History of Inclusivity
Here is a timeline and general information about inclusivity at MZMC.
Leadership and Priest Training
MZMC was founded in 1974 with Dainin Katagiri as the founding teacher. This document is to provide information on MZMC’s history in terms of diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility. This list is surely incomplete as are our records and memories of the work.
Guiding teachers at MZMC since founding in 1974:
Twenty four people have been trained and received Dharma transmission (authorization as full Zen teachers) through MZMC:
Tomoe Katagiri, one of the founders of the practice of sewing Zen robes in the United States was the sewing teacher at MZMC from 1974 until retirement in 2011. She authorized Rosemary Taylor to continue this teaching, and Rosemary has been MZMC’s sewing teacher from 2011-current.
Abridged Timeline of DEIA work
MZMC has offered programs for children and families for many years. We have not been able to determine a beginning date. Developing and growing this program has been a priority for several years.
Here is a timeline and general information about inclusivity at MZMC.
Leadership and Priest Training
MZMC was founded in 1974 with Dainin Katagiri as the founding teacher. This document is to provide information on MZMC’s history in terms of diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility. This list is surely incomplete as are our records and memories of the work.
Guiding teachers at MZMC since founding in 1974:
- Dainin Katagiri
- Shohaku Okumura
- Karen Sunna
- Tim Burkett
- Ted O’Toole
Twenty four people have been trained and received Dharma transmission (authorization as full Zen teachers) through MZMC:
- Nine women, fourteen men
- Twenty one white folks, two people of color
- At least three LGBTQ people
Tomoe Katagiri, one of the founders of the practice of sewing Zen robes in the United States was the sewing teacher at MZMC from 1974 until retirement in 2011. She authorized Rosemary Taylor to continue this teaching, and Rosemary has been MZMC’s sewing teacher from 2011-current.
Abridged Timeline of DEIA work
MZMC has offered programs for children and families for many years. We have not been able to determine a beginning date. Developing and growing this program has been a priority for several years.
- 2002: MZMC, with Byakuren Judith Ragir’s leadership, begins hosting a weekly Buddhism and 12 step group. This group continues to this day, and MZMC now hosts a second weekly Recovery Dharma Network meeting.
- 2004: MZMC begins including chanting of the newly formed women’s ancestor names in addition to the traditional male lineage names during formal services.
- 2004: MZMC begins emphasizing caring for and being flexible in how we express our practice depending on our distinct bodies and mental health histories.
- 2005: MZMC begins offering “contemporary style” practice, without ritual forms from Japan, for some offerings, to make the community and practice more welcoming and to reduce barriers to entry and participation.
- 2009: MZMC begins offering classes centered on the teachings and lives of Buddhist Women Ancestors.
- 2010: MZMC members and priests begin regular trips to correctional facilities to provide support, Buddhist practice, and meditation for incarcerated people.
- 2013: MZMC begins ongoing support for Joyce Neighborhood Food Shelf.
- 2013: MZMC hosts MZMC member and transgender advocate Ellie Krug for a reading from her book “Getting to Ellen.”
- 2013-2018: MZMC partners with Habitat for Humanity and Second Harvest Heartland food shelf.
- 2015: MZMC priests and members begin regularly supporting and attending Black Lives Matter actions.
- 2015: MZMC begins giving women’s ancestors as well as male lineage papers for all initiates, ordainees, and people receiving Dharma transmission.
- 2016: MZMC’s Social Justice Dialogue and Response Group forms, as well various ad hoc reading, study and social action groups related to dismantling systems of oppression.
- 2017: MZMC begins increasing the number of talks by people of Asian descent from various Buddhist traditions including Kyoko Katayama, Ven. Thuan Bach, Rev. Todd Tsuchiya,Taiga Ito, Duncan Williams, and Chiemi Onikura Bly.
- 2018: MZMC offers three one-day racial justice trainings by Autumn Brown of Aorta Coop, including one for all members of the leadership group. Events attended by approximately 25% of membership.
- 2018-2021: MZMC hosts Dharma talks and/or retreats by visiting African American teachers Ayo Yetunde, Larry Ward, and Zenju Earthlyn Manuel.
- 2020: MZMC and Twin Cities Buddhist Association co-host talks with Japanese-American Soto priest Duncan Williams on his book American Sutra, about the internment of Japanese and suppression of Buddhism by the US government in WWII.
- 2019: MZMC forms Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Accessibility committee
- 2019 and 2021: MZMC offers Unpacking Whiteness class series for white folks to investigate the relationship between white identity and racism, and to develop skills for dismantling white supremacy. Attended by approximately 25% of membership.
- 2019: MZMC provides sponsorship and volunteer support for the 2019 conference led by indigenous women: Winyan Awanyankapi: Protecting the Lifegivers — Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women, Indigenous Peoples Sovereignty of Housing and Water
- 2019: MZMC Adopts this equity statement: We work to remove barriers based on race, ethnicity, gender identity, religion, economic class, sexual orientation, age, and ability. We thrive by celebrating both what we share and our differences.
- 2019: MZMC members and priests begin ongoing support for Indigenous women leading opposition to the Line 3 pipeline in Northern Minnesota.
- 2020: MZMC and Twin Cities Buddhist Association co-host talks with Japanese-American Soto priest Duncan Williams on his book American Sutra, about the internment of Japanese and suppression of Buddhism by the US government in WWII.
- 2020: MZMC becomes a founding member organization of Minnesota Multifaith Network.
- 2020: MZMC launches scholarship program to support people of color and members of other marginalized communities, and people for whom financial need would prevent participation.
- 2020 and 2021: MZMC members and priests cohosted Buddhist vigils supporting Interfaith Coalition on Immigration’s work to end child separation and deportation, several MZMC members and priests have been involved in ongoing work in the field of immigration reform.
- 2020: MZMC receives a grant from Hemera Foundation to offer leadership gatherings of teachers from diverse Buddhist traditions and host a conference for these leaders on ethics in leadership. First meeting includes folks of African, European, Japanese, Tibetan, and Vietnamese descent.
- 2020: MZMC begins regularly inviting people to share their pronouns when introducing themselves.
- 2021: MZMC and Twin Cities Buddhist Association, a predominantly Japanese-American community of Jodo Shinshu Buddhists, hold a joint service.
- 2021: MZMC increases accessibility by adding first floor bathrooms and wheelchair access to building as well as offering most practice offerings online.
- 2021: MZMC forms ongoing LGBTQ+ Dharma Group
- 2021: MZMC hosts Minnesota Intersangha Ethics in Leadership Summit with a diverse group of twenty eight Buddhist leaders representing eleven sanghas: Zen priests, Shin ministers, a Tibetan Rinpoche, Vipassana Teachers, Order of Interbeing members, and others. The two day conference focused on ethical use of power and preventing abuse by clergy.
- 2022: MZMC forms ongoing People of Color Dharma Group and Waking Up to Race groups for white folks to gather to work on dismantling racial harm.
- 2022: MZMC uses Larry Yang’s Awakening Together, the Spiritual Practice of Inclusivity and Community as the study text for Spring Practice Period.
- 2022: MZMC Hosts training attended by almost all volunteers and staff on Welcoming and Belonging, focused on creating a healthy multicultural community.
- 2022: MZMC Hosts a retreat with visiting teachers Larry Ward and Peggy Rowe Ward, an African-American and white couple, who are Dharma teachers in the Thich Nhat Hanh tradition.
- 2022 : MZMC Partners with Lowry Hill East Neighborhood organization to host restorative justice training at MZMC and provide meditation at community events in the neighborhood.
- 2022: MZMC changes to an all-donation model of funding activities with no fees charged for events to promote equity and access.
- 2022: MZMC hosts a month-long residential stay and Dharma teaching by Venerable Ding, a Chinese nun in the Tientai tradition.
- 2023: MZMC launches Racial Justice Action, which brings MZMC members to racial justice events led by People of Color including events by Twin Cities Justice for Jamar, the George Floyd Square community, and Healing Minnesota Stories (Dakota sites tour).
- 2023: MZMC receives a grant from The Frederick P. Lenz Foundation for American Buddhism's Women Leaders in Buddhism program (www.fredericklenzfoundation.org). This grant funds three week residential visits to MZMC by two women Buddhist monastics or leaders from Asia in 2024/25 as well as a gathering of Minnesota Buddhist women leaders with the residents.
- 2023: MZMC Continues to host visiting teachers from many different Buddhist traditions, racial backgrounds, and teaching traditions including. Pamela Ayo Yetunde, Ven. Thuan Bach, Sister Pearl Pham, Shohaku Okumura, a delegation from Japanese Soto School, Victoria Austin, Rev. Chimyo Atkinson, and our annual Joint service with Twin Cities Buddhist Association (Jodo Shinshu).
