Thank you, Nuclear Weapons Abolition Interns! September 23, 2021

This summer, the Nuclear Weapons Abolition Program benefited from an infusion of young energy, perspective, brainpower and imagination. Nuclear Weapons Abolition Program summer interns Racheal Khan and Kathleen Caldwell had to work remotely because of Covid, but they made the most of their internships! Racheal and Kathleen worked on a myriad of projects for the program and dove in, head first, to share the enormous task of reaching out to activists all over the United States to compile the definitive calendar guide to 2021 Hiroshima and Nagasaki commemoration events. Ultimately, our intrepid interns tracked 51 different local and national, virtual and in-person events. This boosted turnout to these events, provided local event organizers with a sense of solidarity, and kept PSR chapters, members, and staff informed, as well as allied organizations.

When reflecting on his experience with the interns, Martin Fleck, Nuclear Weapons Program Director states, “Racheal and Kathleen spent the summer helping PSR promote a world without nuclear weapons, while chalking up valuable career experience. In addition to all the work behind the Hiroshima and Nagasaki Event Calendar, these two completed research projects to support PSR’s Nuclear Weapons Abolition Program. They rose to meet every challenge and handled their work with aplomb.”

Racheal, a Canadian, created a briefing paper that explored how Canada’s policies to promote equity could be applied to revise  the country’s official stance toward the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons. Kathleen conducted research to update PSR’s educational tools on the Humanitarian Impact of Nuclear Weapons. Check out below to learn more about their thoughts about the summer.

Kathleen Caldwell:

“My internship at PSR was an absolute blast! I learned the intricate details of how a non-profit works behind the scenes. I learned what aspects I enjoyed and those I may not enjoy as much, how to direct passion into action, and what piece of the puzzle I fit into. Working under the leadership of Martin and Mari [Faines, Director of Communications and Outreach] taught me how to be a more effective communicator and a passionate worker. I have gained new perspective, confidence, and motivation for my future career because of my internship with PSR this summer.“

More about Kathleen: Kathleen Caldwell is a senior at Middle Tennessee State University, majoring in Interdisciplinary Media Communications with a double minor in Political Science and International Relations. Her future career aspirations include humanitarian aid work and working as an ambassador or diplomat for the United States. In Kathleen’s free time, she enjoys gardening, reading, and live theatre. She believes that nuclear weapons pose a moral, environmental, and societal problem for mankind and is excited to pursue the abolition of such weapons with PSR.

Racheal Khan:

“I really enjoyed the opportunity to apply my interest in human rights and equity to the world of nuclear abolition! I greatly appreciate how PSR provided me the chance to apply my interests in research in a supportive atmosphere that is dedicated to encouraging diversity in perspectives and opinion. In particular, the experience of writing my research paper was an interesting opportunity to take my interests in understanding disparities in who is and isn’t heard in policy and apply them to nuclear abolition. I was able to grow a lot professionally and gain further confidence in my capabilities.”

More about Racheal: Racheal Khan is a graduate student at Carleton University, located in Ottawa, Canada. She is interested in exploring how social justice issues can be addressed in the world of policy making. Racheal has also completed a B.A in Criminology from York University in Toronto, Canada.