Roundup!

Two things occur to me:

1. I haven’t been posting as much as I would like.
2. A number of things have happened recently that deserve mention here.

On the first point, I resolve to do better. Regarding the second, I think this calls for a roundup! So here’s a quick rundown of some things worth sharing at a blog devoted to Buddhism and social justice:

• To begin with, an update: I reached my fundraising goal for the US Campaign for Burma! I previously mentioned my fundraising campaign at this blog, and I announced its success not long ago at my personal website (where I also listed and thanked those who donated). Thanks to all of you who supported the campaign. Now I just have to do my dharma talk about Aung San Suu Kyi. Stay tuned for more on that front…
• I got interviewed by Tricycle: The Buddhist Review a little while ago. Among other things, their wonderful staffer Emma Varvaloucas and I talked about Buddhism and social justice issues. You can read the interview online here.
• Additionally, an updated version of  something I wrote fills the “Journeys” section of the Fall 2012 issue of Buddhadharma: The Practitioner’s Quarterly. Relevant to this blog, it’s about how studying the Pali language was a game-changer for me in terms of being motivated by my practice and study of Buddhism to work for social justice. You can read the article in the magazine itself or online at the magazine’s website, or just download it from my personal website.
• I’m currently doing another social media mini-course (at my Facebook fan-page this time) on the subject of “Human Rights and Film.” (Inspired by the Twitter mini-courses of our friend and past interviewee Stephen Prothero, I’ve previously done Twitter mini-courses on “Religion and Film” and “Buddhism and Film”.) We’re in the middle of 30 days of looking at each of the articles of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, and considering them in light of one recommended reading and one recommended film. I’m certainly having fun and learning a lot, and you’re cordially invited to join us.
• I just did a big post about my personal website about my family’s good friend Tony Kushner, who is the screenwriter of Steven Spielberg’s highly anticipated epic Lincoln. In the post I talk about how Tony has been an influence on me. I also call attention to the social action campaign inspired by Lincoln, which you can find at www.takepart.com/lincoln — keep your eye on that.

OK, I think that’s all there is to catch you up on. I’ll have more very soon about the following:

• My recent trip to San Francisco, where I was trained as a leader in the Climate Reality Leadership Corps by Former Vice President Al Gore. (Check out my new profile at their website here.)
• The trip I’m leaving for tomorrow: to Washington, D.C., to see none other than “the Lady” herself, Daw Aung San Suu Kyi, at an event sponsored by Amnesty International. (I’ll get to see our friend and past interviewee Joshua Eaton at the event too!)