PSR Nuclear Weapons Abolition program kicks off new campaign focused on equity November 18, 2021

On November 3, PSR’s Nuclear Weapons Abolition (NWA) program hosted a highly anticipated virtual event, “What can the nuclear weapons abolition movement learn from other social justice movements?” with 120 attendees. This event serves as the beginning of a three-part event series to launch a new campaign for the NWA program: #DemandAccess. The #DemandAccess campaign centers around the idea that “For as long as we fund violence to ‘keep the peace’, our access—to healthy minds, bodies and environments—is denied.” The campaign is focused on advancing equity in a multitude of issue areas, recognizing the importance of health, focusing on the intersection of Nuclear Weapons abolition and topline military spending with other issues of social justice. The campaign recognizes that for as long as there are insecurities in communities, we cannot have a more peaceful and just world.

On the panel was Rayna Rogers, a nuclear policy expert and recent graduate from the Middlebury Institute of International Studies; Ola Baczynski, a medical student interested in the intersection between environmental issues and the health of communities; Scott Giberson Jr., a medical student and co-founder of the Trainee Leadership Team of Medicine Forward; and Nola Haynes, adjunct Professor of Political Science and International Relations teaching Arms Control and International Security, and director of Women of Color Advancing Peace and Security (WCAPS) West Coast chapter.

The panelists discussed a myriad of issues as they related to the intersectionality between social justice and our movement for the abolition of nuclear weapons. Speakers highlighted the importance of understanding your audience and being authentic in creating intersections between social movements. They acknowledged the current landscape of national security and nuclear weapons abolition, alluding to foreign policy issues such as our relationship with China, as well as domestic issues of security, including systemic equity. Our panelists were able to intersect examples from their multitudes of backgrounds and experiences to give a holistic perspective to how we can use the experiences of our movement and other movements, to grow, learn, and move forward in a positive way.

You can watch the entire event below. In the meantime, stay tuned for the second event scheduled for December 8, 2021 at 10am PT/1pm ET.