Nottingham Buddhist Centre statement on the Black Lives Matter movement

“All I'm saying is simply this, that all life is interrelated, that somehow we're caught in an inescapable network of mutuality tied in a single garment of destiny. Whatever affects one directly affects all indirectly.

For some strange reason, I can never be what I ought to be until you are what you ought to be. You can never be what you ought to be until I am what I ought to be. This is the interrelated structure of reality.” 

Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. 

Along with so many others at this time, the Council of the Nottingham Buddhist Centre feels compelled to speak out against the atrocious killing of George Floyd, whose death, which has arisen out of systemic racism, is tragically only one in a recent list. We feel the need to also recognise that structural racism is not limited to the US. It occurs in the UK, it occurs in Nottingham. 

We aim to learn much more about the obvious and subtle manifestations of racism. We also commit to learning how we can have the courage to both identify and speak out against injustices, do more to encourage a diverse Sangha and connect and empathise with black communities at home and abroad. We are open to feedback about how we can do this. We also recognise our individual responsibility to do this work — as Buddhists and as human beings.

The Nottingham Buddhist Centre Council have added our name to a statement in response to the death of George Floyd by Faith Leaders and Faith Representatives of Nottingham (8th June 2020) You can find more details of that here 

Written by Kusaladevi and Rachel Woodburn on behalf of the Nottingham Buddhist Centre Council, June 2020

Photo by Andrew "Donovan" Valdivia on Unsplash