Diversity & Accessibility Working Group

May 9, 2004 - meeting one, minutes

The following documents were emailed to Members of the Diversity and Accessibility Working Group before the meeting:

• Meeting Agenda
• Shambhala Community Plan
• Outreach and Diversity Group Report
• Notes on Diversity and Accessibility
• Email from Hamish Maclaren, Re: accessibility

 Present:  Cortez Rainey, Chair; Babo Harrison, Recorder; Dan Hessey; Sarah LittleFeather; Lodro Rinzler; Linda Watson; Maria Vargas; Shawn Wheeler; and Martine Remondin.

 Absent:  Hamish Maclaren, Kai Yee, and Veronica Guzman.

Business

Members of the Working Group introduced themselves and talked briefly about their background and particular interest in diversity and accessibility.  

The introductions revealed that the Working Group is diverse with regard to race, physical disability, age, sex, sexual orientation, geography, income, primary language, and years of involvement with the community—and Members have a genuine interest in this topic.

Cortez stated that the purpose of the Working Group is to develop recommendations concerning diversity and accessibility for submission to the Mandala Governing Council and explained the role that the Review Group and larger community would play in this process.  

Cortez asked the Members to address these issues:

• The view of diversity and accessibility
• The most pressing needs of the community
• Things the working group can start doing

The View of Diversity and Accessibility

Dan Hessey led a lengthy discussion of the Shambhala Buddhist view of diversity and accessibility.  The discussion was based on the treatise, Notes on Diversity and Accessibility, a working document that Cortez asked Dan to prepare for the meeting.  Observations made during the presentation: 

• The fundamental project of the Vidyadhara can be thought of in terms of diversity and accessibility.

• Diversity and accessibility are affected by economics; we need to examine how people with less money are tied to and affected by how people with more money view the dharma.

• We shouldn’t create a credential out of our differences but we shouldn’t minimize them either.

• We need to decide what to include and/or what to exclude.  Certain boundaries are useful and it’s important to understand what they are.

After discussing the View, Working Group members offered these thoughts/suggestions:

• Diversity and accessibility is an extension of the central mission of Shambhala and is not something that is being added on it.
• Our view on diversity and accessibility and what the issues are is influenced by our specific Center and our experience there.
• Socioeconomic disparity is an important consideration in discussions on diversity and accessibility.
• We are unconsciously cutting people out by the way we use language.  It is not be enough for us to say that we are open to all people; perhaps we should specifically name the groups and backgrounds as well.
• Each Center’s literature and website should state whether its facilities are accessible.
• Personal testimony from people who have encountered difficulties in the area of diversity and accessibility will make the issue more real to others.

The Working Group decided that each member would submit written comments concerning Notes on Diversity and Accessibility directly to Dan so that he can include the comments in a revised document that the Working Group can use and share with the community. 

It was also decided that first-hand accounts of people who have encountered difficulty in the area of diversity and accessibility and accounts of what is going well should be collected and added to Notes on Diversity and Accessibility.

Members of the Working Group agreed that by taking the above steps, they will gain a clearer view of what needs to be done, have justification for why it needs to be done and will be in a better position to get the resources/support that will be needed to make its recommendations happen.

Most Pressing Needs of the Community

The Working Group identified several pressing needs of the community:

• A grassroots approach that works from the bottom up, but also a top-down approach where we look at our governing boards to see how diverse they are racially, economically, etc., and what affect that has on the sangha.

• Economic diversity.

• Physical containers that are accessible to people with disabilities.

• More texts, practice materials and programs accessible to non-English speakers.

• Creative low-cost solutions to some accessibility problems (for example, speaker phones that could make teachings available to people otherwise unable to attend).

• Placement of short-term solutions, suggestions, educational information and feedback concerning diversity and accessibility on the Shambhala website.

Things the Working Group Can Start Doing

The Working Group identified specific things it can do to further clarify the needs of the community and lay ground for meetings the community’s needs.

• Provide feedback and personal stories to Dan so that he can continue to make revisions to Notes on Diversity and Accessibility.

• Create a clear vision statement on diversity and accessibility based on Notes on Diversity and Accessibility.

• Survey practitioners concerning diversity and accessibility to see what’s working and what needs improvement.

• Survey about 20 Shambhala Centers of varying size and geographical location (international) to see how diversity and accessibility manifests for them, how accessible they are, and what their economic obstacles are.

• Post information on the Shambhala International website that provides suggestions and short-term solutions to diversity and accessibility problems and offer a way for people to give feedback.

Members of the Working Group agreed that these initial steps would provide them with information that they will need in order to formulate recommendations. 

The Members of the Working Group decided to meet again before the end of May to discuss the specifics of how each step will be carried out (that is, what will be done, how it will be done, who will do it, when will it be completed, etc.).  Cortez said he would survey members to see when they could meet again and send out a meeting announcement.

There was no further business to discuss, the meeting of the Diversity and Accessibility Working Group adjourned at 9:00 p.m. ET.