by Mark Campos
Honolulu
When I was 15 years old in 1980, my life was heading in a dangerous direction. Although I had been introduced to Buddhism as a child through my parents, by my teenage years I had become involved in a gang and was struggling to find any real sense of direction. One day, my mother insisted that I attend a meeting at the Hawaii Culture Center. I didn’t want to go, but I went anyway—and that gathering changed my life.
At that meeting, I encountered my mentor, Ikeda Sensei, for the second time, having first met him at a convention in Hawaii in 1975. While that first encounter left an impression, it was this second meeting that truly moved my heart. It wasn’t necessarily something he said—it was his presence and the warmth of the members that awakened something deep within me. For the first time, I felt a profound sense of hope and purpose.
I went straight to the gang house after that meeting and told them I was done—and was able to walk away without retaliation. Looking back, I believe that was the power of my mother’s daimoku and the protection of the Gohonzon.
Through the years, I’ve continued to experience inner transformation from someone filled with anger and ego to someone who strives to bring joy to others. Today, whether through music, encouragement or simply greeting people warmly, I do my best to create spaces where others feel uplifted and at ease. That personal transformation is what drives everything I’m doing now, especially in supporting young people.
This year, I was appointed the men’s leader of the newly formed West Oahu Chapter. Born and raised in Hawaii—what Sensei called the “rainbow islands”—I’ve always felt that our diversity is a powerful model for peace. Here, people of many cultures naturally coexist, and that spirit shapes how we share Buddhism. From the start, our leadership team made a clear determination to build a chapter rooted in friendship.
We began by visiting all seven districts, meeting members face to face, introducing ourselves and personally inviting them to our kickoff meeting. Members responded with excitement, eager to gather as one united chapter. Then, on the day of the meeting, we faced an unexpected challenge—the facility had no power. No lights, no air conditioning, nothing. But we refused to be defeated. Members brought generators, fans and lighting, and together we made it work. The meeting became a powerful victory filled with laughter, music, hula and food. Ninety people attended, including 16 guests, and the joy was so strong that many didn’t want to leave.
At the heart of our efforts is the “One Youth. Infinite Hope.” movement, but for me, this isn’t about numbers—it’s about creating a culture where young people feel welcomed. One of the biggest shifts we’ve made is moving away from rigid meeting formats and focusing instead on connection.
We’re creating friendship gatherings—spaces where people can laugh, relax and be themselves. Recently, we held a lei-making gathering at my home where we shared food, talked story[1] and simply enjoyed being together. Several guests came, including youth, and one is already preparing to receive the Gohonzon.
Through these efforts, I’ve learned that the key is listening. When we connect heart-to-heart and truly hear a young person’s struggles and dreams, trust naturally develops. We’ve also created a growing list of individuals we are chanting for and reaching out to. What started as just a few names has expanded quickly, reflecting the momentum building in our community.
In West Oahu, we face real challenges—crime, violence and homelessness are part of daily life for many. Because of this, we feel an even stronger determination to bring hope and happiness to every person we meet. I carry deeply in my heart Sensei’s vision that Hawaii can become a model of peace for the world, showing how people of different backgrounds can live together in harmony.
For us, that means becoming a chapter defined by joy. I truly believe that if we become the happiest chapter—where members are united, where friendships are strong and where youth feel welcomed—the young people will naturally appear. With the spirit of aloha, we are opening our hearts to everyone in our community and taking action for their happiness. This is our vow: to raise youth, to build friendships rooted in respect and to create a model of peace that shines from Hawaii to the world—one youth at a time.
April 3, 2026 World Tribune, p. 8
References
- Generally speaking, means to chat and connect through sharing stories; originates in the Native Hawaiian tradition of passing down history and culture through oral communication. ↩︎
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