Clouds in Water

BRIDGE Action Group for Social Justice and Community Care

This is a group of social activism for engaged Buddhism in our sangha and wider community in Rondo and the Twin Cities!

Our purpose is to walk the Bodhisattva path through socially engaged Buddhism that acknowledges our interdependence and awakens the heart of great compassion in our city through mutual aid.

We hope to bridge the gaps in our community as well as act as a bridge between different groups working in the social justice space in our sangha so that we might collaborate effectively with one another.

“Action Group” is just what it means: we’re rolling up our sleeves. How might we work to support issues our community cares about? Where can we show lovingkindness as a community for our community?

Below are some of the activities we might engage in, but this will shift as the needs of our community and the ideas of the members of our group take form.

What We’re Doing

Clouds Community Pantry: In an effort to ensure that anyone who walks through our door has increased food security, we have set up a pantry of non-perishable food items and hygiene products. Give what you can, take what you need!

Cleaning Up The Neighborhood: Before each of twice-monthly meetings, Bridge members clean up trash in our neighborhood. Litter is a big issue here, and we want to make sure our community members feel that they live in a clean space where they can flourish. We are working to identify primary sources for litter in our community and will be working with landlords and the city to ensure that dumpsters aren’t overflowing.

Talking Circles for Election Year Dialogue and Support: This is a time of deep uncertainty and fear in our country. These circles, which will happen monthly beginning in May through the inauguration, are intended to be a safe container for folks to explore how they are responding to this election season, their vote, and their place in the nation through a Buddhist lens. We’ll also be hosting folks on Election Night to meditate for peace. Please check out this page for more info.

Planning Peaceful Presence at Non-Partisan Protests / Community Events in collaboration with local organizations for a ceasefire in Gaza: Clouds is a religious non-profit and so we do not engage in partisan politics. However, we can be present at general events and support causes of peace, equity, and social justice. Attendees who have robes or rakusus are encouraged to wear them to represent our Buddhist presence. Details to come!

Continue and deepen our work with interfaith organizations and other Buddhist sangas: Clouds has already participated in fruitful interfaith dialogues and events and we want to continue this work of social care and collaboration. We are currently in conversation with different organizations, including Isaiah, Interfaith Action, and inter-sangha justice efforts.

Identify a quarterly focus for our group, create an action plan, and execute it: We are looking at how we might support our Rondo community and our Clouds sangha through mutual aid efforts from advocacy to programming and more. Each quarter, we focus on a macro (Twin Cities), Mezzo (our neighborhood), and micro (our sangha) action we can take.

Receiving Naloxone training should we have need of it at the center. With the opioid epidemic raging and not infrequent encounters with folks in need in our community, we want to make sure Clouds is prepared to save lives with this treatment. Our Bridge Group attended a training on April 23rd, 2024 to to learn how to administer the medication safely, and we got some Naloxone kits for the center for free.

Shantideva Prayer

May I become at all times, both now and forever

A protector of those without protection
A guide for those who have lost their way
A ship for those with oceans to cross
A bridge for those with rivers to cross

A sanctuary for those in danger
A lamp for those without light
A place of refuge for those who lack shelter
And a servant to all in need

For as long as space endures,
And for as long as living beings remain,
Until then may I, too, abide
To dispel the misery of the world.

Shantideva was an 8th century Indian Buddhist monk. There are many forms of this prayer, attributed to him.