Many remember the water crisis in Flint, Michigan, where residents became sick from drinking lead-contaminated water.
That was 10 years ago. Today, a similar situation is unfolding with the Tijuana sewage crisis.
San Diego invited pediatrician Dr. Mona Hanna-Attisha to attend a public health forum in Imperial Beach on Saturday.
"My biggest message is to tell the residents of Imperial Beach that they are not alone," Hanna-Attisha said.
Hanna-Attisha, who exposed elevated lead levels in Flint children's bloodstreams, said her story mirrors the one in South Bay.
"It's a very similar story of environmental contamination, an environmental injustice," she said.
Researchers from UC San Diego and San Diego State University recently tested air and water in the Tijuana River Valley, finding hydrogen sulfide in the samples.
Hanna-Attisha hopes to inspire San Diegans with Flint’s story of “resistance.”
"We overcame that deafening silence of inaction," she said.
Imperial Beach resident Ben McCue said that message of resistance was what he needed to hear.
"Her first statement was, 'You're going to win,'" McCue said. "After so many years of this issue getting worse, a lot of people have lost hope."
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Hanna-Attisha’s persistence resonated with Manar Karzou, a San Diego State student pursuing a master’s in public health.
"What I took away from today was to keep fighting and advocating for the community," Karzou said.
Imperial Beach Mayor Paloma Aguirre hopes the forum helped residents feel seen and heard, including Ben Swearingen.
"Things like this make me feel like our leaders are doing something," Swearingen said.
Aguirre and Sen. Steve Padilla discussed their ongoing efforts and expressed hope for a response from President Biden soon on the state of emergency resolution submitted earlier this year.
"I just sent a letter to President Biden's chief of staff, renewing the call now that we understand the severe and concerning levels of hydrogen sulfide," Aguirre said.
San Diego State recently announced a health survey for South Bay residents to share how their health has been affected by water and air quality.
