Melting Guns, Planting Trees: Police Liaison for Lead to Life
Lead to Life's MLK Day ceremony melted real guns in a 3,000-degree furnace spewing fire — honoring victims of gun violence, and alchemizing anti-Blackness in a people's healing. Here's one small way that BPFers helped support organizers' undivided attention.
Kavanaugh Killed Our Practice: What Survivors Need from Meditation Teachers
With national and Buddhist community tension high over sexual violence, how can dharma and meditation teachers avoid further harm in their communities? Listen to the needs of sexual assault survivors!
Water is Life: a memorial for B.A. Naholowa’a
In memory of B.A., a great water protector. Yi Ling writes about their shared island ocean connections and invaluable lessons working alongside him at the medic tent at Standing Rock
#BlockBuildBe in the Fight to Make #BlackLivesMatter
After hearing Block Build Be described at the summer retreat with BPF, organizer Aaron Goggans brought the framework home to Black Lives Matter DC. Goggans says, that Block Build Be “helped us explain our work in a new way which elevated the work.”
Rest in Power Aaron Lee, the Angry Asian Buddhist
Aaron Lee, author of the blog Angry Asian Buddhist, died Saturday after a battle with cancer. He was 34. BPF reflects on all we've learned, and continue to learn, from Arun’s clear critiques and loving shout outs, with his steady aim to see Asian Americans fairly represented in US Buddhism.
Fuck Your Right Speech (Are You Listening?)
Is Right Speech rigged to support the status quo?
Announcing: 2017 Soma Award Winners
Bringing together the deep streams of Buddhist wisdom and organizing for social change, it is our honor to offer awards of $2,000 to 7 activists influenced by Buddhism.
When MLK Jr. Rejected "Obnoxious Peace"
As an organization with "Peace" in our name, we are often misunderstood. On MLK Day, let's clarify some things.
Surviving Auschwitz, Resisting Trump, Staying Open
This week visiting home, I'm pulled to revisit some family papers. Today, under Trump's ascendancy, I am the exact same age as my grandfather was in Austria, when Hitler rose to power.
VIDEO, AUDIO, TRANSCRIPT: BPF Reportback from Standing Rock
Just released! Hear from a diverse crew of BPFers who went to Standing Rock this fall in solidarity with indigenous leaders against the Dakota Access Pipeline -- including YiLing Cheng and Aaron Goggans from our 2016 Block+Build+Be retreat, and socially engaged dharma teachers Venerable Dr. Pannavati and Thanissara.
"We've Been Here All Along" – Love for Asian American Buddhists
BPF Board member Funie Hsu's latest article on white domination in Western dharma has generated a flurry of defensiveness, as well as some powerful support. Read for yourself, share your thoughts, and see what heartfelt conversations on racial justice and liberation might look like.
BPF Reportback from Standing Rock: December 7th
Standing Rock is one of the most significant movements of our time, and the opportunity to go there has been a tremendous gift. Join BPF on Wednesday, December 7th for an online reportback from BPFers and friends.
10 Forms of Healing and Resistance in the Face of Police Violence
Feeling overwhelmed with all the police violence in the news? Looking for Buddhists who share your commitment to resisting structural racism? Check out these resources and share what you're using to ground and guide you these days.
What Do Buddhists Do When Police Dominate Pride?
Black Lives Matter honorees pulled out of SF Pride, and Buddhist Grand Marshals stayed in. What would you do?
Sitting For the Frisco Five
The first time I remember sitting in front of San Francisco City Hall was at my high school prom, 12 years ago. I was barely politicized back then. The last time I sat in front of San Francisco City Hall, the steps were completely blocked off by a police barricade.
Growing the Ranks of White Buddhists Against White Supremacy
For the past 2 years, I’ve been talking with white Buddhists in Oakland and across the US about how the dharma can help us dismantle racism.
Dharma & Direct Action Training comes to Michigan in September
Join BPF and the Environmentalist Group of the Zen Buddhist Temple, Ann Arbor, for a two-day September workshop to develop inspiring responses to injustice guided by spiritual wisdom and political awareness.
Block, Build, and Be: Buddhism and Social Justice
What do you want to Block? What do you want to Build? And what do you want to Be? For a limited time, give to the BPF campaign and receive lovely perks for your donation.