Lead
poisoning is a chronic issue in rural and urban communities where thousands of
people encounter lead in paint, soil, and water. In 2014 in Flint, Michigan, a
corrupted municipal water system suddenly began to deliver lead to homes,
schools, factories, and offices. The Flint crisis, while sudden, shares much
with other communities in terms of both causes and effects. This panel will
address how political power, law, and community development affect the
vulnerability of community members to poisoning, and how community institutions,
such as schools, daycare providers, and government agencies may fail to address
harms to children and families.