“Protecting our precious waters is a multigenerational mission,” said FLOW Executive Director Liz Kirkwood. “We put that mission into practice not only by pursuing solutions to water problems that will pay off for generations to come, but also by engaging young people who will carry forward the work as part of a rising generation.”
Each summer, we at FLOW seek out bright, talented interns to assist us with communications, policy, and legal research tasks, supported by The Helen and William G. Milliken Fund For Love of Water. The Milliken Fund is designed to support work that protects the Great Lakes and the public trust rights of those who depend on them, inspires community action advancing environmental stewardship, and sustains internships at FLOW—the Great Lakes law and policy center based in Governor Milliken’s hometown of Traverse City—to foster a new generation of environmental leaders.
The family of former Michigan Governor William Milliken, who passed away in 2019, designated FLOW as one of two nonprofits to whom contributions could be made in the Governor’s memory. This choice reminds us that Governor Milliken dedicated much of his public service to the protection of the Great Lakes and all the other waters of Michigan. By supporting internships at FLOW, gifts made in the Governor’s memory serve to inspire remembrances of his work and affirm the potential that young people have for carrying it forward.
“Protecting our precious waters is a multigenerational mission,” said FLOW Executive Director Liz Kirkwood. “We put that mission into practice not only by pursuing solutions to water problems that will pay off for generations to come, but also by engaging young people who will carry forward the work as part of a rising generation.”
We are very pleased to announce that FLOW’s summer 2022 Milliken Intern for Communications is Mackenzie Joseph, a native of Johnstown, Ohio, and rising senior at Ohio University in Athens, who is majoring in Communication Studies with minors in History, English, Writing, and Political Communication. We asked Mackenzie to tell us a little about her background and what appeals to her about FLOW’s work.
Mackenzie Joseph: A Passion for Words and Freshwater Protection
I am from Johnstown, Ohio, and when not in school, I am heavily involved with performing in community theater and other arts programs in the Columbus area. In addition to my academic focuses, I am also the vice president of the award-winning Ohio University Speech and Debate Team and the overall individual events champion of the Ohio Forensics Association’s 2022 state tournament. My participation in collegiate speech and debate over the past three years has taught me many communications skills I plan to utilize during my work with FLOW. But it also led me to discover a personal passion for water advocacy and the importance of educating citizens and leaders to conserve and protect fresh water.
When brainstorming a topic for my persuasive speech last fall, I stumbled upon an article detailing a cyberattack on a water treatment plant in Oldsmar, Florida. In February of 2021, a hacker attempted to poison local drinking water there by introducing the chemical lye into the water treatment system. Learning more about this attack and other similar instances, I was shocked and frankly terrified that a water system could so easily be contaminated and how vulnerable many small municipal water facilities were to cyber threats. From this newfound knowledge, I then crafted a 10-minute persuasive speech focusing on the problems and causes behind the issue and how we as citizens can work together to produce tangible solutions.
The Ohio River Basin has been a crucial player in the coal mining industry of rural Appalachia. But decades of this infrastructure have not come without cost. Acid mine drainage from abandoned coal mines seeps into the freshwater sources and threatens vital aquatic life, endangers people taking part in recreation, and makes the water unfit for human consumption.
After spending months researching, writing, revising, and rehearsing my speech, I found myself deeply invested in water advocacy and ensuring that every citizen can exercise their right to safe water access. And by performing my speech numerous times at collegiate tournaments, I could share this passion with students and faculty from universities across the nation. At the Pi Kappa Delta National Speech and Debate Tournament in March, my speech received 8th overall in the nation and I had the honor of performing it in a showcase for hundreds of audience members.
Watch Mackenzie Joseph’s speech about the challenge of water security.
But cyber security is only one issue plaguing our fresh water. Moving to Southern Ohio for college, I witnessed firsthand the threats to water facing my new community and the Appalachian region. The Ohio River Basin has been a crucial player in the coal mining industry of rural Appalachia. But decades of installing and operating this industrial infrastructure have not come without cost. Acid mine drainage from abandoned coal mines seeps into the freshwater sources and threatens vital aquatic life, endangers people taking part in recreation, and creates water unfit for human consumption. With Southern Ohio being home to millions of people, many of whom survive on incomes well below the poverty line, this issue is only heightened.
I was immediately drawn to FLOW’s mission to acknowledge that water ‘belongs to all of us and is owned by no one.’ Water is something we physically cannot live without and it, therefore, impacts every one of us.
Before moving to my small college town, I had never lived under an alert to boil my water before use. But these alerts have become the unfortunate norm for residents, with more than 20 issued in a given year. Once I saw the firsthand impact on those in my community, I knew I wanted to use my knowledge and skills to help those in and out of Southern Ohio.
My journey in college and speech ultimately led me to discover FLOW, and the work the staff at FLOW does every day to defend and protect the water of the Great Lakes—including groundwater and drinking water.
I was immediately drawn to FLOW’s mission to acknowledge that water “belongs to all of us and is owned by no one.” Water is something we physically cannot live without and it, therefore, impacts every one of us. I was captivated by FLOW’s work in the public trust to ensure the protection and access to our water sources. As a communications intern this summer, I am honored to contribute my voice and knowledge to further FLOW’s mission to ensure the waters of the Great Lakes Basin are healthy, public, and protected for all.
