Our Work

Legislative Work

Senator Markey introduces New Senate Resolution 323

(and MA Senator Warren cosponsors)

to Match MA Representative McGovern’s House Resolution 317

These Back from the Brink-supported Resolutions in the Senate and House call on the United States government to lead the way to a future that is free from the existential threat of nuclear weapons and war. Western Mass Hub is actively encouraging local elected officials in western MA sign this letter in support of the federal resolutions. The federal resolutions call on the U.S. to enter negotiations with the other nuclear-armed states for a verifiable, enforceable agreement to eliminate all nuclear arsenals.

The resolutions make clear that the U.S. must implement safeguards to reduce the danger of nuclear war while these negotiations take place:

Taking U.S. nuclear weapons off hair-trigger alert
Ending the President’s sole, unchecked authority to launch nuclear weapons
Renouncing the option of using nuclear weapons first
Canceling plans to replace the entire U.S. nuclear arsenal with enhanced weapons.

Who's signed on?

Supporting the Annual Commemorations of Hiroshima and Nagasaki

At twilight on August 6th, 2025, about 100 people commemorating the 80th anniversary of the U.S. atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, Japan at an event co-sponsored by Back from the Brink Western Mass, City of Easthampton, Greater Springfield Campaign Nonviolence and the New England Peace Pagoda, and others. The sponsors combined their different past traditions, held candles and chanted as a kayaker towed 15 lighted lanterns across Nashawannuck Pond in memory of the bombs’ 200.000+ victims. A 2-mile peace walk across the city led by the Peace Pagoda opened the event. Attendees, among them 40 young people from Camp Kinderland, heard songs by the Raging Grannies, a 4-person reading of Thomas Merton’s prose poem “Original Child Bomb,” a poem by a Hiroshima bomb survivor, and an excerpt from the Nihon Hidankyo Nobel Peace Prize 2024 acceptance speech. They could also make origami peace cranes, enjoy “peace cream”, a custom flavor provided by Mt. Tom’s Ice Cream, and browse information tables by other co- sponsors, like Back from the Brink, Demilitarize Western Mass, Easthampton Solidarity with Palestine, Massachusetts Peace Action, Pax Christi, and the Traprock Center for Peace and Justice.

Teacher Training

Members of the Teacher Training Working Group have reviewed materials from PBS Learning Media’s “Nuclear Weapons and Security Policy: Past and Present”, a comprehensive set of videos and interactive lessons designed to teach students about the dangers of nuclear weaponry and the catastrophic consequences of their use. We anticipate presenting some of the materials, especially those lessons that focus on student action, to Northampton high school students this fall, possibly in three separate lessons. Now that the 2025/26 academic year has resumed, we will engage school administrators and teachers to make this plan a reality.