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'We All Have the Same Fight': Young Chicago Activists Bring Water to Flint

By Joe Ward | January 22, 2016 2:54pm
 Chicago activist Ja'Mal Green visits Flint, Mich., to hand out water.
Chicago activist Ja'Mal Green visits Flint, Mich., to hand out water.
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DNAinfo/Joe Ward

CHICAGO — Fresh off rallying against Mayor Rahm Emanuel and advocating on behalf of victims of police abuses, activist Ja'Mal Green led a group of young Chicagoans to Flint, Michigan, where the drinking water has been contaminated for nearly two years.

The group of five young activists helped deliver bottled water Thursday morning to Flint, the poor industrial city with a majority black population racked by a poisoned water scandal that has led to calls for Michigan Gov. Rick Snyder's ouster.

"We all have the same fight," said Green, 20, who has been one of the most visible young activists in the ongoing Chicago protests. "We have to get rid of these leaders who keep oppressing us."

 Chicago activist Ja'Mal Green visits Flint, Mich., to hand out water.
Chicago activist Ja'Mal Green visits Flint, Mich., to hand out water.
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DNAinfo/Joe Ward

Their plan was to join rallies or marches advocating for change in addition to delivering bottled water. But Green said the plan changed once the group saw the extent of the suffering.

"We thought we were going to [rally]," Green said. "People were really in need. We decided to just be a blessing."

The group went down to Flint's city hall, where people were lined up down the block for cases of water, Green said. He said each family was given just one case of water, to be used not only for drinking but cooking, cleaning and bathing.

"We were shocked by that," he said. "So we started knocking on doors, handing [water] out."

Green said the group then set out for the poorest neighborhoods and areas with public housing.

It was there that the group saw the extent of the crisis, Green said. He said he also noticed strong parallels to Chicago, where public officials are not held accountable for actions that hurt poor minority communities.

"We have a mayor who covered up the murder of a black teenager," Green said. "They have a governor who let them drink water poisoned with lead.

"Why do the poor, black people gotta suffer?" he said. "Why aren't the rich people also drinking bad water?"

Green said he would like to go back to Flint monthly until there is some solution to the problem in place.

"We will go back with a U-Haul," he said.

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