Press release from Pisgah Legal Services:
WHAT: Pisgah Legal Services’ 11th Annual Justice Forum
WHEN: October 7, 2021
In-person pe-event outdoor Reception and Forum Watch Party: 5:30pm;
Virtual Online Forum: 7:00pmTickets to the in-person Reception and Forum Watch Party are $50/person and includes food and drink. Tickets are limited and go on sale Aug. 16.
The Virtual Forum is free and open to the public.
Register online at pisgahlegal.org/justiceforum
Advance registration for both events is required.
Sponsorship opportunities are still available. Contact Ally Wilson: 210-3444.
WHERE: To protect the health and safety of participants and attendees, this year’s Justice Forum will be presented online via Zoom. Details will be shared with registered guests closer to the event.
For guests who would like to gather in-person, an outdoor, pre-event Reception and Forum Watch Party will also be offered, with limited attendance, at Rabbit Rabbit, 75 Coxe Ave., in Asheville. All applicable COVID-19 protocols will be followed. Details to come.
WHO: Dr. Mona Hanna-Attisha is the pediatrician, scientist and advocate who exposed the dangerous levels of lead in Flint, Michigan’s drinking water after testing blood lead levels of local children.
“Dr. Mona” was named one of Time magazine’s 100 Most Influential People in the World and recognized as one of USA Today’s Women of the Century for her role in uncovering the water crisis and leading recovery efforts. She also received the 2020 Fries Prize for Improving Health.
She has testified three times before the United States Congress and was awarded the Freedom of Expression Courage Award by PEN America.
She is the author of the widely acclaimed and bestselling book What the Eyes Don’t See: A Story of Crisis, Resistance, and Hope in an American City, a powerful first-hand account of the Flint water crisis, the signature environmental disaster of our time, and a riveting narrative of personal advocacy.
With concentrations in environmental health and health policy, Dr. Mona received her bachelor’s degree and Master of Public Health degree from the University of Michigan. She completed her medical degree from Michigan State University College of Human Medicine and her residency at Children’s Hospital of Michigan in Detroit, where she was chief resident. She is currently a Charles Stewart Mott Endowed Professor of Public Health and an associate professor of pediatrics and human development at Michigan State University College of Human Medicine.
A COVID-19 survivor, Dr. Mona says that good governance, faith in science, prevention, and understanding disparities are all important lessons learned from the Flint water crisis and are applicable to the COVID-19 pandemic.
PLS Executive Director Jim Barrett says, “Dr. Mona Hanna-Attisha is a warrior for the children and people of Flint and beyond. She is a hero of one of our country’s worst public health disasters.”
He continues, “People of color and low-income communities experience a disproportionate share of environmental and public health burdens. Through this event, we hope to raise awareness and illustrate how negative health outcomes impact people right here in our mountain region, and how attorneys can be important advocates and a part of solutions that address social determinants of health.”
Before you comment
The comments section is here to provide a platform for civil dialogue on the issues we face together as a local community. Xpress is committed to offering this platform for all voices, but when the tone of the discussion gets nasty or strays off topic, we believe many people choose not to participate. Xpress editors are determined to moderate comments to ensure a constructive interchange is maintained. All comments judged not to be in keeping with the spirit of civil discourse will be removed and repeat violators will be banned. See here for our terms of service. Thank you for being part of this effort to promote respectful discussion.