Mona Hanna-Attisha Knihy

The narrative centers on the Flint water crisis, highlighting the courageous efforts of a dedicated physician who confronted systemic failures and advocated for the community's health. It explores themes of social justice, environmental racism, and the struggle against institutional neglect, offering a compelling account of resilience and activism in the face of adversity. Through personal anecdotes and rigorous research, the book sheds light on the human impact of the crisis and the fight for accountability.

The story of a significant environmental disaster and tale of a relentless physician who stood up to power. Shortly after the city of Flint shifted the source of its water supply from Lake Huron to the Flint Fiver, citizens began complaining about the water but officials rebuffed them. Dr. Mona Hanna-Attisha, a pediatrician at the city's public hospital, had no reason to be concerned about the water and encouraged the parents and children in her care to continue drinking it. But a conversation at a cookout with an old friend, leaked documents from a rogue environmental inspector, and the activism of a concerned mother raised red flags about lead--a neurotoxin whose irreversible effects fall most heavily on children. This book is the story of how Dr. Mona--accompanied by a team of researchers, parents, friends, and community leaders--proved that Flint's kids were exposed to lead and then fought her own government and a brutal backlash to expose that truth to the world. 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.--Adapted from jacket