This paper examined the impact of an environmental justice class positioned against the backdrop of the Flint, Michigan, water crisis. Students questioned the link between the water crisis and environmental and racial injustice, as Flint citizens are largely African American and reside below the poverty line. The inquiry guiding this research centered on how students might use their voices to garner agency due to their participation in this class. The students' narratives became counter-stories; at the end of the course, their counter-stories highlighted a positive relationship between students' agency and their desire to become involved in the democratic process. The findings illustrate how participatory projects, ones that students direct themselves, can result in students' feelings of anxiety and complicate the role of the teacher in shaping the curriculum. The discussion examines curriculum design and place-based education adjacent to the complex undertaking of civic engagement with students.