Dr. Rima is a member of our Racial Justice Praxis Project. She is also a visiting professor of Buddhism and Black Studies at Union Theological Seminary. Dr. Rima leads retreats, teaches classes, and writes books, including Racial Purity and Dangerous Bodies: Moral Pollution, Black Lives, and the Struggle for Justice. This is all done in the pursuit of practicing a life centered on the peaceful, loving, and transformative pursuit of racial justice.

 In this episode, Dr. Rima weaves together two key areas of her life and experience. She provides observations on the path to Buddhism, how that religion has supported activists, and what Buddhism means in the context of Black Radical Tradition. Along with theories and concepts, Dr. Rima shares specific practices, including Metta or “Compassion Practice,” and emphasizes the importance of identifying the stages and cycles of spiritual practice, love, and racial justice in the context of daily life.


Sacred Dialogues on Racial Justice is a podcast project by the Fetzer Institute. The series sparks conversations surrounding racial justice and sacred love and seeks to discover the common threads of faith, spirituality, and the pursuit of shared flourishing. It does this by bringing together spiritual leaders to share their wisdom, experiences, and stories at the intersection of love, racial justice, and spiritual transformation. Upcoming episodes include interviews with two more members of our Racial Justice Praxis Project team: Dr. Rima Vesely-Flad, Ph.D., and Rev. Khary Bridgewater. Together, we build a spiritual foundation for a loving world. Listen now on your favorite podcast platform or watch the conversation on our YouTube channel, @FetzerOrg.

Laura is the director of programs at the Jesuit School of Theology (Berkley). She is also the editor-in-chief of the Journal of Dharma Studies, which focuses on the application of Hindu, Jain, and Buddhist traditions. Along with her academic and professional qualifications, Laura draws on her diverse background of Native Hawaiian, Chinese, and Jewish cultures to share early life experiences and how her familial and cultural ties have shaped her spiritual worldview.

From defining key concepts, like Tantra and Aloha Aina, to considering important influences in life and finding the Sacred in the Mundane, Laura uses her scholarly and personal knowledge to shed light on the goal of Tantric tradition and its role as a reflection of sacred unity in diversity.

Munpreet is a media and communications professional and a qualified drama and movement therapist. She is also a practicing Sikh and part of a large family that hails from both India and Kenya. This, along with her interests in the arts, religion, philosophy, and psychology, allows Munpreet to bring a rich and deep perspective to intergenerational spirituality.

From the role of music in the Sikh faith to grief serving as a catalyst for the Divine, Munpreet’s informed and experienced opinions, stories, and life lessons provide a powerful window into how the Sacred and one’s spiritual heritage influence everyday life.