Physicians for Social Responsibility
Sacramento Chapter

Past Events

• May 22, 2010 -- Alice Rothchild, MD, author of Broken Promises, Broken Dreams: Stories of Jewish and Palestinian Trauma and Resilience, now in 2nd edition, spoke at the Arden Dimick Library Community Room in Sacramento. Sponsored by Jewish Voice for Peace/Sacramento, PSR/Sacramento, and Peace in the Precincts.
  
  
• May 2, 2010 -- 6th annual PSR/Sacramento Scholarship Essay Contest Dinner Finals
  High school seniors from Sacramento and surrounding counties submitted 148 entries based on the Native American saying: “We do not inherit the earth from our ancestors; we borrow it from our children.” Parinaz Fozouni was 1st place winner, Austin Lillywhite was the 2nd place winner, and Keaton Boyle was the 3rd place winner receiving $2500, $1500, and $1000 scholarships respectively. The other six finalists each received $750 scolarships. The top three finalists were chosen by a panel of distinguished judges: Environmental Council of Sacramento president Dr. Alex Kelter; Sacramento area educator Dr. Carl Mack; Pesticide Watch director Paul Towers; Sacramento County Public Health Director Dr. Glennah Trochet; and Grammy Award-winning Native American flutist Mary Youngblood, who also performed during the evening program.
  
  
• December 8, 2009 -- Annual Candlelight Vigil for Peace and Justice, marking International Human Rights Day, 16th & J St, Sacramento, followed by dinner at Luna's Cafe, 1414 16th St, Sacramento. Sponsored by Sacramento Area Peace Action with PSR as one of the co-sponsors.
  
  
• November 30, 2009-- Climate Change-Causes, Solutions. Will Copenhagen Give Hope?
  Deb Neimeier, PhD, UC Davis Professor of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Garden and Arts Center in McKinley Park, 3330 McKinley Blvd, Sacramento. Hosted by Sierra Club Sacramento with PSR as one of the co-sponsors.
  
  
• October 18, 2009 -- PSR/Sacramento 6th Annual Fundraiser Dinner
  Mark Hertsgaard was keynote speaker at our 6th Annual Fundraiser Dinner at the California State University, Sacramento Alumni Center. Mr. Hertsgaard, an independent journalist, covers climate change for The Nation, Vanity Fair, Time and Die Zeit and has written for many of the world's leading newspapers and magazines. His forthcoming book is Living Through the Storm: Our Future Under Global Warming. "On the way to Copenhagen" was the title of his talk in which he
  discussed the December 2009 UN Climate Change Conference as, perhaps, the last, best chance to reverse the effects of global warming. The evening included a silent auction followed by dinner with food provided by Spendid Gourmet, Town and Country Catering, and music by Reggie Graham on the keyboard. A tribute was given to PSR member Leon Lefson and Essay Finalist Ryan Suleiman read his essay. Thanks to California State University, Sacramento and Access Sacramento for being sponsors of the dinner.
  View the dinner program courtesy of Access Sacramento and Media Edge.
  Hear Jeffrey Callison's October 19 Capital Public Radio Insight interview of Mark Hertsgaard.
  
  
• September 9, 2009 -- Sacramento activist and PSR member Patricia Daugherty gave a talk "Living in Palestine: Witness to Occupation." She shared her recent experiences and showed slides from eight months in the Middle East, including six months in the West Bank and a week in Gaza. 
  
  
• August 9, 2009 -- August Peace Event, "No more Hiroshimas, No More Nagasakis" on the 64th Annual Day of Rememberance and ACtion. The doors of the Alumni Center at California State University, Sacramento (6000 J Street) opened at 4 pm for viewing of displays and for light refreshments. The program began at 4:30 pm and featured the story of Sadako, presentation of origami cranes, presentation by PSR Steering Committee member Jimmy Spearow, PhD, essays read by PSR essay finalists Monika Robbins and Ryan Suleiman, music, and more. PSR/Sacramento was fiscal sponsor, again, this year.  
  
  
• August 8, 2009 9:30 -- "Workshop for Single Payer Outreach Training & Fun", Hart Center, 915 27th Street, Sacramento. This forum (third of three) is sponsored by Health Care for All Sacramento and co-sponsored by PSR and other groups. 
  
  
• July 23, 2009 -- Fremont Park celebration of the 1-year anniversary of Pesticide-Free Sacramento. Located at 1515 Q Street, Fremont Park is Sacramento's first pesticide-free park. Pesticide-Free Sacramento is a coalition supported by Biological Urban Gardening Services, the Environmental Council of Sacramento, Mother's Support Network, Organic Sacramento, Pesticide Watch Education Fund, PSR/Sacramento, and the Sacramento Natural Foods Co-op.
  
  
• July 8, 2009 --Brian Sytsma and Mary Hall gave a presentation on the environmental cleanup program at the former McClellan Air Force Base. The former base was an aircraft repair depot from the 1930s through closure in 2001. The industrial facility relied heavily on the use of solvents, cleaners, paints and metals that have now contaminated the soil and groundwater. Contaminants include volatile organic compounds such as trichloroethylene, dichloromethane, vinyl chloride, and some fuels; and non-volatile organic compounds such as dioxins, metals and low-level radioactive contamination (primarily radium). Mr. Sytsma and Ms. Hall discussed the cleanup programs in place and areas for which cleanup decisions are still pending, as well as opportunities for public input and involvement in the cleanup process.
  
  
• June 22, 2009 -- "Global Climate Change Forum: Adapting to the Uncertain Future", SMUD Auditorium, 6201 S Street, Sacramento. Presented by the League of Women Voters, SMUD, Access Sacramento, and co-sponsored by PSR and other groups. 
  Showing of the video-"Climate Change", introduced by Elissa Lynn, Sr. Meteorologist, Climate Change Program, CA Department Water Resource
  Global Climate Change Forum-featuring presentations by five community leaders: U.C. Davis Professor Deb Neimeier, Ph.D.-"Climate Change: Causes, Solutions & Adaptation"; Roger Dickinson, Supervisor, Sacramento County-"Local Community Response to Climate Change"; Genevieve Shiroma, SMUD Board of Directors-"Sacramento Region-Energy Conservation & Sustainable Power"; John Andrew, Climate Change Program, Dept Water Resources-"Impact of Climate Change on Water"; Christopher Flores, Congresswoman Doris Matsui's Office-"Climate Change Legislation-2009-H.R. 2454"
  Audience-Question and Answers
  
  
• June 6, 2009 -- Health Care for All Sacramento sponsored a forum on Health Care Delivery and the Single Payer Plan. Over 75 community members attended the PSR co-sponsored event at the Hart Center in Sacramento. Speakers included Glennah Trochet, MD, Sacramento County Health Officer; Anthony Daniels, Capital Community Health Network; Sara Rogers, Health Consultant for Senator Mark Leno; and Harry Wang, president of PSR/Sacramento. Bruce Pomer was the moderator. Part II and III of the summer series will occur on July 18 and August 8.  
  
  
• May 3, 2009 -- PSR Scholarship Essay Contest "Finals" Dinner
  The ten 2009 Scholarship Essay Contest finalists presented their essays at the Dante Club in Sacramento. The students were chosen from a field of 144 essays for their outstanding essays based on this year's prompt: "We shall require a substantially new manner of thinking if mankind is to survive."--Albert Einstein. Sarah LIghtshone received a $2,500 scholarship, Monika Robbins a $1,500 scholarship, and Noah Muldavin a $1,000 scholarship. The other seven finalists received $750 scholarships. The 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place winners were chosen by a panel of distinguished judges: Sharon Chandler, educator, journalist, and author; Bob Dresser, Chair of Jewish Community Relations Council; Basim Elkarra, Executive Director of the Sacramento Valley chapter of the Council on American Islamic Relations; Heather Fargo, past mayor of the city of Sacramento; and Marielle Tsukamoto, president of the Florin Chaper of the Japanese American Citizens League. 
  
  
• March 19, 2009 --Third Annual Peace Rally on the 6th anniversary of the Iraq war was hosted by UUSS PEACEMAKERS and co-sponsoring groups, including PSR/Sacramento, at the Unitarian Universalist Auditorium in Sacramento. There was a Rally at Howe Avenue and Fair Oaks Blvd 4:30-6 pm followed by a Candlelight Peace Vigil at the Unitarian Universalist Society of Sacramento 7-9 pm. 
  
  
• March 11, 2009 -- Gus Nystrom gave a talk on Israel and the Occupied Territories at our monthly meeting at UC Davis Medical Center. Mr. Nystrom's main affiliation is with Pax Christi, the Catholic peace and justice movement. In August 2008, Gustavo and his wife Margaret spent two weeks in Israel/Palestine with an interfaith delegation. He shared observations regarding history, Zionist plans, the wall, home demolitions, and hopes for peace.

• March 5, 2009 -- Organic Sounds – A Celebration and Fundraiser for Pesticide Watch at Sierra 2 Center in Sacramento. For over twenty years, Pesticide Watch and Pesticide Watch Education Fund have worked side-by-side with communities to clean up and prevent pesticide pollution and pesticide exposure. During the past year, PSR has joined Pesticide Watch in forming a local coalition to reduce the use of toxic pesticides in our community. There was lots of great organic and local food, drink, music by Rowdy Kate and Stars and Garters, and speakers included Sacramento Councilmember Rob Fong. PSR was on the host committee for the event.

• February 11, 2009 -- Jim Whitaker spoke on "Iran and the Geopolitics of the Middle East". Mr. Whitaker, who has lived and worked in various parts of the Middle East, including Iran, as an international financier, explained and discussed Iran's geo-political and geo-strategic objectives and actions relative to the Middle East and Afghanistan and why there is no possibility of resolution of that region's issues without the active involvement and acquiesence of Iran.
  
  
• January 14, 2009 – Screening of Unnatural Causes: Is Inequality Making Us Sick?
  PSR was a co-sponsor of The California Endowment screening of the film, Unnatural Causes, at the State Capitol. The groundbreaking film, a winner of the 2009 duPont-Columbia Award for excellence in broadcast journalism, goes beyond popular conceptions linking health to medical care, lifestyles and genes to explore evidence of other more powerful determinants: the social conditions in which we are born, live and work. Unnatural Causes was produced by California Newsreel with Vital Pictures, Inc. and the event was presented by The California Endowment and Government Action & Communication Institute (GACI).
  
  
• November 12, 2008 -- Kenyan-trained physician Dr. Elizabeth Muhia spoke about health care in Kenya and about her work with International Physicians for the Prevention of Nuclear War (IPPNW).
  
  
• October 25, 2008 -- Satsuki Ina, PhD introduced her award-winning film From a Silk Cocoon which tells her family's story of the tragic outcome resulting from World War II hysteria and racial profiling. A panel discussion with Q & A on "Your Civil Rights, Internment and Racism" followed the film with Dr. Ina, Harry Wang, MD, President of PSR/Sacramento and Basim Elkarra, Executive Director of the Sacramento Valley Council on American-Islamic Relations. Sponsored by Therapists for Social Responsibility. Co-sponsored by PSR/Sacramento, Unitarian Universalist Peacemakers, Grandmothers for Peace, Women's International League of Peace and Freedom, Multicultural Counseling and Consulting Associates, Gray Panthers, Asian Pacific Community Counseling and others.
  
  
• October 4, 2008 -- 5th Annual PSR/Sacramento Annual Dinner
  Deb Niemeier, PhD was the keynote speaker at our Annual Fundraiser Dinner at the Sacramento State University Alumni Center. Dr. Niemeier is professor of civil and environmental engineering and director of the John Muir Institute on the Environment at UC Davis and the UC Davis-Cal Trans Air Quality Project. We enjoyed the music of Midtown Jazz and a special tribute to long-time member Herbert Bauer, MD. Margaret Freiwald read her outstanding 2008 scholarship essay, and keynote speaker Deb Niemeier, PhD spoke on "Ought implies can: Five ways you can reduce the impact of climate change." Dinner sponsors included Access Sacramento, Planning and Conservation League, Solar Cookers International, Curtiss DuRand, MD, Janice and Harry Wang and co-sponsors Environmental Council of Sacramento and Pesticide Watch. 
  
  
• September 10, 2008 -- PSR Board member Curtiss DuRand, MD, recently returned from visiting Cuba, spoke about Cuba's health care system. His presentation included photos taken during his recent trip.
  
  
• August 9, 2008 -- PSR was the fiscal sponsor for the August Peace Event at the Sacramento State University Alumni Center. Participants included Reverend Bob Oshita, past PSR president Dr. Bill Durston, Pamela Vergun, PhD, translator and author of A Dimly Burning Wick, 2008 PSR Essay Contest finalist Jennifer Kocsis, the Bakuhatsu Taiko Dan group from UC Davis, and Grammy Award winner Mary Youngblood. This annual event, which remembers the nuclear bombings of Hiroshima and Nakasaki, was covered by the local Sacramento Fox 40 TV news station.  
  
  
• July 9, 2008 -- Ms. Stella Levy, a long-time anti-death penalty activist, discussed the recently released report of the California Commission on the Fair Administration of Justice. As reported in the July 1, 2008 Sacramento Bee, "capital punishment in California is too flawed to be effective and is crippled by an appeals backlog that delays punishment for crimes."  Ms. Levy focused on the economic costs of the death penalty, as detailed in the report.
  
  
• June 14, 2008 2 - 4:30 pm: Reaching Out To Our Veterans And Their Families
  Dr. Judith Broder, Studio City psychiatrist and psychoanalyst spoke on the Los Angeles area The Soldiers Project which provides free, individualized therapy to Iraq and Afghanistan military/veterans and their families. Zohreh Whitaker, Military Families Speak Out, and PSR Board Member talked about the experience of her son's military service and deployment in Iraq.
  Sponsored by Therapists for Social Responsibility and co-sponsored by PSR/Sacramento and California Society for Clinical Social Work.
  
  
• June 12, 2008 -- Cori Traub presented an "Update on Environmental Issues" and led a discussion about environmental issues our chapter may wish to address in the coming 18 months. Ms. Traub is currently a Development Officer at UC Davis School of Medicine and has previously been a development director for Clean Water Action, Pesticide Action Network, and Coalition for Clean Air.
  
  
• March 12, 2008 -- Aashika Damodar spoke on "Sex Trafficking in the U.S.: Addressing the needs of Survivors Locally and Abroad." She discussed what sex trafficking is, where it occurs in the U.S. and the dynamics of victim identification and services. Ms. Damodar is a senior studying Anthropology & Political Science at the University of California, Berkeley, and is the Director of the 'STOP the Traffick' group at Berkeley.
  
  
• January 9, 2008 -- Priscilla Abbott from the Coalition of Concerned Medical Professionals (CCMP) spoke on health care access issues for low-income workers. CCMP assists workers in obtaining health care without losing their financial resources.
  
  
• December 2, 2007 -- Alice Rothchild talk and book signing
  Obstetrician-gynecologist Dr. Alice Rothchild read from her book Broken Promises, Broken Dreams: Stories of Jewish and Palestinian Trauma and Resilience (Pluto Press, 2007) at the Belle Cooledge LIbrary Community Room in Sacramento in an event cosponsored with Jewish Voice for Peace. Hear her interview with Jeffrey Callison on the KXPR Insight program.
  
  
• October 28, 2007 -- Joseph Cirincione, formerly Senior Fellow and Director for Nuclear Policy at Center for American Progress and now the president of Ploughshares Fund, was the keynote speaker at the 4th annual PSR/Sacramento Dinner. One of America's best known weapons experts, Mr. Cirincione is author of Bomb Scare: The History & Future of Nuclear Weapons (Columbia University Press, 2007). Between 1998 and 2006, Mr. Cirincione was the director for nonproliferation at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace. He was featured in the award-winning documentary Why We Fight. Mr. Cirincione was interviewed on the October 25, 2007 Capital Public Radio Insight program. Access Sacramento and California State University, Sacramento were co-sponsors of the event.
  
  
• June 29, 2007 -- Dr. Catherine Thomasson talk
  Dr. Catherine Thomasson, president of national PSR, was in Sacramento on June 29, was interviewed on three radio stations and gave an evening presentation on her recent trip to Iran and U.S.-Iran relations. Read the Sacramento News and Review article about her talk. Hear her interview with Jeffrey Callison on the KXPR Insight program.
  Read her article "Diplomacy: Best Solution to Impasse with Iran".