OAKLEAD
In Oakland, California, we fight to protect one another from lead poisoning in our own homes and schools – and uncover over a century of environmental racism.
After a groundbreaking Reuters report finds 3,000 U.S. communities with higher rates of lead poisoning than Flint, Michigan, three intergenerational women of color become environmental justice leaders in Oakland, California. OAKLEAD follows: Xóchitl, a lifelong environmental activist, who teaches middle schoolers about lead poisoning and environmental racism; her student, Sheila, who discovers her sister has been lead poisoned; and Alex, the filmmaker leading an investigative journey. Through chilling archival evidence and verité scenes from the ground, OAKLEAD uncovers the roots of the longest pediatric epidemic in U.S. history, and honors the spirit of collective resistance in Oakland and beyond.