The University of Windsor's Law School is teaming up with the Windsor International Film Festival for a conversation on the environment.
Cities and Climate Action took the stage for a Q&A following a screening of There's Something in the Water Friday night at The Capital Theatre in downtown Windsor.
Directed by film star and Halifax native Ellen Page and American Ian Daniel — the Canadian documentary examines years of environmental racism and the disproportionate effect of environmental damage on Black Canadian and First Nations communities in Nova Scotia.
Daniel and indigenous water activist Makasa Looking Horse joined UWindsor Professor Anneke Smit to discuss themes from the film.
"Local hospitals were dumping all of their contaminates in our dump for years," says Looking Horse, who adds polluted water from industrial runoff and lack of infrastructure as a few more of the issues the people of Six Nations of the Grand River have been dealing with.
The 22 year old says the conversation on what's happening to First Nations and minorities throughout Canada needs to continue.
"I did the opening for the United Nations Youth Climate Change Summit and there wasn't any indigenous representation when we have been dealing with this for hundreds of years," she says. "We need to be at the forefront and be heading it because we've been dealing with it for so long."
She says the film is a stark reminder of a reality that many people refuse to face.
"It's a big thing because we're at the breaking point where there's hardly any going back when indigenous people have been warning them all along," added Looking Horse.
The Windsor International Film Festival continues through Sunday.