"We Do Not Live Single-Issue Lives": Buddhadharma

This week we're taking inspiration from the wisdom of Black lesbian feminist theorist Audre Lorde, who said: Monday: climate changeTuesday: gun violenceWednesday: racial justiceThursday: affordable housing All pressing and important issues — and there are so many more! Islamophobia; militarism and imperialism; reproductive justice; medical and healing access; transformative justice; gender self-determination; labor struggles... Endless! Endless.But whatever specific focus we might be taking in these movements for social justice, one common thread connecting all of it is our practice. What kinds of hearts and minds are we bringing into this interconnected work for change? How are we continually intertwining both inner and outer liberation?As the great activist, philosopher, and revolutionary Grace Lee Boggs put it, there is a bigger picture, a larger context, to our efforts to redistribute wealth, power, and life chances more equitably in this world.

When you read Marx (or Jesus) this way,

you come to see that real wealth

is not material wealth

and real poverty

is not just the lack of food,

shelter, and clothing.

Real poverty is the belief

that the purpose of life

is acquiring wealth

and owning things.

Real wealth is not

the possession of property,

but the recognition that our deepest need,

as human beings,

is to keep developing

our natural and acquired powers

to relate to other human beings.

― Grace Lee Boggs,

The Next American Revolution: Sustainable Activism for the Twenty-First Century

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Buddhist Peace Fellowship: In the Buddhist World

[divide]In 2015, as part of growing and deepening the BPF community of devoted dharma + social justice practitioners...

1. Co-Directors Katie and Dawn taught or presented on dharma + social justice at

New York Insight Meditation Center (NYC)

Upaya Zen Center (New Mexico)

Tassajara Zen Center (California)

Mid City Zen Center (New Orleans)

The East Bay Meditation Center (Oakland)

Circle Yoga (Washington, DC)

Allied Media Conference (Detroit)

2. Eco-Sattva Series

We joined as presenters in the Eco-Sattva trainings with One Earth Sangha, conducted via phone calls and recordings with over 2,000 listeners per week. 

3. Buddhist Leaders' Guidebook (Buddha's Light Publishing)

We contributed chapters on race and sexual violence to an anthology of writings on social issues for American Buddhist leaders (forthcoming in 2016), co-edited by Rev. Danny Fisher and Nathan Michon. 

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Questions, comments, or concerns? Feel free to share in the thread below![divide style=3]

Want to help us build on the great work

of this year?

Please give today

to support Buddhism + social justice!