United for Justice: Reflections on Nuclear Abolition, Democracy, and Community
July 16 marked the 80th anniversary of the Trinity test, the world’s first detonation of a nuclear weapon. Since that time, nuclear threats have only fueled fear, conflict, and injustices related to health and the environment. Nuclear weapons are inherently unsafe and unjust, from manufacturing to testing to their use. Communities around the world are still enduring the consequences of nuclear activity, from the Marshallese to the Tulsa Downwinders.
For over four decades, PSR-LA has collaborated with community leaders, grassroots organizations, and elected officials to abolish these threats.
We have made incredible progress over the years, and despite new threats being laid out by our current administration, we remain resolute in our mission. We hope Maylene’s words inspires you to join our movement and help push for the abolition of nuclear weapons, the protection of our democracy, and of the communities that make up our nation.
Authored by Maylene Hughes, Nuclear Threats Program Grassroots Organizer Last month, I had the opportunity to return to Washington D.C. with the Alliance for Nuclear Accountability (ANA) for DC Days, a week of powerful lobbying, community-building, and strategic action with a network of frontline communities and nuclear abolition organizations across the country. It was only my second time participating, but the experience felt markedly different from last year. The energy in D.C. was noticeably tense, and the political climate under the current administration was palpable in every meeting. While our delegation met with 40 House and 35 Senate offices, we were surrounded by visual reminders of deepening divisions; hallways lined with MAGA slogans, signs supporting Israeli military actions, and one congressional office even displaying a massive portrait of Donald Trump. These symbols stood in stark contrast to our calls for nuclear disarmament, environmental justice, and government accountability.
Despite this atmosphere, our delegation remained undeterred. I felt more confident and informed this year, to the point where I led one of our California meetings with newly elected Representative Lateefah Simon. In that meeting, we successfully secured her co-sponsorship of H.Res. 317, the resolution Back from the Brink representatives had been advocating for in every office we visited. One of the most inspiring moments of the week was watching my colleague Alex Jasset, PSR-LA’s Director of Energy Justice, receive ANA’s highest honor, the Bill Mitchell Grassroots Activist Award. Alex’s dedication to nuclear abolition, energy justice, and uplifting frontline communities exemplifies the kind of leadership we need in these movements, and I was proud to stand alongside him and the rest of our incredible ANA delegation.
But our time in D.C. was not isolated from the broader national context. While we were walking the halls of Congress, I.C.E. raids were ramping up across the country, including in our home of Los Angeles. Watching videos and reading testimonies from the ground while being across the country was heartbreaking. I remember feeling overwhelmed with grief and rage, seeing neighbors unjustly detained and separated from their families. The communal resistance in L.A. reverberated across the country and deep into my heart; I wanted nothing more than to be home, standing in solidarity.
That same week, after narrowly avoiding being caught in Trump’s “military birthday parade,” many of us transitioned straight into participating in the No Kings protests, which were taking place nationwide. I joined the demonstration in Sacramento, Denise rallied in Lansing, and our PSR-LA colleagues, including Alex, were on the frontlines in Los Angeles.
From the halls of Congress to the streets of our cities, we moved as a united force demanding justice, democracy, and an end to authoritarianism.
The thread that wove all these experiences together —DC Days, the ICE raids, the No Kings protests —was community. In moments where the world feels impossibly bleak, I found strength in collective action. From fellow activists in the ANA network to the courageous people of Los Angeles rising up for their neighbors, and the thousands across the nation fighting for democracy, I was reminded that we are never alone. We each have different entry points, but we share a common vision. We the people have the power. Our voices matter. And together, we will continue to show up, speak out, and fight for the just future we deserve.
