TagHOPE Champion

by Brian HammerLa Quinta, Calif.  Two years ago, I struggled with a lot of stress. I was going through a divorce, and the pandemic made many things feel uncertain. During one session, my therapist mentioned that, despite the challenges, my mindset was very Buddhist. Intrigued, I ended up talking to my mother, who has a

by Rajani Falcone Cambridge, Mass.  For many years, I suffered from anxiety and depression. I was locked into a narrow view of myself and had lost sight of my potential and what I could accomplish. Even though I wanted to be a positive person and had many dreams, I was in such a dark place mentally

The power of relentless Buddhist practice amid difficulties.

by Daniela RyanPalm Desert, Calif.   In June 2021, between the stress of the pandemic, the end of a bad relationship and what seemed like the start of another, I was feeling emotionally dysregulated.  Why couldn’t I get a handle on myself? This was my exasperated contribution to one memorable phone call with a friend

by Courtney Pogue Little Rock, Ark. My cousin, who has been practicing Buddhism for 14 years, introduced me to Nam-myoho-renge-kyo in 2019. Since the birth of my first son, Negus, I began experiencing health issues making it difficult for me to walk, so I started chanting with the desire to find a different way to

by Mike Daniels Denver About 30 years ago, when I was a college student, someone gave me a Nam-myoho-renge-kyo card and told me briefly about the SGI. I didn’t think much of it, but it always stuck with me; the words were memorable. Years later, I learned more after reading that Wayne Shorter, a musician

by Marisa Marcenaro Gaylord, Mich. When I was a little girl, I heard Nam-myoho-renge-kyo for the first time while my mom was watching a movie about Tina Turner. Over the years, that phrase stuck with me. Somehow, I knew that it was important. At the end of 2019, while taking a group picture, rather than

by Jay Brancato New York Since I was a child, I have grappled with my mental health, which resulted from physical and emotional abuse. I also struggled to follow my dream of singing on the Broadway stage and felt forced to abandon it. I coped by abusing alcohol and placing myself in harmful environments, and

by Mark Allison Athens, Tenn. When I first encountered Nichiren Buddhism around February 2020, I had resigned from my job due to health issues, and my marriage was falling apart. I felt like I wasn’t a good husband or friend, and I didn’t like who I had become. It was hard to look at myself

by Kara Durham Salt Lake City, Utah Over 10 years ago, I was introduced to Nam-myoho-renge-kyo, but because my life was shaken by a health condition, I forgot about Buddhism. Then, in 2018, I lost four people who were very important to me. The depression that followed felt insurmountable. I started therapy but couldn’t muster

by Dina Emberlin Carlisle, Iowa After both my 28-year-old stepson and mother passed away in a span of two years, I had trouble getting out of bed and could barely function. This led me on a spiritual journey two years ago. For some reason, the words Nam-myoho-renge-kyo stuck with me ever since I had watched

by Angela Baden Silver Spring, MD. As a longtime SGI member, I have been chanting a lot of daimoku about how I can reach young people. This year, with the HOPE Campaign’s emphasis on planting seeds, I have been reaching out to so many capable young people in my neighborhood. I love it when some

by Daniel Asato Gonzalez Lafayette, LA. I’m a film student in my last semester of college, and I’ll be the first in my family to graduate with a bachelor’s degree. One of the things I’ve been challenging the most in our HOPE Campaign is study. Since I’m a student, the thought of doing more study

by Andy Utsumi Arlington, Texas I’m an assistant principal of an elementary school, where we currently have about a third learning virtually (due to the COVID-19 pandemic). Many of them are having a hard time with online learning, so I have been encouraging our virtual students by phone and having cafeteria lunches on Zoom together.

by Swati Basu San Francisco When I lost my job in June 2020, I was forced to think outside the box amid the COVID-19 situation. I always had the dream of opening my own small business that would allow me to apply my skills and creativity. In the pandemic, I had rekindled my passion for