Over the years we've partnered with some truly incredible organizations, and in an effort to better understand their causes and the movements for which they tirelessly fight for, we've dispatched one of our loyal GCDC team members, Dennis Esculero, to give us a report from the field.

Beyond the Bomb
September 2019

It all started like any normal day in the life of a queer millennial: walking down the uneven sidewalks of the city while chugging a grande cold brew from Starbucks. Purchasing this overpriced beverage almost made me late, but it was worth it, at least, that’s what I’ve led myself to believe. I am meeting with the executive director of Beyond the Bomb, Cecili Thompson Williams. I asked to meet with her at the location of their organization, which they happen to share with a number of other entities at one of the WeWork offices on U Street. And before you ask, yes, the free La Colombe bar does exist.

Before we get to Beyond the Bomb and the eminent threat of nuclear war, let’s first talk about the WeWork workspace. The lounge is fitted with comfortable seating, a La Colombe bar, WHICH IS FREE, snacks available for purchase, and even a very charming chessboard. While the seating isn’t fit for the average sized human, it does help cultivate a sense of comfort and joy that perhaps leads to a productive work environment. Before we move forward, I have to confess that I did not have a free La Colombe coffee, as I was already over-caffeinated and did not want Cecili to think that I had just done lines of coke off the chessboard.

Pictured: Chessboard that I definitely did not do lines of coke off of.

Eventually, Cecili appeared and we walked over to the office where their organization works. Mind you, working out of a WeWork means that space is very limited, and yet they’ve managed to fit a number of desks in the small office, with approximately 7 or 8 people working diligently. We made our way to an empty booth around the corner to chat. During our conversation, I think the most important thing I learned is that nuclear war is more imminent now than it has ever been in human history. One way we can gauge this is by referring to the ‘doomsday clock,’ an annually updated symbolic representation of the likelihood of nuclear catastrophe created by members of the Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists. The closer the clock moves to midnight, the closer we are to apocalypse (!!!!!!!!). Last year, they moved the clock to two minutes to midnight, and spoiler alert, it stayed the same this year. To get a better idea of what this means, here is a quote from the Bulletin website:

“The Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists Science and Security Board today sets the Doomsday Clock at two minutes to midnight—the closest it has ever been to apocalypse. Though unchanged from 2018, this setting should be taken not as a sign of stability but as a stark warning to leaders and citizens around the world. The current international security situation—what we call the “new abnormal”—has extended over two years now. It’s a state as worrisome as the most dangerous times of the Cold War, a state that features an unpredictable and shifting landscape of simmering disputes that multiply the chances for major military conflict to erupt.”

Basically, we’re fucked. But worry not: Beyond the Bomb is on the case! From activism to policy work, this bomb squad is working tirelessly to not only reducing the amount of nuclear weapons already in existence, but also working towards nuclear powers adopting a “No-First-Use” policy. This basically means they would come to an agreement to never use a nuclear weapon first. I guess you could use it second though? For more info on Beyond the Bomb or to find out what you can do to support this cause, visit them at www.beyondthebomb.org.