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A documentary film crew from Japan visited our community to screen their made-for-television film, Water is Treasure – Fighting PFAS Contamination! Fight for Life. The film chronicles how mothers in Japan are leading efforts to raise awareness about PFAS contamination in their drinking water, which they attribute to U.S. military bases and the use of PFAS-based firefighting foam, and weaves in stories from the United States.

As an Environmental Justice Organizer who has worked in social justice spaces for nearly nine years, I am constantly uncovering new layers of how my identity has been shaped by systemic inequities. These discoveries are both painful and empowering, revealing the depth of the systems we are working to dismantle.

The setting was humble yet profound: our family home—the kitchen to be specific, on the West Side of Detroit, Michigan. In that space, amidst the laughter, meals, and daily rhythms of life, the heart of our family gathered. It was there, whether standing or seated around a well-worn table, that stories were shared and critical lessons passed down from one generation to the next.