Oregon Physicians for Social Responsibility

Mass incarceration is a major public health issue in the United States. With over 2 million people currently incarcerated, the US leads the world in incarceration rates. The negative health impacts created by mass incarceration are present not only in prisons, but also the communities that prisons are located in and the communities where adults in custody come from, which are disproportionately low income and communities of color. 

Oregon PSR and Oregon Justice Resource Center are continuing our discussion on mass incarceration and public health with regard to Oregon state prisons and adults in custody in Oregon. We hope that you will join us for the next webinar in our series, which will explore Oregon’s compassionate release laws and our collaborative work to improve them.

Register to attend the Thursday, March 11th webinar.

We are excited to support the 2021 Washington to Marshall Islands Nuclear Remembrance Week online event series organized by our partners at the COFA Alliance National Network - Washington (CANN WA). This series of events will explore the lasting legacy of nuclear weapons testing throughout the Marshall Islands and honor the lives, memories, and experiences of those on the front lines of nuclear weapons testing in the Pacific.

The Spokane Marshallese community will be this year's host of the Marshall Islands Nuclear Remembrance Days webinar week, with the theme “We Are Not Alone.” The week will be in solidarity with other Marshallese storytellers, Hanford and New Mexico Downwinders, Atomic Cleanup Veterans, and other impacted communities in Washington and across the nation.

Especially during this time of physical distancing, it is important to gather and make certain that these stories continue to be told and to allow a time for collective healing in remembrance of the victims/survivors to the generations that follow.

CANN WA unites Washingtonians from The Republic of Palau, The Republic of the Marshall Islands, and the Federated States of Micronesia to amplify and expand the reach of their voices through civic engagement in the movement for economic and social justice.

The series incorporates the following events:

• March 1st: Republic of the Marshall Islands national holiday in commemoration of Nuclear Victims Remembrance Day, streamed live from the Marshall Islands
• March 15th to 19th: Story sessions by nuclear frontline communities, including intergenerational perspectives of the remaining survivors of the Marshall Islands’ nuclear weapons testing legacy
• March 20th: Call to action on how all nuclear frontline communities are connected and should work together on shared goals toward nuclear justice

On March 1st, 1954, the United States tested its most powerful hydrogen bomb, "Shrimp," in its Castle Bravo operation.This 15-megaton explosion devastated many communities throughout the southern Pacific. The legacy of this test is still being felt as individuals are still falling ill and the long-term impacts of the test are still being revealed.

Many residents of the islands were displaced as a result of the testing, and those who remained suffered severe health impacts from radiation exposure. For generations to come, people may continue to be displaced, suffer from food insecurity because of the irradiated land, and experience other chronic health conditions as an consequence of nuclear weapons testing in the area.

Oregon PSR celebrates the resilience and strength of nuclear frontline communities, including those in the Marshall Islands and elsewhere in the Pacific, who continue the struggle for dignity, healthy lives, and an acknowledgement of the nuclear weapons complex’s impact on their lands and people.

Due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, this event will be held virtually to protect everyone's safety. The event will be hosted on Zoom, Facebook, and YouTube.

Register to attend this event for more information.

Oregon PSR remembers the triple nuclear meltdown of the Fukushima Daichii nuclear power plant in Japan on March 11th, 2011. To mark the ten year anniversary of this tragic event, we are hosting a film screening and panel discussion to explore the lasting impacts of the Fukushima nuclear disaster and the problems inherent in the nuclear power industry.

２０２１年3月11日（12日）で福島事故から10年が経ちました。日々記憶がうすれる中、この企画では、皆様に映画『小さき声のカノン』を期間中に見ていただき、最終日の12日午前10時から視聴者の皆さんを交え、アメリカと日本の二国間で原子力発電という巨大事業の脅威と今後何年にもわたって脅かされる人々の暮らしと健康について２カ国語で話し合うウェブセミナーを設けました。

We will be screening the film Little Voices From Fukushima by filmmaker Hitomi Kamanaka, followed by a panel discussion. The film begins streaming on March 1st and is available until March 11th. On Thursday, March 11th beginning at 5:00 PM (PST), we invite you to participate in a panel discussion about the film with Hitomi Kamanaka and others. The film, as well as the panel discussion, will be translated into both English and Japanese.

ゲストに『小さき声のカノン』の鎌仲ひとみ監督、シカゴ大学の名誉教授で福島の現状を2011年から追っておられるノーマ・フィールドさん、ナバホの原住民で活動家のリオナ・モーガンさんにお話いただきます。更に、福島原発告訴団団長で『福島からあなたへ』の著者でもあられる武藤類子さんからのメッセージも当日皆様にお届けします。

※通訳はノーマ・フィールドさんと企画スタッフ川野ゆきよが行います。時間の関係上要約して大事な部分を拾って日本語でお伝えすることになるかと思います。よろしくお願いいたします。

※ウェッブセミナー／Zoomリンクは期間中に映画を見ていただいた方のみEメールでお届けしています。

To cover the cost of screening this documentary film, we are offering tickets at $8.00 per individual viewer, and you can purchase tickets through our online donation system below. Please note, purchasing a ticket will direct you to Oregon PSR's donation page, but your "donation" will indeed be a ticket purchase. If the ticket price is a hardship for you, please let us know and we can make arrangements for you to screen the film at no cost. After you have purchased your ticket(s), we will follow up with you with a link and password to view the film, as well as a link to our online panel discussion on March 11th at 5:00 PM.

The filmmaker, Hitomi Kamanaka, along with panel members Norma Field, Ruiko Muto, and Leona Morgan, will discuss the film and the disastrous impacts on communities from the ongoing dispersal of radioactive contamination released from the explosions at the Daiichi nuclear power plant in Fukushima. Nuclear technologies, from uranium mining at the beginning of the nuclear cycle to the precarious and dangerous burial of nuclear wastes, will also be discussed.

Hitomi Kamanaka is an award-winning documentarian who has produced films exploring the impacts of nuclear technologies for over two decades. Norma Field is the editor and co-translator of Fukushima Radiation: Will You Still Say No Crime Has Been Committed? Ruiko Muto led the Complainants for Criminal Prosecution of the Fukushima Nuclear Disaster that ultimately resulted in a prosecution review commission determining that three former TEPCO executives were appropriate subjects of indictment. Leona Morgan is an Indigenous community organizer and activist who has been fighting nuclear colonialism since 2007, including working to stop new uranium mining, transport of radioactive materials, and nuclear waste dumping in New Mexico. We hope to encourage our Japanese and American viewers to learn more about what’s happening in Fukushima and its connection to the nuclear-affected sites where they live.

This film screening and panel discussion are part of the Cascadia Arts Film Festival, organized by Oregon PSR Advisory Board Member Yukiyo Kawano and CORE (Consequences of Radiation Exposure) member Laura Feldman.

Learn more about our event speakers and organizers and view additional resources.

We understand that, being a virtual event, this film screening may be inaccessible for some without computers or an internet connection. The Multnomah County Library has both WiFi hot spots and laptops available to borrow, and you can fill out an application online or call them at 503-988-5123 to learn more.

Special thanks to CORE (Consequences of Radiation Exposure) for helping to produce this segment of the Cascadia Arts Film Festival. The Cascadia Arts Film Festival is made possible by the Precipice Fund and the Andy Warhol Foundation.

『小さき声のカノン』のアメリカでの期間限定映画配信と3月12日のウェブセミナーはカスケディア・アーツ映画祭の一旦としてプレシピス基金およびアンディーウォーホル基金での提供でお届けします。企画スタッフはCORE（放射線被曝がもたらすもの）メンバーのローラ・フェルドマン、Oregon PSR（社会的責任を果たす医師団・オレゴン支部）諮問委員会メンバー川野ゆきよ、また同職員ショーン・テニーが技術提供を行っております。

*Please note that by purchasing tickets below, you will be directed to Oregon PSR's donation page, and that your "donation" will indeed be a ticket purchase.

Over the last month, there has been a marked shift in the direction of nuclear weapons policy, with the inauguration of President Biden, the entry into force of the UN Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons, and the New START extension all having major implications for the survival of our species.

While these changes will reduce the likelihood of nuclear war in the short term, it's unlikely that the Biden Administration will pursue global nuclear abolition as a top priority, despite knowing the existential threat that these weapons pose to humanity. This is a critical moment for activists around the country to engage at the local level to build pressure on the new administration to make the elimination of nuclear weapons and reduction of nuclear risk an urgent priority.

To that end, we’re excited to invite you to an upcoming virtual conference; Ending Nuclear Weapons Before They End Us: Opportunities Under the Biden Administration to Take Action, which takes place on Thursday, March 4th at 8:00 AM (PST). The conference is jointly sponsored by Back from the Brink and the Nobel Peace Prize-winning International Campaign to Abolish Nuclear Weapons (ICAN). It will feature an expert panel and Q&A followed by interactive workshop sessions to provide activists with the tools and information required to make change under this administration. The workshops will cover a variety of topics, from nuclear weapons and racism to divesting from nuclear weapons.

Oregon PSR's Executive Director, Kelly Campbell, will be one of the featured presenters at an interactive skills-building workshop, Growing the Nuclear Abolition Movement through Local Resolutions, from 9:45 until 10:30 AM. Kelly will be leading this workshop in collaboration with former Oregon State Representative Alissa Keny-Guyer, who championed our Senate Joint Memorial 5 bill in support of the nuclear ban treaty in the Oregon legislature in 2019.

View the full program and register to attend.

As we continue to engage the new Biden Administration and Congress, we know that public support for nuclear abolition will be critical in influencing decision makers. We hope that you’ll join us to learn what opportunities exist to finally eliminate these weapons, and what you can do to help.

In many ways, the state of Oregon is at a crossroads: amid the unprecedented and traumatic crises of COVID-19, wildfires, and white supremacy, our state can choose between the status quo or a bold path forward towards a healthy and livable future. We cannot afford to go “back to normal” when “normal” wasn’t working for far too many people. Instead, our lawmakers have the opportunity to lay a foundation for a world where everyone is treated fairly, lives in a healthy home, and has a bright future.

Oregon PSR is hard at work under challenging circumstances to push for a bold state legislative agenda in 2021. We are excited to be focusing on the emerging Oregon Clean Energy Opportunity campaign to advance environmental justice, chart a course towards 100% clean electricity, and provide energy relief for families who need it most. We are working to address the public health crisis of mass incarceration, stop ill-advised nuclear power exemption bills, and advance progress on gun violence prevention, police accountability, and racial justice.

Oregon PSR and Oregon Justice Resource Center are continuing our discussion on mass incarceration and public health with regard to Oregon state prisons and adults in custody in Oregon. We are entering into our second year of working together to both better understand and better advocate for the health and well-being of adults in custody in Oregon state prisons.

On January 22nd, 2021 the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons entered into force and became international law. With the entry into force of this groundbreaking treaty, nuclear weapons are now illegal under international law. Our sincere appreciation to everyone who joined us and our partners at Washington PSR on January 21st for an online celebration to mark the Treaty’s entry into force and explore how it advances nuclear justice. It was so inspiring to celebrate this watershed moment for the nuclear justice movement with you, share a celebratory toast, hear from a few speakers working for nuclear justice, and connect with each other and celebrate together.

Oregon PSR is excited to announce the 2021 Greenfield Peace Scholarship, which is now open for submissions. The theme of this year’s scholarship is Art & Creation: Self Expression, Activism, and Social Change. Now in its 13th consecutive year, this has historically been a writing scholarship open to all Oregon 11th and 12th grade students. This year, though, Oregon PSR is asking young Oregonians who identify as BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, and people of color) and who are high school juniors or seniors or the equivalent to respond to the prompt by creating a work of visual art. The scholarship’s goal is to illuminate the perspectives of Oregon's youth on issues of peace, health, justice, and safety in our world.

The prompt this year includes a reflection piece on the events of the past year. Throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, worsening climate chaos and environmental crises, and protests for racial justice and police accountability, visual art has remained an integral part of communication, memorialization, and catalyzation into action. Our hope is that Oregon’s youth create works of art that reflect upon and uplift their understanding and experiences of the events of the past year. 

Applications are being accepted from now through March 12th, 2021. To read the full prompt, guidelines, and judging criteria, please visit our website, or visit this page for a Spanish-language version. We have also compiled resources to provide background and inspiration for applicants to use and reference if they so desire. The scholarship award winners will receive cash prizes, with $1,000.00 for the top entry.

Please help us in spreading the word about our 2021 Greenfield Peace Scholarship to any educators and BIPOC youth in Oregon that you may know. Email us if you have questions about the 2021 Greenfield Peace Scholarship.

Oregon PSR is excited to announce the 2021 Greenfield Peace Scholarship, which is now open for submissions. The theme of this year’s scholarship is Art & Creation: Self Expression, Activism, and Social Change. Now in its 13th consecutive year, this has historically been a writing scholarship open to all Oregon 11th and 12th grade students. This year, though, Oregon PSR is asking young Oregonians who identify as BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, and people of color) and who are high school juniors or seniors or the equivalent to respond to the prompt by creating a work of visual art. The scholarship’s goal is to illuminate the perspectives of Oregon's youth on issues of peace, health, justice, and safety in our world.

“El arte nos invita a tomar un viaje más allá de precios, más allá de costos. A dar testimonio del mundo, de cómo es y cómo debería ser. El arte nos invita a conocer la belleza y a buscarla hasta en las más trágicas circunstancias. El arte nos recuerda lo que somos y que pertenecemos aquí.” 
-Toni Morrison

Reflección

Este año hemos visto una multitud de trastornos en todo el mundo y en los Estados Unidos. COVID-19 continúa esparciéndose en Estados Unidos afectando desproporcionadamente a las comunidades BIPOC (Comunidades Afrodescendientes, Indígenas, y gente de color, por sus siglas en inglés). En su esfuerzo por combatir la propagación de COVID-19, las agencias gubernamentales no han logrado proveer un apoyo consistente ni efectivo a la gente más vulnerable. No se han proveído las necesidades básicas tales como el agua potable, refugios, cuidado médico, etc. para los más desfavorecidos por los sistemas opresivos. 

La temporada de incendios forestales, empeorada por la crisis climática, ha marcado profundamente las tierras, ha desplazado a miles de personas en todo el estado, ha puesto en peligro a trabajadores agrícolas, y nos ha mostrado cómo el privilegio determina la supervivencia, aún en situaciones de emergencia.

El movimiento Black Lives Matter (Las Vidas Negras Importan) aboga por los derechos básicos de vida, dignidad, seguridad, y cuidado médico. El movimiento es una protesta a la violencia extrema hacia personas BIPOC que ha sido, y continúa siendo, promulgada por gente racista, los cuales son aún más empoderados por el racismo sistémico y la policía opresiva. Oregón ahora es reconocido por el gobierno federal como un lugar de conflictos y disturbios, lo cual ha empeorado con la acción e inacción de las administraciones locales y federales.  

Durante la pandemia, las crisis ambientales y las protestas por la justicia racial y la responsabilidad policial, el arte visual ha sido una parte integral de la comunicación, conmemoración, y catalización en acción. Como miembros del mundo, de una nación, de un estado, y una comunidad, se nos ha hecho un llamado a buscar la integridad e igualdad en un momento cuando aquellos a los que miramos como líderes hablan, actúan, crean pólizas, y le dan prioridad a otros gastos de una manera que inhibe nuestra búsqueda de la verdad y la justicia. Estamos viviendo en un tiempo donde los sistemas de poder amplían la desigualdad de todos tipos, y los individuos que tienen el poder pueden expresar libremente sus opiniones racistas, sexistas, clasistas, y opresivas. Mientras que el hablar en contra de estos males, aumenta dramáticamente el riesgo de daños, rechazo, y muerte.

Estos eventos y circunstancias pueden ser abrumantes, y los retos pueden parecernos insuperables. Sin embargo, todos podemos escuchar, aprender, hablar, actuar, y esmerarnos por vivir en un mundo mejor y más seguro.

Temas

El arte es una poderosa forma de activismo que puede llegar más allá de las fronteras sociales y culturales. Crea una obra de arte que inspire y represente tus experiencias y entendimiento de los eventos de este último año.

Por favor, crea una obra de arte visual que encarne tus esperanzas, experiencias, y metas en respuesta a la reflexión y preguntas anteriores. Si lo deseas, puedes incluir una composición de artista de 300-400 palabras para ofrecer contexto a tu pieza. Reconocemos que las desigualdades económicas de los participantes pueden tener un impacto en su habilidad de interactuar con el proceso creativo al generar una obra de arte. Nuestra intención es analizar todas las obras recibidas con una mentalidad abierta y comprensiva. Es decir, que la intención y emoción de las piezas serán más determinantes que el costo de los materiales utilizados en la creación de la misma.

Comuníquese con nosotros si tiene alguna pregunta en [email protected].

Envíe su solicitud aquí.