PHYSICIANS FOR SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY
Programs
Program 1 [2020]
HEALTH PROFESSIONAL AND MEMBER ENGAGEMENTIN OCTOBER, PSR-LA'S WORK SHOWING THE LINK BETWEEN POOR AIR QUALITY AND THE RISK OF CONTRACTING THE CORONAVIRUS WAS FEATURED IN THE LA TIMES..THIS CLEAR CONNECTIONS BETWEEN ENVIRONMENTAL STRESSORS, HOSPITALIZATION RATES AND COVID-19 COMPLICATIONS HAVE AMPLIFIED THE NEED TO PUT HEALTH AT THE FOREFRONT OF PUBLIC POLICY. THROUGH PSR-LA'S HEALTH AMBASSADOR PROGRAM, WE HAVE TRAINED COUNTLESS HEALTH PROFESSIONALS TO BETTER UNDERSTAND ENVIRONMENTAL AND OTHER FACTORS OUTSIDE THE HOSPITAL THAT COMPROMISE THE HEALTH OF THE COMMUNITIES THEY SERVE. WE WORK WITH HEALTH PROFESSIONALS TO ADVOCATE FOR HEALTH-CENTERED PUBLIC POLICY THAT PROTECTS THE SAFETY AND HEALTH OF THOSE WHO ARE MOST VULNERABLE. PSR-LA ALSO LAUNCHED OUR NEW HEALTH AND JUSTICE INSTITUTE WITH A WEBINAR SERIES THAT WILL ALLOW US TO DIG MORE DEEPLY INTO INTERSECTING SOCIAL ISSUES AND EXPLORE HOW WE CAN AMPLIFY THE HEALTH PROFESSIONAL VOICE TO IMPACT CHANGE AND CREATE JUSTICE IN THE MANY SYSTEMS THAT IMPACT PUBLIC HEALTH.NUCLEAR THREATSPSR-LA'S NUCLEAR THREATS PROGRAM ADVOCATES FOR POLICIES THAT PROTECT HEALTH FROM THE HARMFUL IMPACTS OF NUCLEAR WEAPONS, WASTE, AND CONTAMINATION. IN 2020, WE CONTINUED OUR LEADING ROLE IN THE BACK FROM THE BRINK CAMPAIGN TO FUNDAMENTALLY CHANGE U.S. NUCLEAR WEAPONS POLICY. DESPITE THE CHALLENGES OF 2020, WE HELPED DRIVE THE PASSAGE OF NUMEROUS CITY AND STATE RESOLUTIONS THROUGHOUT THE COUNTRY. IN APRIL, WE PUBLISHED OUR COMMUNITY COSTS PROJECT, WHICH CALCULATES THE FULL COST OF NUCLEAR WEAPONS PROGRAMS TO COMMUNITIES. IN FY 2020, LA COUNTY WILL SPEND $2,057,720,316 ON NUCLEAR WEAPONS PROGRAMS, AND THE CITY OF LOS ANGELES WILL SPEND $841,882,188! THESE TAX DOLLARS ARE MUCH BETTER SPENT ON HUMAN NEEDS, ESPECIALLY NOW AS WE STRUGGLE TO RESPOND TO THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC AND ITS ECONOMIC IMPACT. NOW MORE THAN EVER, WE MUST CHANGE OUR NATIONAL PRIORITIES AND INVEST IN COMMUNITIES, NOT DEADLY WEAPONS THAT MUST NEVER BE USED. IN JULY, PSR-LA LAUNCHED A REDESIGNED WEBSITE FOR THE CAMPAIGN AND PRODUCED A BACK FROM THE BRINK VIDEO PRESENTATION FOR A NATIONAL COMMEMORATION OF THE 75TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE ATOMIC BOMBING OF HIROSHIMA AND NAGASAKI. WE ALSO PRODUCED AND PRESENTED IN A NATIONAL WEBINAR ON INTERSECTIONAL ORGANIZING FEATURING DR. VINCENT INTONDI, HISTORIAN AND AUTHOR OF AFRICAN AMERICANS AGAINST THE BOMB: NUCLEAR WEAPONS, COLONIALISM, AND THE BLACK FREEDOM MOVEMENT.PSR-LA CONTINUED OUR EFFORTS TO ENSURE THE FULL CLEANUP OF NUCLEAR AND CHEMICAL CONTAMINATION AT THE SANTA SUSANA FIELD LABORATORY (SSFL.) IN FEBRUARY, WE HOSTED A MEETING OF THE SSFL WORK GROUP TO INFORM THE COMMUNITY ABOUT THE SITE'S CONTAMINATION AND ENGAGE THEM IN EFFORTS TO ASSURE ITS CLEANUP.. THE MEETING FEATURED CALEPA SECRETARY JARED BLUMENFELD AND WAS ATTENDED BY OVER 200 PEOPLE, INCLUDING CITY, COUNTY, STATE, AND FEDERAL ELECTED OFFICIALS AND REPRESENTATIVES. PSR-LA ALSO WORKED WITH THE COMMUNITY AND ALLIED ORGANIZATIONS TO OPPOSE NASA'S EFFORTS TO EVADE ITS CLEANUP OBLIGATIONS BY NOMINATING THE ENTIRE SSFL PROPERTY TO BE LISTED IN THE NATIONAL REGISTER OF HISTORIC PLACES. AS A RESULT, THE KEEPER OF THE NATIONAL REGISTER RETURNED THE APPLICATION TO NASA IN OCTOBER, TELLING THE AGENCY IT NEEDED TO ACCOUNT FOR HAVING FAILED TO REVEAL THE IMPACT THAT SITE OPERATIONS AND CONTAMINATION HAVE ON THE PROPERTY, AMONG OTHER PROBLEMS. IN 2021, WE LOOK FORWARD TO CONTINUING OUR SSFL CLEANUP ORGANIZING AND DEVELOPING AN INTERSECTIONAL AND ANTI-RACIST APPROACH TO OUR NUCLEAR ABOLITION WORK, HIGHLIGHTING THE DISPROPORTIONATE IMPACT THAT NUCLEAR PRODUCTION, WASTE, AND CONTAMINATION HAVE ON WOMEN AND COMMUNITIES OF COLOR. CLIMATE JUSTICESCLA-PUSHOUR SCLA-PUSH (SOUTH CENTRAL LA PROJECT TO UNDERSTAND THE SOURCES OF AIR POLLUTION AND THEIR HEALTH IMPACTS) INITIATIVE WAS FORMED TO ADDRESS THE LEGACY OF AIR POLLUTION IN SOUTH CENTRAL LOS ANGELES (SCLA), INCLUDING THE IMPACTS ON RESIDENTS' HEALTH AND QUALITY OF LIFE. SINCE OUR LAUNCH IN JANUARY 2019, WE HAVE TRAINED OVER 70 SOUTH CENTRAL LOS ANGELES COMMUNITY RESIDENTS TO ENGAGE IN AIR QUALITY POLICY AT THE LOCAL, REGIONAL STATE LEVELS THROUGH OUR AIR QUALITY ACADEMY (AQA). GIVEN THE NEED TO CONTINUE ENGAGEMENT DURING THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC, OUR SCLA-PUSH PROJECT TRAINED OVER 40 AQA GRADUATES TO BECOME TECH-SAVVY EXPERTS IN VIRTUAL ENGAGEMENT, WHICH ALLOWED US TO BUILD COMMUNITY POWER BY ENGAGING THEM ON THE ENVIRONMENTAL REPORTING PROCESS THROUGH OUR NEWLY DEVELOPED ENVIROREPORT APP. THIS YEAR, OUR AIR QUALITY ADVOCACY WORK FOCUSED ON THE AB617 STATE COMMUNITY AIR PROTECTION PROGRAM TO ENSURE THAT SCLA COMMUNITIES WERE NOT LEFT OUT OF THE OPPORTUNITY TO START AN AIR IMPROVEMENT PLAN. OUR SCLA-PUSH PROJECT ORGANIZED SCLA COMMUNITY RESIDENTS, COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS, HEALTH PROFESSIONALS, AND ELECTED OFFICIALS TO SUBMIT OVER 200 COMMUNITY SELF NOMINATIONS TO THE LOCAL AIR DISTRICT ADVOCATING FOR AN OFFICIAL AB 617 COMMUNITY DESIGNATION. ON FRIDAY, OCTOBER 2ND, THE SCAQMD VOTED 12-0 TO APPROVE THE SELECTION OF OUR COMMUNITY FOR AN AB617 AIR IMPROVEMENT PLAN, A HUGE WIN FOR SCLA COMMUNITIES. WE ARE ENERGIZED BY THIS VICTORY AND EXCITED FOR THE NEXT PHASE OF THIS PROJECT. OUR RECENTLY LAUNCHED SCLA-PUSH REPORT IS A REFLECTION OF ALL WE HAVE ACCOMPLISHED OVER THE PAST YEAR. IN 2021, SCLA-PUSH WILL CONTINUE TO DEVELOP AN ACCURATE PICTURE OF THE COMPLEX INTERSECTION OF AIR QUALITY, HEALTH, CUMULATIVE BURDEN, AND ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE IN SOUTH CENTRAL LOS ANGELES WHILE IDENTIFYING POTENTIAL SOLUTIONS TO REDUCE AIR POLLUTION EMISSIONS PRIMARILY THROUGH CREATIVE TECHNOLOGY SOLUTIONS AND INNOVATION ROOTED IN A JUST TRANSITION FRAMEWORK. STAND-LA: OUR FIGHT FOR 2500-FOOT SETBACKSPSR-LA SEEKS TO END OIL PRODUCTION NEAR HOMES AND SCHOOLS AND BRING ABOUT A JUST TRANSITION OFF OF FOSSIL FUELS THROUGH OUR PARTICIPATION IN THE STAND-LA COALITION (STANDING TOGETHER AGAINST NEIGHBORHOOD DRILLING). DESPITE THE CHALLENGES PRESENTED BY COVID-19, STAND-LA WAS ABLE TO SIGNIFICANTLY ADVANCE OUR WORK IN 2020. ON DECEMBER 1ST, AFTER YEARS OF ADVOCACY URGING THE CITY TO PROTECT PUBLIC HEALTH BY PHASING OUT NEIGHBORHOOD OIL DRILLING, THE LOS ANGELES CITY COUNCIL'S ENVIRONMENT, CLIMATE CHANGE, AND ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE COMMITTEE VOTED UNANIMOUSLY TO PASS A MOTION DIRECTING THE CITY ATTORNEY TO DRAFT AN ORDINANCE DECLARING OIL AND GAS EXTRACTION SITES NON-CONFORMING LAND USES. THE MOTION, WHICH ALSO ADVISES THE CITY PLANNING DEPARTMENT TO REPORT BACK ON THE NECESSARY BUDGET AND STAFF REQUIREMENTS TO ADDRESS OIL WELLS IN RESIDENTIAL NEIGHBORHOODS, MUST NOW BE APPROVED BY A FULL CITY COUNCIL VOTE. ADDITIONALLY, THE CITY ATTORNEY'S OFFICE HAS INDICATED THEIR WILLINGNESS TO DEFEND SUCH AN ORDINANCE AGAINST LEGAL CHALLENGES FROM THE OIL INDUSTRY OR OIL COMPANIES, AND COUNCILMEMBERS HAVE ECHOED ADVOCATES' CALLS FOR THE CITY TO HELP CREATE A JUST TRANSITION PLAN SUPPORTING FOSSIL FUEL WORKERS IN FAMILY-SUPPORTING JOBS IN OTHER INDUSTRIES AS OIL WELLS ARE PHASED OUT. THIS IS AN IMPORTANT ADVANCEMENT IN OUR CAMPAIGN AND IN 2021, WE WILL CONTINUE WORKING TO REALIZE THIS MOTION AND TO ESTABLISH A 2500-FOOT HUMAN HEALTH AND SAFETY BUFFER IN LOS ANGELES. EARLIER THIS YEAR, STAND-LA PARTNERED WITH SOUTH LA-BASED COALITIONS ADDRESSING CRIMINAL JUSTICE, HOUSING AND COMMUNITY PLANNING, HOMELESSNESS, IMMIGRANT AND TRANSIT JUSTICE FOR THE LOS ANGELES COUNTY SUPERVISOR DISTRICT 2 CANDIDATE FORUM AT THE CALIFORNIA AFRICAN AMERICAN MUSEUM. WE ALSO PARTNERED WITH ACTOR/ACTIVIST JANE FONDA, ALONG WITH GREENPEACE AND OTHER ALLIES TO BRING THE FIRE DRILL FRIDAY MOVEMENT TO LOS ANGELES AND TO THE HEART OF OIL AND GAS IMPACTS IN WILMINGTON. SEVERAL THOUSAND PEOPLE, FRONTLINE RESIDENTS AND CELEBRITIES ALIKE, JOINED RALLIES AT LA CITY HALL AND IN LA'S HARBOR AREA TO URGE OUR ELECTED OFFICIALS TO PASS A 2500-FOOT HEALTH AND SAFETY BUFFER AROUND OIL DRILLING SITES, AS PART OF A PLAN TO PHASE OUT FOSSIL FUELS. THROUGH OUR WORK IN THE LAST CHANCE ALLIANCE AND VISION COALITIONS, WE CONTINUE EXTENDING OUR OIL AND GAS WORK TO THE STATE LEVEL. IN RESPONSE TO PRESSURE FROM OUR MOVEMENT, GOVERNOR NEWSOM ANNOUNCED LATE LAST YEAR A RULE-MAKING PROCESS TO ESTABLISH NEW HEALTH AND SAFETY PROTECTIONS AROUND OIL AND GAS WELLS. WE MOBILIZED HUNDREDS OF FRONTLINE RESIDENTS, PUBLIC HEALTH PROFESSIONALS AND CONCERNED ANGELENOS TO PARTICIPATE IN THIS RULE-MAKING PROCESS, INCLUDING VIRTUAL HEARINGS AND OVER 530 WRITTEN COMMENTS IN SUPPORT OF ESTABLISHING A STATEWIDE 2500-FT OIL AND GAS HUMAN HEALTH AND SAFETY BUFFER. PSR-LA IS A COALITION MEMBER OF VISION (VOICES IN SOLIDARITY AGAINST OIL IN NEIGHBORHOODS), A STATEWIDE COALITION OF ORGANIZATIONS BASED IN COMMUNITIES LIVING ON THE FRONTLINES OF OIL AND GAS EXTRACTION. TOGETHER, WE FOUGHT HARD FOR AB 345, THE STATEWIDE OIL AND GAS SETBACK BILL, WHICH WOULD'VE REQUIRED CALGEM TO CONSIDER 2500-FT THROUGH THEIR RULE-MAKING PROCESS. UNFORTUNATELY, THE BILL DID NOT SURVIVE, BUT WE REMAIN COMMITTGeographiesNot indicatedDatesJan 1, 2020 – Dec 31, 2020Source990No causes providedNo populations provided–$1.3MPublic Health and Environmental Justice Initiatives
THE YEAR 2024 WAS A TRANSFORMATIVE PERIOD FOR PHYSICIANS FOR SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY - LOS ANGELES (PSR-LA). THE ORGANIZATION ACHIEVED SIGNIFICANT VICTORIES A DECADE IN THE MAKING WHILE REAFFIRMING ITS COMMITMENT TO HEALTH, JUSTICE, AND EQUITY IN RESPONSE TO THE CHALLENGES PRESENTED BY SHIFTING NATIONAL LEADERSHIP.PSR-LA'S STRENGTH LIES IN ITS MULTI-GENERATIONAL APPROACH. BY DRAWING ON THE DIVERSE KNOWLEDGE AND EXPERIENCES OF STAFF, BOARD MEMBERS, COMMUNITY ORGANIZERS, PHYSICIANS, NURSES, AND HEALTH PROFESSIONALS, PSR-LA LEVERAGES COLLECTIVE WISDOM TO ADDRESS PRESSING PUBLIC HEALTH AND ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE ISSUES. THIS COLLABORATIVE SPIRIT EXTENDS TO THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS, WHOSE MEMBERS SHARE A COMMON DEDICATION TO NUCLEAR ABOLITION, PUBLIC HEALTH, AND EQUITY.THROUGHOUT 2024, PSR-LA ADVANCED ITS MISSION THROUGH MAJOR MILESTONES, INCLUDING:" SECURING THE PASSAGE OF SB 1137, PROHIBITING NEW OIL WELLS WITHIN 3,200 FEET OF SENSITIVE SITES SUCH AS SCHOOLS AND HOMES." LEADING NUCLEAR ABOLITION EFFORTS THROUGH THE BACK FROM THE BRINK CAMPAIGN, WITH A STRONG PRESENCE AT THE ALLIANCE FOR NUCLEAR ACCOUNTABILITY'S DC DAYS." SUPPORTING THE ENERGY JUSTICE TEAM IN HELPING TO SECURE $521 MILLION FOR THE CALIFORNIA ENERGY COMMISSION'S EQUITABLE BUILDING DECARBONIZATION PROGRAM.RECOGNIZING A RAPIDLY EVOLVING POLITICAL AND ENVIRONMENTAL LANDSCAPE, PSR-LA ALSO EMBARKED ON A STRATEGIC PLANNING PROCESS THAT CULMINATED IN A RENEWED MISSION AND VISION. THESE REAFFIRM THE VALUES UPON WHICH PSR-LA WAS FOUNDED, WHILE POSITIONING THE ORGANIZATION TO ADDRESS FUTURE CHALLENGES AT LOCAL, STATE, AND NATIONAL LEVELS.PSR-LA REMAINS STEADFAST IN ITS ROLE AS A LEADER IN DEFENDING DEMOCRACY, ADVANCING PUBLIC HEALTH, ABOLISHING NUCLEAR WEAPONS, AND ENSURING ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE. THE ORGANIZATION'S ACCOMPLISHMENTS IN 2024 REINFORCE ITS ONGOING COMMITMENT TO SHAPING A HEALTHIER, SAFER, AND MORE EQUITABLE FUTURE FOR THE COMMUNITIES IT SERVES.GeographiesNot indicatedDatesJan 1, 2024 – Dec 31, 2024Source990No causes providedNo populations provided–$3.4M
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