Intersectional Black activists have been part of and at the forefront of many liberation movements. From Black Lives Matter to the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People, Black activism has addressed issues such as Black mental health, trans...
In the family of care and concern, sympathy, empathy, and compassion are kin. Like relatives, these virtues may grow alongside each other, offering their unique perspectives on and responses to the human condition. While the three attributes are connected, it’s...
I am so excited about this issue that it’s impossible to be still, even after years of practice! Nevertheless, I will joyfully reflect on the ebony jewel box of an issue that you have just received. In 2014, while earning my doctorate in pastoral counseling, I began...
Dr. Kamilah Majied’s Joyfully Just: Black Wisdom and Buddhist Insights for Liberated Living (Sounds True) invites us to exercise playful curiosity. The book’s expansive embrace of contemplative practices supports wellness and justice for people from all spiritual...
I remember being embarrassed doing puzzles with my in-laws for the first time. While it took me quite a while to find a piece, they were fast because they were experienced puzzlers. After discovering the satisfaction of working on a thousand-piece puzzle, I noticed...
Too many self-identified activists are running themselves into the ground. Yet we’re unlikely to make truly impactful change if we’re burnt out. So, how do we—individually and collectively—continue to move the needle of equity and inclusion while also caring for...
When I first learned about Buddhist practice, I immediately saw its parallels with parenting. The two practices share the same basic tenets for living an ethical life. We are asked to transform suffering. We practice non-violence, loving speech, and deep listening. We...
As a Black woman born and raised in these United States, I have spent much of my life not just angry, but rageful. It’s the kind of rage that finds me gritting my teeth until my jaw aches even as everything around me seems perfectly safe and serene. There’s a...
‘The aim of spiritual practice is to become the friend of all beings, concerned about them and ready and able to help them.’ Dalai Lama
It is spring in California—the seed packets and gardening tools are already out in our supermarkets and I notice how my heart picks up when I see the display. I look at the seed packets with photographs of impossibly large tomatoes and I feel inspired about planting...