Oregon Physicians for Social Responsibility

Over the last few years, one of the many injustices that the COVID-19 pandemic has spotlighted is how prisons fail to protect the health of adults in custody. Crowded prisons with insufficient access to masks and hygiene infrastructure have caused Oregonians in prison to become sick and die from COVID-19 at rates that would have been lower had Governor Brown released more prisoners who were deemed safe to leave prison and shelter in homes to avoid the virus.

Major policy change is being voted on by the Portland City Council during the waning days of 2021, when so many people are not paying close attention. Last week, Portland Mayor Ted Wheeler introduced an agenda item at a City Council meeting that would once again allow the City of Portland to invest in corporate securities with very few restrictions.

I am devastated to share the news that Oregon PSR Board Member, David Chatfield, has passed away. David was a mentor and a friend for nearly my whole adult life. He joined the Oregon PSR board when he moved to Portland in 2016 and brought an impressive lifetime of activism for justice and career in nonprofit management to strengthen our organization.

For the fourteenth consecutive year, the Greenfield Peace Scholarship served as an opportunity to hear from young Oregonians on some of the most pressing issues of our time. We sponsor this annual scholarship in order to encourage Oregon’s youth to consider their leadership role in promoting a more healthy, just, and peaceful world.

We did it! On December 1st, we learned that Pembina, the Canadian company behind Jordan Cove LNG and the Pacific Connector fracked gas pipeline, have requested that the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) vacate the authorizations issued to them in their proceedings. This comes in response to the DC Circuit asking FERC last month to reconsider whether to issue a stay, and FERC asking for a briefing on whether a stay is warranted.

Thank you so much to everyone who participated in Oregon PSR's 40th Anniversary Celebration on November 18th. It was really wonderful to share in an evening of joyous celebration with members and partners old and new.

In case you missed the celebration, or you want to watch it again, the video of our 40th Anniversary Celebration and the 36-minute 40th Anniversary video are both available on our YouTube channel. You can also learn more about our history by exploring this interactive timeline on our website. 

Oregon PSR expresses our most sincere appreciation to our 40th Anniversary Cultivation Circle Organizational Sponsors! As we celebrate our 40th year throughout 2021, contributions from our valued community partners and companies that align with our values empower our work for a more healthy, just, and peaceful world. Thank you!

Oregon PSR expresses our most sincere appreciation to our 40th Anniversary Cultivation Circle Sponsors! As we celebrate our 40th year throughout 2021, your contributions are what make our work for a more healthy, just, and peaceful world possible. Thank you!

Oregon PSR’s 40th Anniversary online silent auction is now open for bidding! We have some really great auction items, including stays at vacation homes, kayaking and guitar lessons, original works of art, small-batch wine, and more. Our huge thanks to everyone who has donated items! All funds received through the winning bids will go directly to support our work for health, peace, and justice.

Receiving our weekly email Action Alerts is a great way to keep up with Oregon PSR’s work. But, did you know that we also have a very active presence on social media? We regularly update our Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram accounts, and you can find videos of our recent events, webinars, and more on our YouTube page.

You can click on these links to learn more about Oregon PSR’s Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and YouTube pages, and we hope that you will like, follow, and subscribe to stay up-to-date on our efforts.