Oregon Physicians for Social Responsibility

It is with great pleasure that Oregon Physicians for Social Responsibility announces our twelfth annual Greenfield Peace Writing Scholarship. Any 11th or 12th grade Oregon high school student may enter by submitting an original essay, poem, or narrative work (maximum 600 words) in response to the following question: "How would an effective movement for climate justice benefit immigrant communities?"

Entries may be submitted online (preferred, see below) or sent by email or postal mail. A panel of judges comprised of local writers, activists, and distinguished community members will select the winning entries. The first prize winner will receive a scholarship award of $1,000, the second $750 and the third $500. Oregon PSR will host an awards ceremony in late April in Portland at which the scholarship winners will be honored.

Students from underrepresented communities are encouraged to apply.
All entries are due by 5:00 PM on Monday, March 2nd, 2020.

Enter your online submission HERE.
For email and postal mail submissions, please see INSTRUCTIONS AND ENTRY FORM.

Please help us in announcing this opportunity to all 11th and 12th-grade students and their teachers, counseling departments, student and parent groups, and school officials. We very much appreciate your help in spreading the word about this scholarship opportunity.

Download the scholarship flyer and share with any students who may be interested in participating, or contact us for more information.

Get started with a few resources: 

Climate Change, Migration, and Displacement
Let’s Talk About Climate Migrants, Not Climate Refugees
"People are Dying": How the Climate Crisis has Sparked an Exodus to the US
Blog: Immigration Justice is Climate Justice

On November 7th, National PSR hosted the Visionary Leaders Awards Reception and Symposium in Washington, DC. The awards recognize individuals and organizations for their exemplary efforts in advancing nuclear weapons abolition and addressing environmental risks to human health, including the catastrophic consequences caused by climate change, through collaborations that strengthen PSR’s mission.

Among this year’s honorees were Kelly Campbell, Executive Director of Oregon PSR, and Regna Merritt, our recently retired Healthy Climate Program Director. Kelly was also a panelist at an afternoon symposium of Women Leaders on Nuclear Disarmament and Climate Disruption.

On November 13th, 2019, Portland City Council adopted two resolutions in support of peace and diplomacy. Introduced by Commissioner Amanda Fritz, the first resolution puts Portland on record supporting the UN Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons and the second one supports diplomacy, not war, with Iran. The resolutions were led by Oregon PSR and the American Iranian Friendship Council and supported by a broad coalition of community organizations.

“Today, we are sending the message to our representatives in Washington, and the national and international community, that the City of Portland is committed to the protection and health of human life and the environment,” explained Commissioner Amanda Fritz, the sponsor of both resolutions. “These resolutions serve as a platform for our community members to see themselves reflected in our values and priorities as a City.”

Dear Oregon PSR Supporter,

This has been a year of transition, growth, and transformative partnerships for Oregon PSR. When I look back at the past year, I am proud to see how we’ve strengthened authentic partnership with communities most impacted by the injustices of climate chaos and nuclear weapons. At the same time, we’ve had more elected officials reaching out to us for our input on policy, as well as more health professionals finding a home for their activism within Oregon PSR. In the face of the overwhelming challenges of our times, I am convinced that Oregon PSR has a critical role to play in building movements for a healthy future.

It is with great pleasure that Oregon Physicians for Social Responsibility announces our twelfth annual Greenfield Peace Writing Scholarship. Any 11th or 12th grade Oregon high school student may enter by submitting an original essay, poem, or narrative work (maximum 600 words) in response to the following question: "How would an effective movement for climate justice benefit immigrant communities?"

Oregon PSR expresses our sincere appreciation to everyone who joined us on the evening of Tuesday, August 6th at the Japanese American Historical Plaza for the annual Portland-area Hiroshima and Nagasaki memorial event. This year's event, The Unequal Impacts of Nuclear Weapons: Hiroshima & Nagasaki Memorial 2019, explored the disproportionate impacts that nuclear weapons have had, and continue to have, on women, children, indigenous communities, and communities of color around the world.

Oregon PSR staff and members mobilized to advocate for and against a long list of bills in the 2019 state legislative session in Salem this year. The 2019 session yielded a wide range of progressive, health-protective policies and discussions and concluded with a significant handful of long-awaited victories, including support for nuclear disarmament, better oil train safety measures, equal access to roads for all Oregonians, and a major step forward on cleaning up Oregon's dirty diesel problem. Several dangerous measures that would have weakened Oregon's renewable energy goals and created loopholes for new nuclear power were successfully blocked from passage. We thank all those who volunteered their time and energy to advance our mission to protect public health from the gravest threats to survival in the Oregon state legislature this year.

Please save the date and plan to join us on Tuesday, August 6th, 6:00 - 7:00 PM at the Japanese American Historical Plaza (NW Naito Parkway and Couch Street on the Portland waterfront) for the annual Portland-area Hiroshima and Nagasaki memorial event. This year's event, The Unequal Impacts of Nuclear Weapons, will explore the disproportionate impacts that nuclear weapons have on women, children, indigenous communities, and communities of color.

In June of 2019, Oregon’s House of Representatives voted to approve Senate Joint Memorial 5 (SJM 5), which urges Congress to lead a global effort to reduce the threat of nuclear war, making it the second state in the nation (after California) to pass such legislation in both chambers.

The bill was introduced at the request of Oregon PSR and the support of 31 partner organizations around the state and garnered moving testimony from a Japanese hibakusha (atomic bomb survivor), a Hanford Downwinder, an Atomic Veteran, the Oregon Marshallese Community, a Corvallis city councilor, and others. Chief Sponsors  included Senator Michael Dembrow and Representatives Tawna Sanchez and Alissa Keny-Guyer, along with 15 other Oregon state legislators.