A Story Shared by:
Kym Y.

Promoting the Culture of Change and Empowering Youth In the Community and SGI

Music, community, youth empowerment and coalition building. That was the atmosphere that pervaded during the 1st Annual International Hip Hop Conference held at Augsburg College in Minneapolis MN this past weekend. With over 250 attendees from 8 countries and 14 states the goal of sharing wisdom, culture, commonality and purpose was brilliantly put forward in a way that combined activism with art, music culture and education to get across the message of unity in action and community.

It was a gathering of many different faiths, peoples and backgrounds all coming together to put a different face on the systemic problems and causes of racism and discord in and among peoples of color, native and LGBTQ populations. As an active SGI member and a VOV ambassador I was doubly blessed and honored to be a volunteer alongside fellow SGI member Lynn Harper of St Paul, MN as we both took part in this historic event. Lynn and I shared our experiences and goals in life as we each avowed just how well our practice and faith prepared us for our roles as Save the Kids volunteers. Our love of working with and for the happiness of others and giving our best to both practice and study was wonderful encouragement. Our commitment to change and the cause of Kosen-rufu and the new goals and possibilities we identified was evident in the new friends and connections we made and the stories of survival and strength we heard from other participants. The compassion and courage that I saw in the faces of the attendees and volunteers at the conference reminded me of a passage from President Ikeda’s message in the February 13 Issue of the World Tribune; Broadening Our Network of Hope and Trust in which sensei said, “Our dynamic advancement in this “New Era of Worldwide Kosen-rufu” depends entirely on each of us changing ourselves for the better. And though we speak of world peace, this starts with our own actions in our local communities.”(WT, pg. 4)

I was rejuvenated with a renewed spirit of hope and trust that my efforts to combat racism and promote unity in my own community was the right path that I had chosen for my life after my illness had sparked a drastic change in my life condition. I have always strived to serve others to the best of my ability, sometimes pushing myself to the point of distraction and illness. But those few days spent with willing volunteers and community members committed to change and supported by the strength and wisdom of President Ikeda and the SGI bolstered my faith, renewed my strength and showed me that indeed I have placed my feet upon the right path for advancing Kosen-rufu.

Kym Young- SGI Duluth MN District