Progress Illinois, February 22, 2016: Flint Water Crisis Indicative Of Larger Problem Facing Low-Income Communities
“Abrar Quader, director of Government and Community Partnerships for the Compassionate Care Network, told Progress Illinois the issues that led to the Flint water crisis could be repeated wherever there is old infrastructure. ‘There are communities like Flint all across America,” said Quader. “If we don’t address it from a public health perspective, it could become a national epidemic. What’s happening in Flint, what’s happening on the South Side of Chicago, what’s happening in all under-served communities, there’s a link. We need to connect the dots,’ Quader added. Quader cited malnutrition due to food deserts on Chicago’s South Side, and the effects of pollution-emitting factories in low-income Hispanic neighborhoods, as legitimate public health concerns.”