The primary criteria for the Fellowship is twofold: (1) applicants must identify as descended from African peoples; and (2)  applicants must currently be recognized as a teacher or leader in a Dharma community. It is our aim to ensure diverse representation across Buddhist lineages, age, gender identity, geographic location and teaching experience.

Teachers and leaders applying for the Fellowship will complete a written application as well as engage in a virtual conference with the selection panel, made up of the Black Dharma Teachers of the DR2 Advisory Board: DaRa Williams, Marisela Gomez, Myokei Caine-Barrett Shonin, and Stacy McClendon (learn more about them here). The selection panel will also engage with references provided by the applicant.

Fellowship timeline:

• April 10-30 — applications accepted
• May — applications reviewed
• June — conferences conducted and references contacted
• July — Fellow cohort selected
• August — Fellows announced

In order to create a shared experience among the cohort, Fellows commit to attend: 1) at least two of the three Fellowship circles offered during the Fellowship year (held on October 7, 2023, January 27, 2024, August 17, 2024), each a daylong virtual gathering (dates to be announced at a prior information session); and 2) a residential ‘Deep Time Liberation’ retreat.

Fellows also commit to engaging in feedback exercises throughout the program to highlight the impact and efficacy for Teachers/Leaders and inform future related projects.

The goal of the Fellowship Program is to foster the development of the liberative mission of Black Dharma teachers: addressing the impact of intergenerational, historical, and continuing present-day trauma on African-descended people by offering healing and support through a Buddhist lens for African-descendant communities in the U.S. The Fellowship Program supports this goal through the provision of material and community support, so Fellows may to continue to develop their mission, and, in parallel, through access to resources so Fellows may more deeply understand and heal their own racialized trauma. Fellows may then be supported to continue to pass on their healing wisdom to their communities.

Monthly dāna of $1,000.00 USD is provided to each Fellow via direct deposit for one year, beginning in October of 2023.

In response to a flood of horrific racial attacks, Dharma Relief brought together a wide spectrum of Buddhist teachers, centers, and temples in the United States to collectively heal the impact of racialized trauma against Black African-descended people. This new initiative was thus named Dharma Relief 2.

Please contact the Program Director of DR2, Stacy McClendon, at admin@dharmarelief.org.