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The dramatic story of the signature environmental disaster of our time and an inspiring tale of relentless citizen resistance in the face of corrupt power Flint was already a troubled city in 2014 when the state of Michigan - in the name of austerity - shifted the source of its water supply from Lake Huron to the Flint River. Soon after, citizens began complaining about the water that flowed from their taps - but officials rebuffed them, insisting it was fine. Dr. Mona Hanna-Attisha, a pediatrician at the city's public hospital, took state officials at their word and encouraged the parents and children in her care to continue drinking the water - after all, it was American tap water, blessed with the state health department's seal of approval. But a conversation at a cookout with an old friend, leaked documents from a rogue inspector, and the activism of a concerned mother raised red flags about lead - a neurotoxin whose irreversible effects fall most heavily on children. Even as circumstantial evidence mounted and protests grew, Dr. Mona knew that the only thing that could stop the lead poisoning was undeniable proof - and that to get it, she'd have to enter the fight of her life. What the Eyes Don't See is the inspiring story of how Dr. Mona - accompanied by an idiosyncratic team of researchers, parents, friends, and community leaders - proved that Flint's kids were exposed to lead, and fought her own government and a brutal backlash to expose that truth to the world. Paced like a scientific thriller, the book shows how misguided austerity policies, the withdrawal of democratic government, and callous bureaucratic indifference placed an entire city at risk. And at the center of the story is Dr. Mona herself - an immigrant, doctor, scientist, and mother - whose family's activist roots inspired her pursuit of justice. What the Eyes Don't See is a riveting, beautifully rendered account of a shameful disaster that became a tale of hope, the story of a city on the ropes that came together to fight for justice, self-determination, and the right to build a better world for their - and all of our - children.
About the Author
Mona Hanna-Attisha, MD, MPH, FAAP, is a physician, scientist, and activist who has been called to testify twice before the United States Congress, awarded the Freedom of Expression Courage Award by PEN America, and named one of Time magazine's 100 Most Influential People in the World.
