Buddhist in America- Hassan Manning
Escaping the street violence of Newark, New Jersey, and his oppressive religious upbringing, Hassan Manning moves to LA hopeful to become an actor. Just as his dream of acting begins to become a reality, he is pulled back to Newark by his mother’s passing and the difficult task of taking care of his 3 younger siblings. At his most difficult moment, he meets SGI Buddhism and transforms his family, his acting career, and the challenging yet beautiful city that he loves.
Gisell & Kaila – Buddhist in America
Gisell and her daughter Kaila, share how their Buddhist practice allowed them to create a victorious, harmonious family.
Tatiana Lee – Buddhist in America (50k Lion Festival)
This video premiered at the 50,000 Lions of Justice Festival on September 23, 2018. Tatiana Lee shares her inspiring story of establishing herself as an actor in Hollywood as a woman with disabilities.
Brandon Nicholson – Buddhist in America
Brandon Nicholson shares how his Buddhist practice fueled him to become the executive director of the “Hidden Genius Project,” an award winning youth program that connects young black males in the bay area with the skills and experiences they need to be successful entrepreneurs and technologists.
Michelle Riofrio – Buddhist in America
At the start of her Buddhist practice, Michelle Riofrio found herself in the grips of fear; feeling afraid to share her new faith with her catholic parents, afraid to express herself in the conservative community in Argentina she lived in. After she was robbed at gunpoint, she determines to use her Buddhist practice to overcome every type of fear that controlled her life, summoning forth the courage to truly be herself.
This series follow members of the Buddhist organization, SGI-USA, as they share their real life stories of practicing Buddhism in America.
Tyler Young – Buddhist in America
Tyler Young shares his remarkable journey as a transgendered youth in Olympia, Washington.
He says, “Through practicing Nichiren Buddhism with the SGI and following SGI President Ikeda’s guidance, I finally pulled out the shards of depression and sadness from my life. I was able to see that I was a man and needed to transition. I needed to blossom and become my true self, and that was key to obtaining fundamental happiness and helping other people become happy, as well. After transitioning, I found this immense amount of freedom.”
Larry Singer – Buddhist in America
Renowned acting teacher Larry Singer shares how his Buddhist practice with SGI inspired him to give his all to help students grow and succeed.
50K Lions of Justice Profile: Aleali May
The amazing Aleali May shares how practicing Buddhism with SGI led her to collaborate with Michael Jordan on a Jordan 1 shoe and why she’ll be in the house for the 50K Lions of Justice Festival. Here’s the full profile.
Naima Mora – Buddhist in America
Naima Mora tells of how winning the hit TV show America’s Next Top Model brought on a dark period in her life. She shares how she used her Buddhist practice to recognize the beauty within her life and overcome this difficult period.
This series follow members of the Buddhist organization, SGI-USA, as they share their real life stories of practicing Buddhism in America.
Eric Kunimoto – Buddhist in America (50K Lions of Justice Festival Profile)
Officer Eric Kunimoto shares how his Buddhist practice allows him to fight injustice at its root-the human heart. He notes, “Having a mentor in Daisaku Ikeda is the greatest treasure of my life, because I can always look to an example of how to live life with courage, compassion and wisdom. If I didn’t have that, it would be so easy to merely see criminals as criminals; it’s more complex than that. I clearly see people battling the three poisons of greed, anger and foolishness. We must attack the problem at the root by changing the negative impulses in our own hearts.”
Diamond Quinn – Buddhist in America
Diamond Quinn describes her journey of practicing SGI Nichiren Buddhism as a teenager. She shares how her Buddhist practice helped her win a role to perform the hit song “Happy” at the Oscars.
Orlando Bloom on Buddhism, Nam-Myoho-Renge-Kyo and Daisaku Ikeda
In SGI-USA’s latest video, actor Orlando Bloom discusses his practice of Nichiren Buddhism. Mr. Bloom also details his encounter with SGI President Ikeda in 2006 and how his message to “Be your authentic self” became foundational guidance for his life.
Find us on Google
