Trudy Goodman (insightla.org); edited by Amber Larson, Dhr. Seven, Wisdom Quarterly
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As the devastation surrounding the tragic police-murders of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, Ahmaud Arbery, and Tony McDade by criminals in uniform reverberates around the world and in our hearts, InsightLA wants to reiterate its commitment to racial justice.
This is an invitation to the white members of its community by the white members of InsightLA's leadership to strengthen its solidarity with black people in our community and beyond.
The murder of just one person should be enough to cause all of our hearts to crumble, yet we know that institutionalized violence against black people sanctioned by white supremacists in power has been part of a 400-year-long enduring history in our country.
What does "white supremacy" mean? As white people with compassionate hearts, we recoil from these words and images of American Nazis, like those brought in by our government's Project Paperclip.
These words evoke images of neo-Nazi’s and domestic terrorists in uniform. But white supremacy also means the subtle or overt belief -- the implicit bias, white privilege, pleasant oblivion -- that white people are somehow better.
The term refers to an entire economic and political system that has been built and maintained by whites for whites on the belief or aspiration that whites are superior. It is designed to benefit white people and to oppress Native American, brown, yellow, interracial, and black people. We are steeped in it. There is no escaping this truth.
It is up to each of us to learn about ways we as whites benefit from and uphold these systems, consciously and without even realizing it. It’s up to each one of us to learn about, awaken to, and heal the internalized-racism we picked up from our cultural surroundings.
As a community of Buddhist practitioners, it is up to all of us to turn toward the pain of these truths together and allow our hearts to continue breaking open, to rightfully grieve, and to take wise action that moves us towards a truly beloved community.
Retrofitting a predominantly financially-privileged white organization to be a welcoming space for people of ALL races, ethnicities, gender identifications, abilities, and ages is messy work.
InsightLA is actively doing this work so we can honestly walk our talk of diversity, equity, and inclusion.
InsightLA invites you, our community, to join us; let’s work together! To support our continued education, there is an anti-racism resource page on the website that all are invited to explore and support.
We are in the process of expanding our affinity programming for people of color and white people so that all of us can heal and grow in safe, encouraging spaces with folks from a shared experience.
We aspire to create a truly inclusive multicultural space at InsightLA where everyone can experience true belonging and community, and to taking the steps necessary to get there.
Please stay in the conversation with the center! Let’s continue to lift our voices and use our power and privilege to create change in the world we love.
Let’s stand as a community with black people against state-sanctioned violence and for racial justice. Let’s help each other wake up and free our hearts so we can walk together lovingly in this life.
In solidarity,
.This is an invitation to the white members of its community by the white members of InsightLA's leadership to strengthen its solidarity with black people in our community and beyond.
The murder of just one person should be enough to cause all of our hearts to crumble, yet we know that institutionalized violence against black people sanctioned by white supremacists in power has been part of a 400-year-long enduring history in our country.
What does "white supremacy" mean? As white people with compassionate hearts, we recoil from these words and images of American Nazis, like those brought in by our government's Project Paperclip.
These words evoke images of neo-Nazi’s and domestic terrorists in uniform. But white supremacy also means the subtle or overt belief -- the implicit bias, white privilege, pleasant oblivion -- that white people are somehow better.
The term refers to an entire economic and political system that has been built and maintained by whites for whites on the belief or aspiration that whites are superior. It is designed to benefit white people and to oppress Native American, brown, yellow, interracial, and black people. We are steeped in it. There is no escaping this truth.
It is up to each of us to learn about ways we as whites benefit from and uphold these systems, consciously and without even realizing it. It’s up to each one of us to learn about, awaken to, and heal the internalized-racism we picked up from our cultural surroundings.
As a community of Buddhist practitioners, it is up to all of us to turn toward the pain of these truths together and allow our hearts to continue breaking open, to rightfully grieve, and to take wise action that moves us towards a truly beloved community.
Retrofitting a predominantly financially-privileged white organization to be a welcoming space for people of ALL races, ethnicities, gender identifications, abilities, and ages is messy work.
InsightLA is actively doing this work so we can honestly walk our talk of diversity, equity, and inclusion.
InsightLA invites you, our community, to join us; let’s work together! To support our continued education, there is an anti-racism resource page on the website that all are invited to explore and support.
We are in the process of expanding our affinity programming for people of color and white people so that all of us can heal and grow in safe, encouraging spaces with folks from a shared experience.We aspire to create a truly inclusive multicultural space at InsightLA where everyone can experience true belonging and community, and to taking the steps necessary to get there.
Please stay in the conversation with the center! Let’s continue to lift our voices and use our power and privilege to create change in the world we love.
Let’s stand as a community with black people against state-sanctioned violence and for racial justice. Let’s help each other wake up and free our hearts so we can walk together lovingly in this life.
In solidarity,
- Trudy Goodman, founding teacher
- Mark Koberg, executive director
- Martin Vitorino, deputy executive director
- Bill Resnick, board chair
- Lisa Kring, co-chair DEI Committee
In honor of InsightLA Founder Trudy Goodman’s 75th birthday, leaders in mindfulness and meditation are coming together to offer heartful wisdom to inspire and encourage compassionate action. More
InsightLA's long-planned honoring of Trudy Goodman and InsightLA is now joined with an urgent call. Our practices, our sense of justice, compassion, and caring presence are being challenged by shared suffering and the need for wise and courageous response.
For the day of her 75th birthday, June 9th, Trudy Goodman, our founding teacher invited her old friends to celebrate with us as a benefit for InsightLA.
Now, in these times, we are fortunate to have some of the world’s most admired teachers and authors, Anam Thubten, George Mumford, Sharon Salzberg, Joseph Goldstein, Jack Kornfield, Jon Kabat-Zinn, Chris Germer, Tara Brach, and more to share their wisdom with us.
Together we will honor the creation of InsightLA as a place of refuge and action. Guest teachers will reflect, offer teachings, understanding, and support as we stand together against the scourge of racism and the need for profound change.
Let’s sit together so we can stand together!
- A 75th Birthday Evening of Honoring and Reflection:
- Finding Refuge Amidst the Flames
- Tuesday, June 9
- 5:30 PM - 7:30 PM PT
- Register Now
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