This petition is part of our “Home For The Holidays” initiative. Color Of Change is pairing strategic policy campaigns alongside direct mutual aid to Black families in Baltimore, Detroit, Flint, and Newark to tackle energy and environmental racism. Support this work here.
|
Dear friend,
As part of our direct mutual aid “Home For The Holidays” initiative, we’re shining much needed light on the water crisis in Detroit. Detroit children are being poisoned because the state and city refuse to invest in updating public school water plumbing.
There has been little state and city political will to find the $30 million to replace outdated, rusty pipes that leak lead and copper into the water used by Detroit Public School children and teachers. Toxic exposure to lead- and copper-poisoned water is incredibly damaging to growing brains.1 Water contamination checks completed last month showed unsafe, elevated lead or copper levels in every two out of three Detroit public schools.2 Yet, Detroit City Council just voted to give $238 million in cushy tax handouts to Ford Motor Company in a community benefits agreement for a local neighborhood project.3
Ford should not get $238 million in tax handouts while Detroit Public School students get water shutoffs. Ford already benefits off the backs of the Detroit taxpayers. Detroit Water and Sewage shut off water for 33,000 families who couldn’t afford their water utility bill, yet used Detroit tax dollars to keep the taps on for big corporations like Ford that held tens of thousands of dollars in unpaid water bills.4
Community benefits agreements are a powerful force for residents to combat gentrification by holding corporations accountable for their impact and for companies to be good neighbors. But, $238 million of Michigan and Detroit taxpayer money for Ford is water down the drain for Black Detroiters who consistently get the short end of the stick in community benefits when corporations come to town. While Detroit community members are fighting for clean water for their children, Ford -- a company valued at $17 billion -- only brought to the table $10 million in community benefits. Not only will Ford’s investment in Detroit Public Schools demonstrate responsible corporate leadership as a good community actor -- it is a direct investment in its own interest. Ford employees have a direct stake in improving Detroit Public Schools for its future workforce and providing safe water for their own children.
What’s happening in Detroit with Ford is exactly why Color of Change is launching our “Home For The Holidays” initiative. We can’t — and won’t — let members of our community suffer because of corporate interests that put profits over our people. We are determined to fight alongside you against water and energy access policies that hurt Black people. Our elders and countless Black families with young children are at risk of living without safe water, light, or heat because of corporate greed and political neglect. Clean water. Cooking on stovetops. Turning on the light switch. Keeping your children safe and warm. Water is life, and energy is a human right.
Community benefit agreements can push Ford to do right by Detroit and invest in fixing the water infrastructure in public schools, but we need public pressure for this to work. Please take a moment to sign in solidarity with the Detroit community fighting for change now.
Until Justice Is Real,
Jade, Brandi, Rashad, Arisha, Evan, Johnny, Future, Corina, Chad, Mary, Saréya, Samantha, Angela, Eesha, and the rest of the Color Of Change team
P.S. Dear friend, can you help resource this #HomeForTheHolidays work? Your generosity is a gift, an act of love to Black people this holiday season. Each dollar will help make sure Black families, elders, and children get the vital resources they need right now to survive as we fight to fix these structural injustices.
References :
- Detroit’s school water “solution” looks like this. 12 September 2018. Metrotimes. https://act.colorofchange.org/go/109497?t=18&akid=22146%2E1942551%2ECzBZ5w
- Not far from Flint, contamination has left Detroit school taps dry. 15 November 2018. New York Times. https://act.colorofchange.org/go/109498?t=20&akid=22146%2E1942551%2ECzBZ5w
- Infosheet : Why the Ford deal matters, What’s the big deal ? Detroit People’s Platform. http://act.colorofchange.org/go/109499?t=22&akid=22146%2E1942551%2ECzBZ5w
- More than 17000 detroit homes face water shutoffs, official says the problem is poverty. 26 March 2018. https://act.colorofchange.org/go/109500?t=24&akid=22146%2E1942551%2ECzBZ5w
Color Of Change is building a movement to elevate the voices of Black folks and our allies, and win real social and political change. Help keep our movement strong.
Aucun commentaire:
Enregistrer un commentaire