African Spirit: Bearing Witness from Slavery to Freedom

Please join us on Saturday May 13th at 10:30 am for a talk about the “African Spirit” by Bonnie Sarmiento. The lecture is part of our “Buddhism in Society” discussion series. It will be followed by a potluck lunch.

At this event, we will bear witness to the journey from slavery to freedom of the African people. We will examine what factors made these atrocities possible, and what ways people found to survive and maintain their heritage.

The first part of the event will focus on the past, including slavery in Africa, the middle passage, and oppression in the Americas and the Caribbean. The presentation contains images which are graphic in nature, so we recommend not to bring children under 13.

During the second half, we will focus on inspirational stories, including songs and poetry. We will reflect on what we can do to become better allies to all oppressed people, as well as conquer the oppression within ourselves.

“African American authors, musicians and spiritual teachers have been a source of inspiration for me for most of my life. Growing up multi-racial in the Bay Area, I did not have a strong cultural identity. Yet I struggled with many forms of oppression. The encouragement of my teachers of different races have helped me to conquer my own feelings of fear and isolation, and to become who I am today. It is not my intention to speak for anyone in the Black Community, past or present. I can only speak for myself the impact this history has had on me. The personal stories of others will be communicated as much as possible in their own words, as it is their story to tell.”

“Buddhism in Society” aims to explore and understand how to bring the principles of awareness, mindfulness and creative responses to difficult problems present in our communities.

Bonnie is a Software Quality Engineer and also a dance teacher. She serves on the Board at Kannon Do.