Unpacking Whiteness; Exploring the Delusion of Race from a Buddhist Perspective

Unpacking Whiteness:
Exploring the Delusion of Race from a Buddhist Perspective

Soto Zen Buddhist Association (SZBA) is honored to invite you to attend Unpacking Whiteness; exploring the delusion of race from a Buddhist perspective, a 4-session online course, led and facilitated by Crystal Johnson.

More white people than ever before are waking up to the terrible impact of racial injustice, and seeking ways to skillfully keep our commitment to relieve suffering. This class, taught from a Buddhist perspective, is designed as a collaborative exploration of our conditioning as white people, and a time to develop skills for interrupting racism and building diverse community. We will explore the invention of whiteness and the operation of systemic racism, use our practice to build capacity to stay present with difficult experiences, and expand our shared capacity to help each other learn and grow in ways that support liberation for us all.

This class is designed for white people who are learning about whiteness; it is open to anyone who would like to join. This class will only be offered “live;” please only take the class if you can attend at least 3 of the 4 sessions. Closed captioning will be available.

Teacher:

Crystal Johnson is a Leadership Sangha (Board) member and part of the Radical Inclusivity Committee at the East Bay Meditation Center in Oakland, CA. She has taught and co-taught white awareness courses in a number of sanghas, including White and Awakening in Sangha at EBMC, Unpacking Whiteness: Reflection and Action at SFZC, White and Awakening Together at Spirit Rock Meditation Center, and Unpacking the Whiteness of Leadership for Branching Streams. She offers consultation to individuals and organizations seeking to disrupt the practices of white supremacy culture and support change toward racial equity.

This event will benefit the East Bay Meditation Center, and fund the initiation of the SZBA’s BIPOC Support Fund. The East Bay Meditation Center (EBMC) in Oakland, CA, was founded and is led by a majority of POC teachers and practitioners. EBMC opened its doors in 2007 to provide a dharma refuge for people of color, members of the LGBTQI community, people with disabilities, and other underrepresented communities. Through conscious cultivation of practices of Radical Inclusivity, Shared Leadership and Gift Economics, EBMC seeks to foster liberation, personal and interpersonal healing, social action, and inclusive community building. Through our writings and teachings such as this one, we offer support to other dharma communities and practitioners who are seeking to more fully live their practice in the world.

The SZBA will establish a BIPOC Support Fund; a fund to support Black, Indigenous and People of Color in Soto Zen lineages.

Registration:

We offer sliding scale registration and invite you to give as generously as you can. The course is open to everyone, regardless of donation level. If you have questions, or would like to attend this course without payment, please contact Anna at info@szba.org.