Black Buddhists and the Black Radical Tradition: The Practice of Stillness in the Movement for Liberation
IMS Book Club
Tuesday, October 25
7:00 pm - 8:15 pm ET
This program is now closed to new registrations.
Open to all.
Black Buddhist teachers and practitioners interpret western Buddhism in unique spiritual and communal ways. Rima Vesely-Flad makes the case that given their experiences with racism―both in the larger society and also within largely white-oriented Buddhist organizations―Black cultural frameworks are necessary for illuminating the Buddha’s wisdom.
Black Buddhists and the Black Radical Tradition shows that Buddhist teachings as practiced by Black Americans emphasize different aspects of the religion than do those in white convert Buddhist communities, focusing more on devotional practices to ancestors and community uplift. Drawing on interviews with forty Black Buddhist teachers and practitioners, Rima Vesely-Flad argues that Buddhist teachings, through their focus on healing intergenerational trauma, provide a vitally important foundation for achieving Black liberation.
This program will be recorded and made available for on-demand viewing after the live session. On-demand videos will be available for 90-days following the live event.
Meet the Author
Rima Vesely-Flad
Dr. Rima Vesely-Flad is Visiting Professor of Buddhism and Black Studies at Union Theological Seminary. She is the author of "Black Buddhists and the Black Radical Tradition: The Practice of Stillness in the Movement for Liberation" (NYU Press, 2022) and "Racial Purity and Dangerous Bodies: Moral Pollution, Black Lives, and the Struggle for Justice" (Fortress Press, 2017). She is currently at work on a new manuscript, "The Fire Inside: James Baldwin, Audre Lorde, and the Dharma" (Forthcoming, Harper Wave, 2024). She leads retreats and classes for dharma centers throughout the U.S.