Longtime board member and dear friend Dr. Jimmy Hara has been a steadfast advocate and supporter of PSR-LA. His remarkable story is truly inspiring, and as we close out the year and mark our 45th anniversary, we share his message of hope, resilience, and the importance of working together toward a safer, cleaner, and healthier future.

My heritage as a Japanese American Nisei (second generation) born in a relocation camp for Japanese Americans (Manzanar) at the tail end of World War II shaped me in many ways. One such way is my belief that nuclear weapons have no place in a healthy and peaceful world. That’s why I helped found PSR-LA and continue to share in its mission to abolish nuclear weapons— a mission that is core to who I am as a doctor, father, and grandfather.

*Hiroshima Protest in Little Tokyo, Los Angeles. 1982.*

Learning about nuclear weapons has been woven into my life from a very young age, through the teachings of Daisaku Ikeda, the founder of Soka Gakkai International, and later through my work as a family physician. In my practice, I have had eight hibakusha (atomic bomb survivors) patients. Through them, I learned so much about the human impact of nuclear weapons and was also introduced to the American Survivors of Atomic Bombs (ASA).

I began speaking out about the impacts on health and peace, which helped me build a network of like-minded people passionate about ending nuclear weapons and promoting peace. I have served as a speaker for ASA’s annual Hiroshima Day ceremonial service at Koyasan Buddhist Temple in Los Angeles for many years. During one of these events, David Krieger, the Founding President of the Nuclear Age Peace Foundation (NAPF) in Santa Barbara, was present. This introduction began my journey with this incredible organization, of which I now serve as Vice Chair of its Board of Directors.

*Flyer for the “Medical Consequences of Nuclear War” symposium.*

But it was the "Story of Sadako," one I shared during NAPF’s annual "Sadako Peace Day" event, that solidified why I dedicated my life to this cause—why I believe health professionals should care about nuclear abolition, and why I, as a Japanese American and a physician who saw hibakusha patients firsthand, believe in this work.

My journey with PSR-LA began when I was invited to the home of Richard and Pauline Saxon to meet Helen Caldicott, an Australian pediatrician who was the founding president of PSR in Boston. Helen invited me to attend a symposium in San Francisco on the "Medical Consequences of Nuclear War," where American physician and civil rights activist, Jack Geiger, gave his historic "Bombing Run," detailing what would happen in the event of a nuclear bomb being detonated and our inability to deal with the casualties.

Little did I know that this encounter with the Saxons and the Symposium would shape my mission and passion for the next 45 years. With Helen’s encouragement, Richard Saxon, John Goldenring, Bob Rufsvold, Sol Londe, and I formed a steering committee to begin a PSR Chapter in Los Angeles in 1980. We ran our small but mighty operation from the Saxons' home, with Bob Rufsvold giving a weekly program on KPFK (an independent news radio station) called "Prescription for Survival," with the hopes of educating the public and spreading awareness of the dangers of nuclear weapons. Thanks to Bob’s position as a resident physician at Kaiser Permanente Sunset, we were able to recruit more than 200 Kaiser physicians to join the chapter.

During this time, the "Freeze," an anti-nuclear weapons movement, was going strong. With my wife and two sons (then aged 5 and 8), I joined The Great Peace March for Nuclear Disarmament. We marched alongside hundreds of activists from Los Angeles to Washington, D.C., advocating for the complete elimination of nuclear weapons.

In the years that followed, my passion for the cause remained unwavering. Since my service on the steering committee that led to the formation of PSR-LA, I have served as the LA Chapter's President, Pacific Regional Director on the National Board of PSR and, now, as a Board Member.

*The Great Peace March for Nuclear Disarmament.*

45 years later, I look back at all that PSR-LA has achieved — from a small group of physicians wanting to make a difference in Los Angeles, to a strong, mighty organization making impacts locally, statewide, and nationally. I am truly honored to serve on the PSR-LA Board, an organization that has long been a pioneer in environmental justice and climate action. From our humble beginnings, our work in nuclear abolition has grown tremendously — including becoming the home of the grassroots movement Back from the Brink. It’s no understatement to say that PSR has been, and will continue to be, my passion and life-long project.

Just as I once passed the torch to my successor, I’m excited to see a new generation of leadership take shape. PSR-LA is in excellent hands with our new co-board presidents, Yazeed Ibrahim and Maral Hassanshahi.

But the work is far from over. For the generations to come, we must protect, support, and act. By joining PSR-LA, you can help advance nuclear abolition and protect communities most vulnerable to the greatest threats we face today: climate change, environmental racism, and nuclear weapons.

This is my legacy. Now, I turn the question around to you: What is your passion? What do you want to leave for future generations to come?

Cheers to 45 Years, and More to Come — a message from Dr. Jimmy Hara

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