February 2017 – We’re delighted to announce that the cohort of teacher trainees for IMS’s 2017-2021 Teacher Training Program has now been finalized.
We extend a heartfelt welcome and much mudita (empathetic joy) to the following 20 participants who are embarking on this exciting journey toward becoming insight meditation retreat teachers – Andrea Castillo, bruni dávila, Dawn Scott, Devin Berry, Devon Hase, Jeanne Corrigal, Jessica Morey, Jozen Gibson, Matthew Hepburn, nakawe cuebas, Neesha Patel, Nolitha Tsengiwe, Rachel Lewis, Roxanne Dault, Shelly Graf, Tara Mulay, Tuere Sala, Vance Pryor, Walt Opie and Yong Oh.
This group, comprising 75% people of color, will gather for their initial training session at our Retreat Center in August this year.
The program’s core faculty is Joseph Goldstein, DaRa Williams, Kamala Masters, Rebecca Bradshaw, Bonnie Duran and Gil Fronsdal, with Carol Wilson and Guy Armstrong also contributing. Together with visiting teachers, including Sharon Salzberg and Ruth King, all will offer guidance over the course of the four-year training.
This program is a major IMS initiative, and the culmination of several years of discussion and planning. It represents a significant milestone in our efforts to foster a more diverse and inclusive community of retreat teachers and meditators. On completion in 2021, the training will result in a substantial increase in the number of people of color and white ally teachers and leaders, in turn benefiting the many insight meditation communities across North America.
