LeeAnne Walters is an American environmental activist from Flint, Michigan. She became known for her role in exposing the Flint water crisis.[1]
LeeAnne Walters | |
|---|---|
| Nationality | American |
| Known for | Grassroots environmentalism |
| Awards | Goldman Environmental Prize (2018) PEN America's Freedom of Expression Courage Award (2016) |
Studies and personal life
editLeeAnne Walters was trained as medical assistant.[2] She has four children, of which two are twins that were 4 years old in 2014.[3]
Environmental activism
editWalters became known for her role in exposing the Flint water crisis.[4] In 2014, her children started to suffer from several medical issues, like rashes, hair dropping blurry vision, and enlarged kidney.[1] Walters started to lose her eyelashes.[5] She then started to make the link with water that started to change color and to flow brown.[1][3] After the city tested the water supply in February 2015, Walters started investigating lead contamination and discovered that the water in her home had 104 parts of lead per billion.[2][4] Her house was the first in being tested.[5] She then collected 800 water samples from all Flint zip codes with tests provided by Virginia Tech professor Marc Edwards,[4] by working 100 hours a week for three weeks.[2] She showed that lead levels in some areas were twice as high as what the Environmental Protection Agency considers hazardous waste.[2]
On February 3, 2016, Walters testified before the United States House Committee on Oversight and Reform about her work during the water crisis.[6]
In 2015, she founded the advocacy group Water You Fighting For? with Melissa Mays.[2]
Acknowledgment
editIn 2016, Walters was honored with the PEN America's Freedom of Expression Courage Award.[7][8] The 2017 television drama film Flint is based on the toxic water disaster. In the film, Betsy Brandt played the character of Walters.[9] Walters was awarded the Goldman Environmental Prize in 2018, for her key role in exposing the Flint water contamination crisis.[10][11]
References
edit- ^ a b c Brueck, Hilary (24 February 2016). "A mother in Flint, Michigan collected more than 800 neighborhood water samples to help uncover the city's lead crisis". nordic.businessinsider.com. Retrieved 26 April 2019.
- ^ a b c d e Persio, Sofia Lotto (2018-04-23). "Flint Water Activist Wins Top Environmental Prize". Newsweek. Retrieved 2023-09-01.
- ^ a b "A Flint, dans le Michigan, l'eau empoisonnée des pauvres". Le Monde.fr (in French). 2023-08-19. Retrieved 2023-09-01.
- ^ a b c Brueck, Hilary. "A mother in Flint, Michigan collected more than 800 neighborhood water samples to help uncover the city's lead crisis". Business Insider. Retrieved 2023-09-01.
- ^ a b ""Mi casa fue la zona cero": la madre que luchó por desvelar la contaminación por plomo en Flint". BBC News Mundo (in Spanish). 2016-05-03. Retrieved 2023-09-05.
- ^ Former EM removed from witness list for Congressional hearing on Flint water The Flint Journal via MLive.com, February 3, 2016
- ^ "2016 PEN/Toni and James C. Goodale Freedom of Expression Courage Award: Lee-Anne Walters and Dr. Mona Hanna-Attisha". pen.org. 3 March 2016. Retrieved 26 April 2019.
- ^ "PEN America to Honor Flint Mother and Local Doctor for Speaking Out to Expose Poisoned Water Supply". pen.org. 3 March 2016. Retrieved 26 April 2019.
- ^ Saraiya, Sonia (27 October 2017). "TV Review: Lifetime's 'Flint' Starring Queen Latifah". Variety. Retrieved 26 April 2019.
- ^ "Flint water activist LeeAnne Walters wins environmental prize". eu.freep.com. Associated Press. 23 April 2018. Retrieved 26 April 2019.
- ^ "LeeAnne Walter". goldmanprize.org. Retrieved 26 April 2019.
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