On Black Buddhism and Radical Thought with Dr. Rima Vesely-Flad

Through her work and writing, Dr. Rima Vesely-Flad centers and celebrates Black, queer, radical thought and invites us to embrace the ways our inner lives, creative fire, sensuality, and expressions of love can ignite and sustain revolutionary liberation.

Her latest book, The Fire Inside, examines the writings of Audre Lorde and James Baldwin through a Dharmic lens, and discusses how two of America’s greatest literary voices reflect—and expand—Buddhism’s most timeless truths toward justice and liberation. In this episode Dr. Vesely-Flad and mindfulness teacher Rhonda V. Magee examine Baldwin and Lorde through key Buddhist principles such as suffering as teacher, impermanence, karma, anger, and compassion in order to deepen and enhance our own understanding of Buddhism, and liberation.

This episode was recorded during an in-person and live streamed event at California Institute of Integral Studies on June 4th 2026.

You can watch a recording of this episode and many more episodes on the CIIS Public Programs YouTube Channel.

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