Physicians For Social Responsibility Los Angeles

Founding and History

The national Physicians for Social Responsibility was founded in 1961 by a group of dentists and physicians in response to measured health effects of nuclear weapons testing. The Los Angeles chapter was founded in 1970 and similarly focused on anti-nuclear weapons activism. The mission was expanded from opposing nuclear weapons to environmentalist issues in general in 1992. ^{5 6}

Finances

For 2023 Physicians for Social Responsibility Los Angeles reported $3,757,170 in revenue of which $3,642,341 stemmed from contributions and grants, $49,105 from program service revenue, and $65,724 from investment income. It reported $3,786,495 in expenses, of which $800,475 was paid out in grants, $1,946,965 in salary and compensation, and $87,838 in conference and meeting expenses. It ended the year with a net loss of $29,325 and net assets of $3,934,111. ⁷

Physicians for Social Responsibility LA received $223,741 in government grants, making up just under six percent of its annual revenue. ⁸

Notable funders include the Schmidt Family Foundation ($585,000), the Climate Imperative Foundation ($500,000), and the United States Energy Foundation ($325,000). ^{9 10 11}

Projects and Initiatives

Physicians For Social Responsibility Los Angeles has historically been focused on opposition to nuclear weapons and energy. It claims that nuclear weapons undermine national security; that their construction and maintenance is harmful to the environment, especially affecting minority communities; and that the cost of these weapons should be reallocated to left-of-center social programs to deal with “social injustices.” ¹

The group’s anti-nuclear program includes reaching an international agreement for disarmament, declaring that the United States will not engage in a nuclear first strike, removing the presidential authority to launch a nuclear strike, and cancelling planned upgrades to the US nuclear stockpile. ³

The group also opposes civilian nuclear energy alongside opposing oil and gas based energy production. It claims that energy is a human right but that it must be provided through environmentalist means. It also favors the abolition of investor-owned utilities, instead advocating they be replaced with some form of socialized “community controlled” utility system. ²

PSR LA is also involved in activism related to other environmental issues such as air and water pollution. As part of its climate change agenda it seeks to ban gas stoves in LA County, end urban oil drilling in LA, and to phase out all conventional fuel usage. PSR LA’s activism includes references to “environmental justice” resting on the idea that pollution is effectively an aspect of systemic racism and oppression of minorities. ^{12 13 4}

Leadership

Martha Dina Arguello is the executive director of Physicians for Social Responsibility Los Angeles, a position she has held since 2007. Prior to this she was the director of the environmental health program. She is on the board of other left-of-center environmental nonprofits and activist groups. ¹⁴