#troubledwaters

"Aguas tormentosas"

On the first day of #blackhistorymonth just want to remind folks that there are Black communities throughout our country that lack clean drinking water. Link in bio from our @news21 report on the state of drinking water in America. . #photojournalism #portraits #makeportraits #environmentaljustice #environmentalracism #america #drinkingwater #troubledwaters #everydayblackamerica

Bridge over....

Annette Caskey lives in Sherry Circle, one of the poorest areas of Campti, AL, a small Louisiana town founded in 1745 and is the oldest settlement along the Red River. “This water sucks. Sometimes it got too much chlorine in it.Sometimes it don’t have no chlorine at all. It’s like you’re drinking sewage.” Caskey's tap water often comes out orange or brown and she prefers to drink from bottled water that she buys from a nearby store which she often shares with her neighbors. If one neighbor finds out about water boil advisories in Sherry Circle which happen after storms, the word spreads since not everyone get the notices. #photojournalism #portraits #makeportraits #louisiana #campti #deepsouth #water #watercontamination #environmentaljustice #onassignment for @news21 #troubledwaters Link in bio for the News21 reporting on drinking water in America

Demetrius Holmes was born in Detroit, MI but has been in and out of Uniontown all his life. He has been back in the town for 3 years and in that time span he has been hospitalized over 20 times for stomach related issues. The diagnosis that he’s received is gastroparesis and acid reflux and takes Omeprazole and Pantoprazole but doctors nor specialist have been able to figure its cause, but Demetrious suspects the water in Uniontown may be the cause. ”We drinking poison. I’m complaining right now because this is a low income housing that I’m staying in. I feel like, because I receive government housing [should] I have to live in these conditions?” Uniontown residents say the water issues stem from the run of waste from a nearby water plant that pollutes their drinking water and often spill into nearby creeks. #photojournalism #reportage #portraits #makeportraits #uniontown #alabama #deepsouth #environmentaljustice #water #watercontamination #health #onassignment for @news21 #troubledwaters

Ben Eaton, a retired school teacher, got involved with Black Belt Citizens,a group that has fought for clean water and air in Uniontown since it’s inception in 2010, when the coal ash that Arrowhead Landfill began to bring into the town from a spill in Tennessee, began to take a toll on Uniontown. Since then BBC has been vocal about the various Environmental Justice issues that Uniontown, a town that is 90 percent Black, faces including the most recently the sewage spray fields that they suspect are affecting the town's drinking water. Eaton and his wife use bottle water which is an extra economic spending on their budget and something that not everyone in Uniontown can do.” Not having basic necessities, because I’m Black...We have issues, we all have issues, but I shouldn’t be condemned because of the color of my skin." #photojournalism #reportage #portraits #makeportraits #Alabama #Uniontown #environmentaljustice #water #onassignment for @news21 #troubledwaters

Sherry Hunter’s sister was a resident of the West Calumet Housing Complex. The complex, which was built on an old lead smelting plant, was home to more than 1,000 residents. After East Chicago Mayor Anthony Copeland sent letters to the residents letting them know they needed to relocate due to lead and arsenic contamination from the plant, Sherry began to organize. Along with Senator Lonnie Randolph, they founded “Calumet Lives Matter” to help advocate for the residents. The group helped residents with relocation needs and matters dealing with HUD. Calumet Lives Matter since then has begun a water distribution campaign, distributing water to anyone who lives or lived in the three superfund zones of East Chicago. “We get donated water from all the surrounding cities, except our city. They don’t even let us distribute from the community center. We have to use the churches to give out water.” #photojournalism #reportage #portraits #makeportraits #water #lead #eastchicago #westcalumet #environmentaljustice #environmentalracism #onassignment for @news21 #troubledwaters