Robyn Seniors, president of the senior class at Lawton Chiles High School in Tallahassee and co-chair of the Clean Water for Flint youth committee, spoke at the Third Thursday Lecture Series hosted by Florida A&M University’s Sociology and Criminal Justice Club.
Seniors was prompted to help donate to the public health state of emergency after first hearing about the tragedy.
The city switched their water source from Lake Huron and the Detroit River to the Flint River to save money back in April 2014. This resulted in lead contamination from aging water pipes leaking into the water supply of Flint’s roughly 100,000 residents.
“It is truly unbelievable and certainly unacceptable that this man-made disaster happened to the residents of one of America’s poorest cities,” Seniors said.
Lead poisoning causes brain damage, increases sickness, lowers IQ levels and promotes aggression. Seniors was devastated by the conditions in which Flint inhabitants, most of whom are African-American, are living and launched a #CleanWater4Flint campaign.
The Clean Water for Flint (#CW4F) campaign was formed to provide desperately needed resources to persons affected by the Flint, Mich. water crisis. The goal of this campaign is to collect 10,000 bottles of water for the residents of Flint, Mich. by March 5.
Seniors challenged FAMU students to take action and encouraged them to donate cases of water to send to Flint.
“This is a call to action. We have set a goal to provide at least 10,000 bottles of water to the residents of Flint, Mich. by spring break. I encourage you to help the children of Flint by donating as much bottled water as you can,” Seniors said.
The average person in the United States uses anywhere from 80-100 gallons of water per day. But in Flint, Mich., residents of the once-thriving industrial town are struggling to gain access to clean, drinkable water.
“I am thankful that our water in Leon County is clean and free of contaminants,” Seniors said. “I am thankful that we have one of the greatest mayors in the country, Andrew Gillum, who certainly would not have let this happen in Tallahassee.”
Kayla Crawley, president of FAMU’s Sociology and Criminal Justice Club, made a pledge to donate two cases of water.
“I make a pledge to donate two cases, anybody else?” Kayla asked.
By the end of the lecture series, money was donated and more than 10 students made the pledge to donate cases of water.
The #CleanWater4Flint campaign is expecting to send an 18-wheeler to deliver the water to Flint during Spring Break.
For more information or communication about donations, contact Robyn Seniors or Kayla Crawley via email: