Doctor who uncovered Flint water crisis visits Oswego

OSWEGO, N.Y. — Students and faculty at SUNY Oswego filled Sheldon Ballroom to listen to Dr. Mona Hanna-Attisha speak about her book “What the Eyes Don’t See”. Her book was selected for SUNY Oswego annual reading initiative.

Dr. Hanna-Attisha was the first person to publish data proving the Flint water crisis was real. In 2018, she published a book recounting her struggle to uncover it.

However, Dr. Hana-Attisha’s book was about a lot more than just Flint.

“I think it is a reminder that sometimes when we talk about water we think of it in terms of enjoying nature, but it’s also reminding us of its role in fundamental needs and rights,” SUNY Oswego Professor Laura Donnelly said.

Campus events like these are an important part of a students time here at Oswego.

“That’s what we are here for as a higher education institution — to engage in different ideas that perhaps you wouldn’t have otherwise,” SUNY Oswego Provost Scott Furlong said.

This event tied into SUNY Oswego’s Grand Challenges Project: Fresh Water for All. It’s a project that encourages students in all disciplines to think about how they can make a better future in a world without a lot of fresh water.

“I think she did an amazing job highlighting how where you live, the color of your skin, your socioeconomic status really determines how you live and how you are treated in society and how people deal with you and certain problems,” dtudent and political science major Lauren Fitzgerald said.