About the BPF Chicago Chapter
Our chapter, of a network that has been active for over 40 years, brings together Buddhist practitioners working collectively for peace and justice. Coming from a variety of Buddhist traditions, we are a community of activist friends trying to engage more directly in social action and service for the benefit of all beings. We work with Chicagoland organizations and other BPF chapters, and we are participating in an ongoing series of activities. We meet monthly and have additional committees on selected topics.
We embrace diversity and invite anyone to join our meetings. For more information, please contact us at: [email protected]
Currently, due to health and scheduling concerns, some in-person activities and meetings have been suspended. But we are meeting on Zoom, most second Thursdays of each month, at 7:30 pm. Please email [email protected] if you wish to participate. Thank you.
Our practice of contemplation and social action is guided by our intention to:
• Recognize the interdependence of all beings
• Meet suffering directly and with compassion
• Appreciate the importance of not clinging to views and outcomes
• Work with Buddhists and people from all faith traditions
• Connect individual and social transformation
• Practice nonviolence
• Protect and extend all human rights
• Use participatory decision-making techniques
• Support gender and racial equality, and challenge all forms of unjust discrimination
• Work for economic justice and the end of poverty
• Work for a sustainable environment
• Oppose the militarization of our society
• Support anti-military recruitment and support of returning war veterans
• Oppose nuclear weapons and nuclear proliferation
• Oppose to the death penalty
• Support laborers facing inhumane working conditions and economic injustice
BPF Chicago chapter select activities:
• Hiroshima-Nagasaki memorial and anti-nuclear vigil, Evanston IL 2023, 2022
• Open discussion with Extinction Rebellion Chicago, Zen Buddhist Temple 202o
• Co-sponsored Zenshin Florence Caplow, two speaking events Nov 2019
• Hiroshima-Nagasaki and anti-nuclear memorials and vigils 2017, 2018, 2019
• Sponsored, co-sponsored speaker Hozan Alan Senauke (Clearview) 2009, 2013, 2018
• Despair to Healing to Activism workshop at DePaul Univ, with Ken Butigan 2018
• Rally/Protest with the Rohingya (persecuted Burmese minority), Chicago 2017
• Sponsored, co-sponsored speaker/writer David Loy in 2007, 2008, 2017
• Women's March on Chicago 2017, rally and march participants
• Co-sponsored novelist, filmmaker, Zen Buddhist priest Ruth Ozeki, 2016
• Numerous presentations/discussions co-sponsored with DePaul University's
Center for Religion, Culture and Community (CRCC)
• Sponsored speaker Peter Coyote in 2014
• Co-sponsored Joanna Macy workshop and talk in 2012
• Buddhist social ethics forums at local university campuses
• Participated in anti-NATO march for peace
• Anti-Drone killings participation with the Protest Chaplains
• Meditation vigils at ongoing Occupy Chicago gatherings
• Sponsored speaker Sarah Weintraub, former Director of BPF National
• Conducted Burma awareness public events and video showing
• Ongoing opposition to military recruitment at area high schools
• Co-sponsored "Averting Another Catastrophe: the Folly of an Attack on Iran" program
• Co-sponsored "Iran and the Peace Movement Forum" featuring Scott Ritter
• Pro-monk and pro-people of Burma and Tibet activities
• Anti-war and anti-death penalty meditation vigils
• Actions to encourage protection of Thai environmentalist monks from violence
• Supported the Coalition of Immokalee Workers to obtain humane working conditions
• Eyes Wide Open Demonstration (with American Friends Service Committee)
• One Big Table Food Bank Fundraiser
• Meditation vigils at executions in Michigan City, IN
• Support of the Dhamma Moli Project in Nepal to protect girls from the sex trade
We embrace diversity and invite anyone to join our meetings. For more information, please contact us at: [email protected]
Currently, due to health and scheduling concerns, some in-person activities and meetings have been suspended. But we are meeting on Zoom, most second Thursdays of each month, at 7:30 pm. Please email [email protected] if you wish to participate. Thank you.
Our practice of contemplation and social action is guided by our intention to:
• Recognize the interdependence of all beings
• Meet suffering directly and with compassion
• Appreciate the importance of not clinging to views and outcomes
• Work with Buddhists and people from all faith traditions
• Connect individual and social transformation
• Practice nonviolence
• Protect and extend all human rights
• Use participatory decision-making techniques
• Support gender and racial equality, and challenge all forms of unjust discrimination
• Work for economic justice and the end of poverty
• Work for a sustainable environment
• Oppose the militarization of our society
• Support anti-military recruitment and support of returning war veterans
• Oppose nuclear weapons and nuclear proliferation
• Oppose to the death penalty
• Support laborers facing inhumane working conditions and economic injustice
BPF Chicago chapter select activities:
• Hiroshima-Nagasaki memorial and anti-nuclear vigil, Evanston IL 2023, 2022
• Open discussion with Extinction Rebellion Chicago, Zen Buddhist Temple 202o
• Co-sponsored Zenshin Florence Caplow, two speaking events Nov 2019
• Hiroshima-Nagasaki and anti-nuclear memorials and vigils 2017, 2018, 2019
• Sponsored, co-sponsored speaker Hozan Alan Senauke (Clearview) 2009, 2013, 2018
• Despair to Healing to Activism workshop at DePaul Univ, with Ken Butigan 2018
• Rally/Protest with the Rohingya (persecuted Burmese minority), Chicago 2017
• Sponsored, co-sponsored speaker/writer David Loy in 2007, 2008, 2017
• Women's March on Chicago 2017, rally and march participants
• Co-sponsored novelist, filmmaker, Zen Buddhist priest Ruth Ozeki, 2016
• Numerous presentations/discussions co-sponsored with DePaul University's
Center for Religion, Culture and Community (CRCC)
• Sponsored speaker Peter Coyote in 2014
• Co-sponsored Joanna Macy workshop and talk in 2012
• Buddhist social ethics forums at local university campuses
• Participated in anti-NATO march for peace
• Anti-Drone killings participation with the Protest Chaplains
• Meditation vigils at ongoing Occupy Chicago gatherings
• Sponsored speaker Sarah Weintraub, former Director of BPF National
• Conducted Burma awareness public events and video showing
• Ongoing opposition to military recruitment at area high schools
• Co-sponsored "Averting Another Catastrophe: the Folly of an Attack on Iran" program
• Co-sponsored "Iran and the Peace Movement Forum" featuring Scott Ritter
• Pro-monk and pro-people of Burma and Tibet activities
• Anti-war and anti-death penalty meditation vigils
• Actions to encourage protection of Thai environmentalist monks from violence
• Supported the Coalition of Immokalee Workers to obtain humane working conditions
• Eyes Wide Open Demonstration (with American Friends Service Committee)
• One Big Table Food Bank Fundraiser
• Meditation vigils at executions in Michigan City, IN
• Support of the Dhamma Moli Project in Nepal to protect girls from the sex trade
