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The Common Book guide showcases past Common Books and their resources, the current Common Book and the guidelines and lists for future Common Books.

What the Eyes Don't See: A Story of Crisis, Resistance, and Hope in an American City

Uncovering the Flint Water Crisis: Dr. Mona Hanna-Attisha

In late August 2015, Dr. Mona Hanna-Attisha started investigating claims of toxic lead levels in the water of Flint, MI. In her book WHAT THE EYES DON'T SEE, Dr. Hanna-Attisha and a team of scientists, citizens, journalists, and state representatives worked to expose the crisis, and to build a recovery for the children and families of Flint.

TEDMED

Pediatrician Mona Hanna-Attisha is the whistleblower who exposed the dangerous levels of lead in Flint, Michigan’s drinking water. In her 2016 TEDMED Talk, Mona sheds light on how the people of Flint are finding hope after the crisis and working together to rebuild their American dream.

Dr. Mona Hanna-Attisha: The Flint Water Crisis

In honor of Black History Month, the Brown University School of Public Health and the Center for the Study of Race and Ethnicity in America presented a talk in the Building Health Equity in an Unequal World lecture series. "The Flint Water Crisis: A Journey for Justice" features Dr. Mona Hanna-Attisha, the pediatrician and public health advocate whose research exposed the Flint Water Crisis. 3/1/2018

FYE Conference 2019

Mona Hanna-Attisha, author of WHAT THE EYES DON'T SEE: A STORY OF CRISIS, RESISTANCE, AND HOPE IN AN AMERICAN CITY (One World), speaks about her book at the First-Year Experience® (FYE) Conference in Las Vegas, NV.

About the Author: Mona Hanna-Attisha

Dr. Mona Hanna-Attisha standing in front of a blue background, wearing her lab coat

Dr. Mona Hanna-Attisha, MD, MPH, FAAP

Mona Hanna-Attisha, MD, MPH, FAAP, is founder and director of the Michigan State University and Hurley Children’s Hospital Pediatric Public Health Initiative, an innovative and model public health program in Flint, Michigan. 

A pediatrician, scientist, activist and author, Dr. Hanna-Attisha has testified four times before the United States Congress and was awarded the Freedom of Expression Courage Award by PEN America. She 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 Flint water crisis and leading recovery efforts, and most recently, received the 2020 CDC Foundation’s Fries Prize for Improving Health.

A frequent contributor to national media outlets, including the New York Times and Washington Post, Dr. Hanna-Attisha has appeared on CNN, MSNBC, BBC and countless other outlets championing the cause of children in Flint and beyond. She is the founding donor of the Flint Child Health and Development Fund (flintkids.org).

With concentrations in environmental health and health policy, Dr. Hanna-Attisha 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. (From the Author's Website)

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