Lots of exciting things are happening at Washington Physicians for Social Responsibility (WPSR), which leads Back from the Brink’s Seattle-area Hub – thanks in large part to the tremendous activism of Harry Katz, who is working to support BftB, WPSR, and the Washington Against Nuclear Weapons Coalition (WANW), which WPSR coordinates.
Harry is helping lead efforts to build positive, supportive relationships with key constituencies in the Seattle area, including unions. Specifically, WPSR is working to support and show solidarity with Service Employees International Union Local 925’s actions as it navigates an important contract negotiation with one of its employers. Furthermore, city council members in two Seattle suburbs (Redmond and Sammamish) have expressed interest in passing BftB resolutions in their cities. Harry, in coordination with WANW volunteers, has started making presentations about BftB to Rotary Clubs in those two suburbs and elsewhere in the Seattle area.
WPSR staff and volunteers have also been tabling to recruit new BftB supporters in Seattle, and calling the people who sign up at tabling events to ask them to introduce BftB and bring the issue of nuclear disarmament to organizations and communities they are a part of.
Last month, Seattle mayor Bruce Harrell, Tacoma mayor Victoria Woodards, and Olympia mayor Dontae Payne all issued proclamations welcoming the Golden Rule anti-nuclear weapons and peace boat to their cities, and praising its mission. Our friends at Veterans for Peace’s Golden Rule Project, the Olympia Coalition to Abolish Nuclear Weapons, Tacoma Veterans for Peace, and 350 Tacoma joined the Seattle-area Hub in letting their mayors know about this opportunity to speak out. According to Mayor Harrell, “the City of Seattle recognizes the work of Veterans for Peace in their historic and ongoing efforts to provide awareness about nuclear disarmament and promote peace.”
Living in the Seattle area and interested in getting involved? Reach out to Harry Katz (harry@wpsr.org).
