erin michelle burk

WHERE IT BECOMES CAUGHT (2021-present) 

Before the first atomic bomb was detonated on Bikini Atoll in the tiny nation of the Republic of the Marshall Islands, and before areas of the islands were dubbed the “Pacific Proving Grounds” because of the U.S. military’s nuclear tests from 1946 to 1958, the islanders living on these atolls were told that they would be able to return home following the tests. They were not told how long the testing would last. When “snow” danced down onto their tropical homes, it was days before they were told it was nuclear fallout. When their skin burned and their hair fell out from the radiation exposure, they were not informed that the U.S. government was monitoring their health conditions as an ongoing research study. The United States used their remote island nation, and them, to test one of the most destructive weapons ever invented. Repeatedly.

After 67 nuclear tests and 75 years, American compensation programs for this period of nuclear testing have been instituted. Yet, those programs have not fully addressed all aspects of the issue such as the far-reaching effects and long-lasting nature of radiation. After signing the Compact of Free Association (COFA) with the United States in 1986, the Marshallese were promised Medicare and Medicaid access, which they could use to treat any ongoing health complications from the nuclear tests. They were also allowed to relocate to the United States with special non-resident status as compensation. However, access to these healthcare programs was stripped in 1996 by the Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act. For the next 25 years, Marshallese citizens residing in the United States were deemed ineligible for state-supported health care coverage. In December of 2020, Congress finally restored this access. Some of those living in Celina, Ohio, who have dealt with exacerbated health issues from this longtime healthcare crisis are only now able to begin seeking care.