In a time of political polarization and rising backlash against anti-racism efforts, how can mindfulness offer more than personal stress relief? Drawing from classical Buddhist teachings and contemporary practice, this keynote explores mindfulness as a powerful resource for meeting collective suffering with clarity, courage, and care. Far from passive acceptance, mindfulness helps us face difficult truths—internally and externally—while transforming reactivity into wise response. With attention to the emotional impact of injustice, social division, and disconnection, we’ll examine how mindfulness fosters resilience, supports relational awareness, and reconnects us to our values. Oren Jay Sofer will share practical insights from over two decades of teaching on mindful communication, trauma-informed practice, and socially engaged Dharma to invite a deeper, more grounded approach to belonging and social transformation.

2 CEUs available from the Brown School of Social Work. Please contact Manasseh Begay at b.manasseh@wustl.edu for any requests

This event is made possible thanks to the support from the CRE2 and the Kathryn M. Buder Center for American Indian Studies. 

Dr. Lisa Gilbert, Senior Lecturer in the Department of Education will introduce Jay Oren Sofer and will facilitate the Q&A section of his talk. 

RSVP to attend.

In a time of political polarization and rising backlash against anti-racism efforts, how can mindfulness offer more than personal stress relief? Drawing from classical Buddhist teachings and contemporary practice, this keynote explores mindfulness as a powerful resource for meeting collective suffering with clarity, courage, and care. Far from passive acceptance, mindfulness helps us face difficult truths—internally and externally—while transforming reactivity into wise response. With attention to the emotional impact of injustice, social division, and disconnection, we’ll examine how mindfulness fosters resilience, supports relational awareness, and reconnects us to our values. Oren Jay Sofer will share practical insights from over two decades of teaching on mindful communication, trauma-informed practice, and socially engaged Dharma to invite a deeper, more grounded approach to belonging and social transformation.

2 CEUs available from the Brown School of Social Work. Please contact Manasseh Begay at b.manasseh@wustl.edu for any requests

This event is made possible thanks to the support from the CRE2 and the Kathryn M. Buder Center for American Indian Studies. 

Dr. Lisa Gilbert, Senior Lecturer in the Department of Education will introduce Jay Oren Sofer and will facilitate the Q&A section of his talk. 

RSVP to attend.