We-Commit-To-Resist

Beautiful posters for resisting racism and bigotry

Thanks to the American Friends Service Committee for publishing these two wonderful posters for resisting racism and bigotry. AFSC is a great organization. I collaborated with them when I worked at the Fellowship of Reconciliation.

We-All-Belong-Here

 

Driven by a desire to provide tools for schools and the larger community to create space for discussion and declare solidarity, artists Micah Bazant and Kate DeCiccio partnered with AFSC, Forward Together, Jewish Voice for Peace, Center for New Community, and Showing Up for Racial Justice to produce these beautiful images.

– https://www.afsc.org/resource/posters-resisting-racism-and-bigotry

“Mother of Exiles”

The New Colossus

Not like the brazen giant of Greek fame,
With conquering limbs astride from land to land;
Here at our sea-washed, sunset gates shall stand
A mighty woman with a torch, whose flame
Is the imprisoned lightning, and her name
Mother of Exiles. From her beacon-hand
Glows world-wide welcome; her mild eyes command
The air-bridged harbor that twin cities frame.

“Keep, ancient lands, your storied pomp!” cries she
With silent lips. “Give me your tired, your poor,
Your huddled masses yearning to breathe free,
The wretched refuse of your teeming shore.
Send these, the homeless, tempest-tost to me,
I lift my lamp beside the golden door!”

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_New_Colossus

Photo: First Lady Nancy Reagan waves from the Statue of Liberty after she re opened the structure on its 100th birthday, 1986.

Putting our hearts and bodies where our mouths are

Best wishes to everyone putting your hearts and bodies on the line at women’s marches and other demonstrations in your towns, states, and country because we believe a better America is still possible.

 

Blessing for the Women’s March

By Erika A. Hewitt (Unitarian Universalist minister)

May you be safe.
May you be free from all harm.

As the road or skies carry you toward your fellow pilgrims,
may you sense the presence of those who travel with you in spirit,
whose hopes and hearts are tucked into your pockets,
who name your journey’s purpose as sacred.

May you encounter strangers-as-kindred,
and may that recognition of kinship bring joy to your journey.

Whether the faces in the crowd number in the dozens, hundreds, or thousands,
may you not only recognize yourself,
but may you also witness a dazzling tapestry of colors, languages, genders, ages, and bodies:
proud testament to and humbling display of our human family.

May the crowds be gentle, friendly, and patient.
If not, may the Spirit of Playfulness appoint you its momentary agent.
May you offer quiet praise for gestures of kindness.

May all bodies — vessels of spirit and soul — be treated as the gift that they are.
May the sturdiest of marchers make space for those who need more time,
more help, or a different means of moving.

May those bearing snacks share generously with others.
May you fuel yourself wisely, and hydrate.
In your hour of need, may you easily find a restroom,
and may it accommodate your body’s gender, size, and abilities.
May the line for the restroom be short.
If not, may you delight in the impulse to connect in ways mundane and profound.

Amid the heady flurry of selfies and hashtags,
may you remember the commitment that led you there,
and what will be required for the road ahead.

Gather it all up, blessed one; let it feed you.
Allow the crowds’ electric thrum to seep into you,
knitting itself into courage;
into holy boldness;
into fuel for the journey back, and for the journey forward.

http://www.uua.org/worship/words/blessing/blessing-womens-march

Support the protesters that are supporting the earth for all of us! #NoDAPL

The camps that are leading the resistance to the Dakota Access Pipeline need your support. There are numerous different camps that exist at Standing Rock. Each serving a different role and responsibility. We know that it can be confusing as to who to support. So please take a moment to read about each camp we have listed and donate or send supplies!

Source: Support the Camps – #NoDAPL Solidarity

Gratitude and mindfulness

So thankful to have a mindfulness practice and to receive this insightful and badly-needed Buddhist perspective from a senior disciple of Thich Nhat Hanh. A Buddhist monk explains mindfulness for times of conflict: “Compassion is not sitting in your room; it’s actually very active and engaging”

Also appreciating the wise tweets of Buddhist teacher and author Ethan Nichtern right now. Among all the fake Buddhist ideas, the idea of maintaining “neutrality” is the most damaging now. It’s about being truthful, not neutral.

Why do we need mindfulness at school?

I wrote a thing to help out my child’s after school program and thought it would make a good blog entry as well. Also posted at MomsRising.org. Enjoy.

Both adults and children can benefit from mindfulness training, especially in the sometimes-challenging public school environment. Mindfulness is simply the practice of training our brain to be aware of our feelings, our bodies, and our environment in the present moment. Although it is an ancient and sometimes-spiritual practice, it is increasingly being used in everyday settings such as corporate businesses and fitness centers and… schools!

Mindfulness can help both teachers and students to reduce stress and anxiety, strengthen attention and focus, support social and emotional growth, and better resolve the inevitable conflicts that arise. According to Dr. Kirk Strosahl and Dr. Patricia Robinson, “research indicates that brain training involving mindfulness practices can strengthen areas of the brain responsible for attention, emotional control, and problem solving… There is even emerging evidence that mindfulness-based brain training produces permanent structural changes in the brain.”

I am thrilled that the students and staff at my child’s after school program will be participating in a mindfulness training this year, and I hope it will just be the beginning of bringing a more mindful approach to education for all of our kids.

Here are a few articles I found for those who are interested in learning more:

Great information and links to resources for educators:
http://www.mindfulteachers.org/p/benefits-of-mindfulness.html

In-depth article on When Mindfulness Meets the Classroom:
http://www.theatlantic.com/education/archive/2015/08/mindfulness-education-schools-meditation/402469/

Why Children Need Mindfulness as Much as Adults Do:
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/05/22/why-children-need-mindful_n_5354143.html

A great leap forward

Donate

Planned Parenthood Federation of America, the American Civil Liberties Union, and the Fellowship of Reconciliation were all founded between 1915 and 1920. I usually refer to organizations this old as “dinosaurs” due to the incredible inertia that comes from being so big and being around for so many decades. I am really impressed with my colleagues at the FOR. They are really open to innovation and change. In my first week on the job, we began a blog and secured a space in Second Life!

I won’t have time to do much in SL this week because I will be traveling with about a half-dozen FOR colleagues to the US Social Forum. You can follow our exploits by way of our new blog: http://FORpeace.net !

If you want to see more dinosaurs evolving into full-fledged 21st century organizations, please support this effort by commenting on the blog, linking to us, or even giving money through our Change widget (right). Next on tap: social networking, RSS feeds, a whole new web site, and about a dozen internal improvements to get us really cooking with gas. It’s going to be a busy year. 🙂
Continue reading “A great leap forward”

Working for peace

Almost a month ago, I wrote about leaving my job at Netcentric Campaigns in search of something that would make me happier while continuing my own growth professionally and personally. I laid out what I wanted from a new job:

  1. Collaborative organizational structure supported by democratic management.
  2. Openness to innovation at the strategic and technological levels.
  3. Ability to telecommute…
  4. Passion for what I’m doing…

lotusmedia 2.0 » A brave new world

And I also mentioned in that post that I had a job interview the following day. It was with the Fellowship of Reconciliation for the position of Communication Co-coordinator. That phone interview went very well, which led to an in-person meeting, which led to a job offer, which led to a bit of a dilemma for me. I was at the point of looking ahead at the wide world of options, activating my social networks, and also looking forward to a break from work. Along came a perfectly good offer that more than met my criteria, but I was just starting my job search, not ready to end it.

I spent some time contemplating (while participating in the NetSquared conference), I spoke to colleagues, I listened to friends. I finally decided that although the timing was not ideal, this job was a very good fit, especially in terms of the criteria I had already developed. I took the job!
Continue reading “Working for peace”

Welcome, Earthlyn

Earthlyn I just renewed my lapsed membership the Buddhist Peace Fellowship in honor of their new new Executive Director. Since they are based in San Fransisco, I don’t know much about their internal workings, but I know there have been some stumbles in the past. (Like when Diana Winston, who founded their incredible BASE program, was let go.)

I am happy to see that the new BPF director is Earthlyn Manuel, an African-American woman with a history of addressing oppression of many kinds. She seems to have all the requisite Buddhist cred, but also represents the necessary challenge to dominant culture that is an essential part of being an Engaged Buddhist.

She also has one of the coolest names I have heard in a while. 🙂