Dear Tara Mandala Community,
Just as our journey to enlightenment involves the commitment to ongoing practice, humility, and community, Tara Mandala is devoted to improving how we manifest as a diverse organization in the world, as well as providing resources within and beyond our Global Sangha. 2021 brought renewed energy in this effort, and we wanted to share some of our progress, and plans for Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion in 2022.
* Expansion of Council and Advisors
- This year, we expanded the council to include 3 additional Council members and 4 Advisors from various areas of our organization and our European sanghas. By expanding the EDI Council in this way, we increased our collective voice by including different perspectives in order to grow our cultural awareness around the issues of equity, diversity and inclusion. The EDI Council also particularly wants to understand and include the perspectives of different parts of the organization, and the challenges faced by the global sangha, which may be different than those faced by “inner circle” USA sangha members.
* EDI Purview adopted by the Board
- The EDI Purview guides our vision and plans for creating a more inclusive and diverse sangha community. The EDI Council Purview is articulated through the model of Ground, Path and Fruition, following classic Dharmic format. The purview document sets intentions for the council, delineates the structure of the council, identifies priorities and areas of council oversight and contribution within the sangha, and articulates the relationship of EDI initiatives and values to the Dharmic lineage of Tara Mandala.The dialogue and focus of the council remains within boundaries that promote and foster cultural literacy within our community. As we bring a Dharmic view of compassion and empathy onto our paths individually and collectively, this purview acts as a touchstone for our intention and purpose. Here is a link to the EDI Purview to read more.
* Communication
- Response to hate crime violence:
The EDI Council utilized a swift and collaborative process by which it crafted a public statement in response to the anti-Asian violence in Atlanta in March 2021. This statement, published on the Tara Mandala Blog, publicly stated the values of Tara Mandala in contrast to the violence, expressed solidarity with and support for those affected, and reminded the sangha of the importance of view and practice during challenging times such as these. It also invited members of the sangha to reach out for assistance or to offer suggestions as to how to support the Asian American Pacific Islander (AAPI) community. - EDI Blog Posts:
- The EDI Council organized an ongoing series of blog posts written in honor of several of the national recognition months uplifting marginalized communities. These were written by our council members and long-time friends of Tara Mandala. If you didn’t get a chance to read them during the year, here they are!
- Honoring Native American Heritage Month by R. Carlos Nakai
- A Buddhist in this Life by Michele Nevarez
- What’s in a Name by Celeste Young
- Queer Liberation by Erik Jampa Andersson
- Celebrating Black History by EDI Council Members
* Coordination of 2021 EDI trainings within Tara Mandala
- The EDI Council assisted in the hiring of a consultant to the organization, Distinctive Voices Consulting, and coordinated the cultural assessment/survey around EDI values within Tara Mandala and offered one staff and board online training. The results of this review were then shared and fed back at different levels of the organization including staff, Board, and the EDI council itself. Upon reflection, the EDI Council has decided to take a different path for this work in 2022, and work with some of our amazing teachers within Tara Mandala for this initial training work.
* Overview of Plans for 2022
- Trainings: We will continue in earnest our EDI trainings in 2022, specifically focused on 3 main groups of Tara Mandala representatives: our Teachers, Staff and Board Members. We will implement these trainings and tools in order to increase our own awareness around equity and diversity while developing our capacity and compassion toward marginalized groups in order to bring more inclusivity among our community at large. The communication at these levels of the organization are imperative and integral to Tara Mandala’s overall approach to EDI, as often the first interaction with a new sangha member is with a teacher or staff member.
- Launching the LGBTQIA+ Sangha will begin in earnest in early 2022.
- SAWS 2: Planning for the next installment of the Severing Attachment to White Supremacy Sangha (SAWS) is underway, and we aim to resume these meetings in late summer/early fall.
- The BBIPOC meditation group is an ongoing resource and sangha for people of color who meet monthly under the direction of Teacher, Lopön Karla Jackson-Brewer. To learn more about this sangha and to join their monthly meetings, use this contact page for more information.
We welcome your ideas and input regarding EDI issues in the Dharma and at Tara Mandala. Thank you for your practice and support of our efforts. Wishing everyone an amazing new year in 2022; may your practice and commitments remain firm and your heart of compassion radiant.
With Deep Appreciation,
Tara Mandala
Photos: Header (Clinton Spence), 01, 03 (Deborah Howe), 02 (Clinton Spence)
