[1]Voting While Black

Hi John,

My name is Ariana Hawk, and the city of Flint poisoned my children. My
then 2-year-old son named Sincere became the face of the water crisis when
he was on the cover of Time Magazine in 2016. Ever since then, our lives
haven’t been the same.

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It’s been five years and Sincere still deals with the rashes. He lives
with the fear of being poisoned every single day, and it makes me furious.
My daughter’s dad died of bacterial pneumonia in August 2015, before the
state of Michigan confirmed it was Legionnaires’ bacteria disease. I do
not trust the water here, and why should I? From cooking to boiling water
for baths to brushing our teeth -- we have no choice but to use bottled
water to protect ourselves from diseases. 

Life is a battleground for me and my family. And it’s a battle for
thousands of other “Flint-stones” just like me. That’s why every single
day, I’m fighting for change as an organizer with Color Of Change PAC.
Flint is the only home I’ve known. I couldn’t just sit back and wait for
the government to fix things when they’re the ones responsible for
poisoning my family and community. 

[ [link removed] ]I truly believe the best way to make Flint a better place is through
getting a new mayor elected. We need a leader that we can hold
accountable, and the only person I trust to get the job done is Sheldon
Neeley. Donate $5 to help me reach as many voters in Flint as possible,
and win the mayor’s election. 

Since the crisis began, I’ve been in the streets organizing to get my
community the basic resources they need to survive. When the state stopped
funding water for Flint, I waited for hours in the cold to get hundreds of
bottles of clean water from donations. When our hospitals said they’d stop
saying the word “poisoned” when it comes to sick children, I reminded
doctors that their words matter and that they cannot lie about our
experiences.

People are tired of asking for help and having none of their needs met.
It’s been five years. And it feels like asking for clean water is a
full-time job when it shouldn’t be. Our local officials don’t care about
what happens to us, and it shows. Karen Weaver has had 4 years to fix this
problem, and she hasn’t. The city of Flint has received upwards of $600
million to clean up the water, and it’s still poisoned under Weaver’s
mismanagement.^1 She’s not doing her job properly. Why would we re-elect a
mayor that sits back as hundreds of our community members suffer? 

We’re all the way fed up.

The lack of concern from the government makes my skin crawl. I couldn’t
just wait for them to fix things when they’re the ones responsible for
poisoning my family and community. The state wants to say that the water
is fine, but we know that this is a bold lie. Even today, hundreds of
residents are forced to choose between paying a water shutoff fee or
buying clean water, because the tap water at home is too toxic to use.^2
That’s why every single day, I’m fighting for change as the lead organizer
in Flint to elect Sheldon Neeley for mayor. 

This will not be an easy fight. Right now, current Mayor Karen Weaver is
trying to win votes by making plenty of promises to fix things-- but she's
already had 4 years in office to fix them. [ [link removed] ]I only have 30 days to reach
as many voters as possible to vote for Neeley. I urgently need your help.
Rush a $5 donation right now to support a new future for me and my
family. 

Sheldon Neeley grew up in Flint just like me, and I’ve seen him fight for
us for years-- from serving on Flint’s City Council to his current fight
as our state representative to ensuring the people responsible for the
water crisis are held accountable. He’s a stand-up guy that I trust. [ [link removed] ]To
get out the vote for Neeley, I have a plan, but I can only see it through
with your support. 

To make sure Sheldon Neeley wins, over the next 30 days I will be: 

* Knocking on thousands of doors with volunteers to make sure people
know about this election and how to get registered to vote
* Texting and calling tens of thousands of people in Flint to get out
the vote for Neeley 
* Hosting voter engagement events with my team to build community among
one another and tell folks how they can get involved in improving
Flint for Black people-- through the election and beyond
* And building relationships with hundreds of my neighbors in Flint so
that we stay connected after the election and continue to work
together for change no matter who’s in office

Flint is a predominantly Black community that has been forgotten about. I
know, as you know, that if we were a predominantly white city, this crisis
would’ve been solved much faster. Period. Every year, we are reminded that
our health is not a top priority to the government. 

There’s only so much fighting we can do without a government that has our
backs. I know that Sheldon Neeley does. It’s been 5 years too long, and as
my children grow older I fear for the longterm effects that this crisis
will bring to them. The children of Flint, Michigan deserve a shot at
normal life with good schools, clean water, and safety. We need this win
badly. [ [link removed] ]Rush a $5 donation so that my community and I can finally make
justice an everyday reality. We deserve it.

Until justice is real, 

-- Ariana, Sincere, and the Color Of Change PAC team

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Sources

1. "'Were Flint water crisis funds mismanaged?", NBC 25 News, 11 February
2019,[ [link removed] ][link removed]

2. "City of Flint to resume water shutoffs for non-payment.", NBC 25 News,
12 March
2018, [ [link removed] ][link removed]


 
Paid Pol. Adv. paid for with regulated funds by ColorOfChange PAC, 1714 Franklin St., Oakland, CA 94612, independently of any candidate. Not authorized or approved by any federal, state, or local candidate or candidate’s committee.

Color Of Change PAC is building a movement to elevate the voices of Black folks and our allies, and win real social and political change. Contributions to Color Of Change PAC are not deductible as charitable contributions for federal income tax purposes.

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