residents.
To begin that focus, Martin said the government must address its lack of affordable and quality housing.
“It’s particularly true here in Hartford, Connecticut,” Martin said. “Many low-income people have few choices of where they can afford to live, and that substandard housing often has lead pipes, lead paint, and other unhealthy exposures that put them directly at risk for higher disease outcomes.”
With these health inequities, language barriers also proved to be an issue in Flint. Warnings against drinking the water were not translated to Spanish. The communication barrier left these communities voiceless in terms of political power.
Reporter Aaron Morrison discussed this kind of power structure in an article for the International Business Times. From the report:
While majority white, middle-income and wealthy communities enjoy relative insulation from the risks of living near hazardous facilities, a lack of political representation on environmental issues makes it more difficult for racial minorities in poorer neighborhoods to combat injustices.
From the Flint crisis, Martin said there is something we can do to prevent reoccurrence.
"Unfortunately, we have this tragedy happening in Flint, but as public health advocates and as media, we can take this tragedy to shed light on enduring environmental racism, social injustice, and health disparities. We can take this as an opportunity to advocate for health equity throughout our country," Martin said.
As for Connecticut being one of the most socio-economically diverse states in the country, Martin ended by noting that it is "an example of the extremes, but we see this around the country and even the world."
