Currently, the core team is Maitrisara, Saravantu, Suddhayu and Upayadhi.

We have welcomed numerous others along the way in the production of our programs.

We owe a special thanks to Singhashri who played a key role in the inception of this initiative in 2020, and to Danadasa who was a catalyst in co-creating the multi-racial Reading Circles of 2022.

We invite you to read more about our history, our impact, and our vision.

If you are interested in getting involved, please reach out via the contact form.

The Wisdom Circle is a group of experienced Order Members and mitras of color who have agreed to be spiritual friends to this project and more specifically to the team running the course. In the spirit of kalyana mitrata (spiritual friendship as understood in the Buddhist tradition), they offer both support and challenge.

The Wisdom Circle is currently composed of Amaragita, Eugene E., Maxo G., Sujiva, Todd J., and Vimalasara.

The team is in regular contact with the course creators and facilitators in order to:

• Be in dialogue about the impact of the course on individuals and groups: Is it moving the needle? Are we seeing results? Of what nature?

• Provide input about the types of evolving challenges people of color are experiencing in our Triratna sanghas, ensuring that the course content addresses such matters.

• Act as liaisons to BIPOC/BAME networks in Triratna, sparking collaboration for events, retreats, courses and other opportunities to “be in this together,” when it makes sense to do so.

Although the Wisdom Circle might encourage people to consider taking the “(white) Awareness is Revolutionary” course if appropriate to them, their being part of the Wisdom Circle does not imply a blanket endorsement of any of its content or methods. Rather, they have committed to being in a relationship of spiritual friendship to this project and the course facilitators.

Our Strategic Advisors are friends to the Awareness is Revolutionary initiative more broadly. In addition to their own personal interest in the topics we explore, many hold institutional responsibilities in our larger Triratna Buddhist community and have, as such, an interest in our programs being effective. Others are leaders in our community who have a particular depth of expertise in certain areas, such as gender, ableism, environmental justice, etc.

Strategic Advisors provide feedback and dialogue with us based on their vantage points and experience in the work of cultural and organizational change.

Current Strategic Advisors are Aryarakshita, Dhammarati, Parami and Ratnavuhya.

Although Strategic Advisors might encourage people to consider taking AIR courses if appropriate, this does not imply a blanket “endorsement” of all or any of our programs. Rather, they have committed to being in a relationship of spiritual friendship to this project. They do this staying in touch informally as needed.

Finally, we are in regular communication the Racial Diversity Steering Group set up by the ECA (European Chairs Assembly), which is composed of Suryagupta, Bodhilila, Jayadevi, Paramachitta, Maitrisara and Saravantu.

We abide by The Triratna Ethical Guidelines and Safeguarding Policies. We are immensely grateful to all the work and thoughtfulness put into these guidelines over the years, which only strengthens this project.

Furthermore, those of us who are white-bodied also pay particular attention to these guidelines: the code of ethics for White Anti-Racists developed by JLove Calderon and Tim Wise with others

Importantly, we are immensely grateful to the community of facilitators and the 120+ participants we have journeyed with on this path so far.

Our last Reading Circles engaged a large team of folks who rose to the occasion. All of them have contributed to this collective experience and its fruits. BIPOC / BAME affinity group facilitators included Alpheous L., Amanda C., Amaradipa, Aryavacin, Chandramalin, Danadasa, Guhyasakhi, Kadi K. and Rodashruti. Affinity group facilitators for white and white presenting people included: Akshayapradipa, Ananta, Aryajaya, Edward R., Maitrisara, Saraka, Saravantu, Shraddhasiddhi, Shraddhavani, Taraprabha and Upayadhi.

We also had the wonderful support of four Zoom DJs: Gina C., Prakashamitra, Silasiri and Upekshapriya.