Welcome to Buddhists for Racial Justice. This is an online home for a multi-racial, cross-tradition response to racism on the part of Buddhist Teachers, Monastics, Priests, Leaders, Ministers, Practitioners, and Clergy.
We invite you to sign the “Open Letter on Racism in the United States, and the 2015 Charleston Massacre” as an expression of your commitment to actively work towards justice and equity in your spiritual practice community and in society at large. We hope you will then reflect on your and your community’s engagement around racial justice, and explore how this work can become an ongoing part of Dharma practice.
Grow with us!
The aspiration for BRJ is to grow into an umbrella organization that could provide support, visibility and coordination between a diverse array of projects – within multiple sanghas and traditions – that focus on racial equity and justice both within our communities and in society at large. The long term vision is the coordination of a multi-lineage, Buddhist influence within the broader society that brings attention to racism and promotes a wise, ethical response, and social transformation, on a large scale.
If you’d like to participate in the growth of this vision, please join our mailing list and consider making a donation to BRJ.
If you have any questions or comments, please write us at: connect @ buddhistsforracialjustice.org
Two “Calls” – One goal
To support our practice, Buddhists for Racial Justice (BRJ) is offering two versions of a “Call to Engage” – one for those who society deems as “white”, another for those who could identify as “people of color.” In creating these two separate “Calls”, our team recognizes that race itself is not biologically real, but a social construction that shapes each of our lives in distinct ways. Those who are targeted by racism have very different needs when confronting a racialized society than those whom that society has classified as “white” and awarded certain types of privilege accordingly.
Ultimately, we recognize that racism is a tool that divides us, and that causes loss and pain for everyone. The goal in offering these two avenues of resource and support is not to further divide, but to build towards a common vision of justice, equity, mutual respect, and a life affirming society.
In addition to the Call for White Buddhists, and the Call to POC Buddhists, you can also peruse the archive of Shared Resources on this site. Feel free to make contributions to this list by commenting on the page.
