Buddhism and Incarceration in America: A Conversation with Dr. Duncan Ryuken Williams

“How Do We Meet Each Other? Black-Asian Dialogue in Buddhist America”

This conversation series brings Black and Asian-American Buddhist scholars and practitioners together for honest dialogue about what it means to practice Buddhism in America today. These conversation partners aim to create bridges and ask nuanced questions — about ancestral practices and culture, about appropriation and erasure, and about what it means to evolve the Buddhist tradition to meet the current moment.

Each conversation is also a practice in itself: honoring the cultural roots each person brings, building real political solidarity, and growing a Buddhist community rooted in both care and accountability.

This series is generously funded by the Henry J. Luce Foundation.

Hosted by Dr. Rima Vesely-Flad, IBS Research Fellow
Dr. Rima Vesely-Flad is a Research Fellow at the Institute of Buddhist Studies and the Founding Director of the Initiative for Black Buddhist Studies. She is the author of three books and several academic articles on Buddhism and Black culture, as well as religious approaches to systemic violence.

October 21, 2026: Buddhism and Incarceration in America: A Conversation with Dr. Duncan Ryuken Williams

4pmPST/7pmEST

Duncan Ryuken Williams was born in Tokyo, Japan to a Japanese mother and British father. After growing up in Japan and England until age 17, he moved to the U.S. to attend college (Reed College) and graduate school (Harvard University, where he received a Ph.D. in Religion). Williams is currently Professor of Religion and East Asian Languages & Cultures and the Director of the USC Shinso Ito Center for Japanese Religions and Culture. He is a Buddhist priest in the Soto Zen tradition and served as the Buddhist chaplain at Harvard University from 1994-96. He is the author of several books, including American Sutra: A Story of Faith and Freedom in the Second World War (Harvard University Press, 2019).

Dr. Rima Vesely-Flad is a Research Fellow at the Institute of Buddhist Studies and the Founding Director of the Initiative for Black Buddhist Studies. She is the author of three books and several academic articles on Buddhism and Black culture, as well as religious approaches to systemic violence.

Register at: https://us06web.zoom.us/meeting/register/xJviolnGQJe7-a7BwsJAQw