Professor of Peace Shares His Expertise Ever since 7th grade when I first learned of Ghandhi’s nonviolent protests, I’ve often pondered the elusiveness of peace. Someone once said to me, “Humans

Great interview with my friend Benjie about how to work toward a more peaceful world! www.counterpunch.org/2025/10/30/p...

Flint activists celebrate milestone in city's recovery from water crisis In a church hall, dozens of people gathered to celebrate the near-completion of efforts to replace all of the city’s lead service lines.

So much water crisis recovery work in Flint, including the nearly-complete effort to replace lead pipes, has been carried out by unsung community members. Last night was a chance to honor them. Special thanks to the Kettering University students who helped!
www.michiganpublic.org/transportati...

“Unfinished Business”: Experts Speak Out After Trump Administration Dismantles NEJAC Now that the Trump administration has disbanded this advisory council—along with much of the EJ work of the EPA. The experts I spoke with are worried not just about the substance of their work, but ab...

Thank you to Kristie Ellickson and @ucsusa.bsky.social for bringing attention to the now-suspended work of the National Environmental Justice Advisory Council. Stay tuned for more as we seek ways of carrying that work forward! blog.ucs.org/kellickson/u...

“In addition to calls for more financial compensation, residents voiced the need for continued advocacy to ensure clean and affordable water, expanded healthcare for those impacted, and the repeal of Michigan’s controversial Emergency Manager Law.”

Flint marks 11th anniversary of water crisis with town hall to demand justice The event, hosted at UAW Local 659 in Flint, was an emotional and candid gathering, highlighting the unresolved issues still impacting the community a decade after the water crisis began.

“Despite efforts from local residents, health experts, and activists, many in the community feel that justice has not been fully served, and the long-term consequences of the crisis continue to affect lives today…” www.mlive.com/news/flint/2...

Hey University of Michigan union supporters, Michigan union supporters, Michiganders, or union supporters (international travelers will definitely get at least 2 BEERS on me) come to downtown Flint for this rally tomorrow. Our admin is acting like jerks, so we need to have a good showing!!

I live in Flint, Michigan. Shuttering environmental justice at EPA hurts communities like mine. I serve on the EPA’s National Environmental Justice Advisory Council, and I believe its preservation is critical.

Thanks to @ehnewsroom.bsky.social for publishing my commentary on the connection between EJ at EPA and community-based environmental advocacy. Here’s to hoping that the National Environmental Justice Advisory Council will be able to continue its important work: www.ehn.org/flint-epa-ne...

A while back, I was invited by Films for the Feminist Classroom to review a couple of water-related documentaries, including @leanahosea.bsky.social's Thirst for Justice. For those who are interested, the review is now live: ffc.twu.edu/Issue_13-1/r...

An open letter from EPA staff to the American public "This is not about defending our paychecks. This is about protecting the health of our communities."

"The Trump administration is making accusations of fraud, waste, and abuse associated with federal environmental justice programs...But the real waste, fraud, and abuse would be to strip away these funds from the American people." www.ehn.org/epa-environm...

Flint schools stand firm on diversity programs amid federal pressure FLINT, Mich. — Flint Community Schools is standing firm in its commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) initiatives despite calls from the Trump adm

“‘When I think of equality, something that we have fought for all of our lives…that's what we're gonna continue to fight for, that's not political for me,’ [Superintendent Kevelin] Jones said. ‘It's just who we are and what we do.’” midmichigannow.com/news/local/f...

Veolia North America agrees to pay $53 million Flint water settlement FLINT, Mich. - Veolia North America (Veolia), an engineering company that was facing allegations for contributions to the Flint Water Crisis, has agreed to pay

Big news related to the Flint Water Crisis civil lawsuits: wwmt.com/news/state/v...

“We Feel Terrorized”: What EPA Employees Say About the Decision to Stay or Go Under Trump More than 300 career employees at the Environmental Protection Agency have left. Those who remain face a painful decision: resign or work for an administration that plans to radically reshape the EPA ...

“We Feel Terrorized”: EPA Employees Decide to Stay or Go Under Trump
#news #environment #pollution

@fastlerner.bsky.social and @pratheekrebala.bsky.social report for @theguardian.com

EJ Today Headlines: www.sej.org/headlines/list

www.propublica.org/article/epa-...

Republicans move to repeal lead limits imposed by Biden-era rules US government would be prohibited from ever mandating lead pipe replacement or lowering lead limits in water

"Environmentalists expressed alarm about the moves, which, if successful, would in effect prohibit the government from ever requiring lead line replacement in the future, or lowering lead limits."

"...despite knowing the potential for high levels of lead and bacteria in Flint’s water." "EPA’s decision to litigate rather than settle...comes despite its Office of Inspector General having concluded it should have acted sooner to warn Flint residents that their drinking water was contaminated."

Flint water crisis lawsuit against EPA can move forward, federal judge rules A judge has rejected the federal government’s claim that it can’t be held responsible for failed oversight during the Flint water crisis.

"A judge has rejected the federal gov.’s claim that it can’t be held responsible for failed oversight during the Flint water crisis...[The case] claims EPA did not follow its mandates and directives in responding to the water crisis, failing to intervene for months..." www.mlive.com/news/flint/2...

Photo courtesy of the GM Media Archive. From the book "Family Stories" by David Reuther.

Photo courtesy of the Motor Vehicle Manufacturers Association. From the book "Family Stories" by David Reuther.

Police with tear gas guns before the Battle of the Running Bulls.Photo courtesy of the Walter P. Reuther Library. From the book "Family Stories" by David Reuther.

Photo courtesy of the Walter P. Reuther Library. From the book "Family Stories" by David Reuther.

🧵 On January 11, 1937, striking General Motors workers battled Flint police at GM's Fisher Body No. 2 in a bloody night of fighting and a turning point in the Sit-Down Strike.

The 1979 legal challenge to dumping garbage on Black Houston, 1990 Dumping in Dixie, and 1994 Clinton EJ Exec Order were not about Affirmative Action. Biden's 2023  EJ Exec. Order was not DEI. Equal access to clean air & water and safe environments to live are RIGHTS of all Americans, not DEI.

These aren’t new cases—they are appeals by individuals who believe they should be included in the settlement but who were told their claims don’t qualify. Under the terms of the settlement, it’s necessary to determine how many people will be eating the pie before it can be divided up.

Flint water settlement payments delayed by thousands of appeals and reconsiderations Thousands of requests for reconsideration and appeals of claims seeking a piece of the $626-million Flint water crisis settlement fund have helped delay the payment of more than 27,000 approved claims...

Almost 11 years after the disastrous switch to the Flint River, residents still have not received a dime of reparations from the institutions responsible. Many have died waiting. www.mlive.com/news/flint/2...

Got a chance to see "The Fire Inside" today--if it's playing in a theater near you, check it out! Featuring the story of two-time Olympic gold medalist and GWOAT, Flint's own Claressa Shields!

I was interviewed recently for this piece by @eos.org on the status and legacy of the Flint water crisis after 10 years and ongoing efforts to advance environmental protection and environmental justice in Flint and beyond:

Big development in efforts to keep the Flint River free of industrial waste:

Dear Mrs. River-Dragon 80 pages, handmade and numbered  ​2024

(2/2) "Kao writes of parenting biracial children in a disinvested environment, relations between Asian-Americans and other groups, and the lasting impact of the water crisis as well as anti-AAPI sentiment in the early days of the pandemic." www.anothernewcalligraphy.com/anc075.html

(1/2) Flint-related book announcement! "[In Dear Mrs. River-Dragon,] Vivian Kao documents her family's efforts to acclimate to Flint...focusing on the challenges of being an Asian-American woman and mother in a marginalized city where AAPI residents comprise less than one percent of the community."

Get to know Buckham Gallery's 5th Writer in Residence, Vivian Kao Poet Vivian Kao looks forward to a year of interacting with art and creating new works as Buckham Gallery's fifth Writer in Residence.

“I feel like in Flint, art is for everybody…not only for people who have degrees in art or for those who have a lot of money and collect art.” www.flintside.com/inthenews/bu...

Sharing the news of this new collection, to which I contributed an article on social scientific analyses of the Flint Water Crisis. Although the article itself is behind a paywall, I’m happy to discuss this topic with anyone who’s interested!

The outrageous messaging—water is “safe” and even “free from lead” when a sampling round happens to show lead levels within federal guidelines—is all-too-familiar to us Flint folks. They’re more like Flint than they think…

Flint Fights Back: Environmental Justice & Democracy in the Flint Water Crisis - Conference Keynote YouTube video by Iowa Environmental Council

In Sept, I delivered the keynote at the Iowa Environmental Council Annual Conference and the recording is now up. I discussed the history and status of the Flint Water Crisis and the influence of the crisis on regulatory reform and the environmental justice landscape: www.youtube.com/watch?v=w0Py...

Pinning here my (relatively) recent interview with the New Books Network about where things stand in Flint ten years after the start of the water crisis and five years after the publication of my book Flint Fights Back: newbooksnetwork.com/flint-fights...