Report Back From Conversations of Compassion

our 2008 Socially Engaged Speakers Series

By Rosalie Z Fanshel

BPF Membership Communications Coordinator

Here at the Buddhist Peace Fellowship National Office we just wrapped up our first Socially Engaged Speakers Series, in which we brought together activists on the topics of our three new Areas of Action, "Right to Practice," "One Peace," and "Too Young to Do Time." Co-hosted by and held at Oakland's beautiful Chapel of the Chimes the Series presented moving examples of individuals and organizations practicing dharma-motivated social action. Each event created an opportunity for dialogue between the presenters, long time BPF community members, and many fresh faces.

For our first event, "In Solidarity with the Burmese Monks and Nuns," Nyunt Than of the Burmese American Democratic Alliance and BPF Senior Advisor Hozan Alan Senauke of Clear View Project gave an in-depth explanation of the history of the struggle in Burma and where we are today. For an audience that deeply cares about the wellbeing of fellow dharma-practitioners in Asia, but is not necessarily fully informed by the news media, the presentation offered a thorough education of the issues in the Burmese struggle for liberation.

In our second event around the "Right to Practice" Area of Action, Venerable Sisters Molini (pictured above) and Dhamma Vijaya of Dhamma Moli brought a large crowd together to discuss their inspirational project to provide shelter, aid, and education to Nepali girls who are at risk of falling victim to sex traffickers. They began their presentation with a compelling explanation of why the Buddha's teachings inherently lead to social engagement, and then showed how their call to action has manifested itself in bringing at-risk girls to a monastery in Kathmandu to learn living skills, academic subjects, and vocational competence. The Dhamma Moli project is entirely funded by individual donations, and we were able to raise significant funds on the night of this event.  The evening ended with a beautiful chant in the Nepalese Buddhist tradition.

Lawyer and Buddhist Peace Fellowship Board Member Chris Wilson addressed our "One Peace" campaign by telling of the story of how he has helped a soldier in Iraq suffering from Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD).  Chris explained that at least 20% of soldiers who have served terms are reported to suffer from PTSD (the actual number is probably much higher). These soldiers are sent back for multiple terms of service, despite the fact that they are unfit for duty. Chris believes that if the law could be changed so that soldiers suffering from PTSD can't be re-deployed, there wouldn't be enough active duty soldiers to continue the war in Iraq. Chris has chosen to walk the bodhisattva path by combining his Buddhist practice with his legal expertise to take on the complicated military legal system. He has spent the last two years volunteering to help an individual soldier with PTSD, and in the process made steady headway in creating legal precedents for how PTSD is viewed in the military. 

In our final presentation Jakada Imani, Executive Director of the Ella Baker Center for Human Rights in Oakland opened the discussion on BPF's newest Area of Action, "Too Young to Do Time."  This campaign focuses on youth and incarceration. Jakada gave a moving talk on how his own experience of growing up African American in Oakland during the racist "War on Drugs" era led him to social justice activism. During his years working on the Ella Baker Center's enlightened campaigns to dismantle the prison industrial complex, he has come to realize that there are no enemies:  that we must liberate the jailers as well as the jailed. BPF and the Ella Baker Center will be collaborating with a coalition of other organizations to create the Summer of Peace 2010, which will focus on peace among Bay Area youth. 

We finished the 2008 Socially Engaged Speakers Series inspired to continue our work in each of the Areas of Action.  We plan to make the Speakers Series an annual - or possibly biannual - event.  If you would like to suggest an upcoming speaker, please contact us.  We look forward to seeing you at the next Series.