President Obama announced he would visit Flint, Michigan next week in an unlikely venue: a letter addressed to an 8-year-old girl who lives in the city.
The White House published Obama’s letter confirming his May 4 visit to the city on Wednesday.
Mari Copeny, who said she’s known around town as “Little Miss Flint,” wrote Obama to ask he visit her and other children affected by the city’s lead poisoning water crisis.
Copeny also said she was heading to the nation’s capital to watch congressional hearings about the crisis.
“I know this is probably an odd request but I would love for a chance to meet you or your wife,” she wrote. “My mom said chances are you will be too busy with more important things, but there is a lot of people coming on these buses and even just a meeting from you or your wife would really lift people’s spirits.”
In a letter to Copeny dated April 25, Obama confirmed he would visit the city.
“I want to make sure people like you and your family are receiving the help you need and deserve,” the President wrote. “Like you, I’ll use my voice to call for the change and help lift up your community.”
Read both letters in full, posted by the White House, at Medium.
