True Joy Is Experienced Together

Nichiren Daishonin declares: “‘Joy’ means that oneself and others together experience joy … Both oneself and others together will take joy in their possession of wisdom and compassion” (The Record of the Orally Transmitted Teachings, p. 146).

Both ourselves and others matter. Caring only about one’s own happiness is selfish. Claiming to care only about the happiness of others is hypocritical. Real “joy” lies in both ourselves and others becoming happy together.

Second Soka Gakkai President Josei Toda said: “Becoming happy yourself is no great challenge; it’s quite simple. But the essence of Nichiren Buddhism lies in helping others become happy, too.” (January 2015 Living Buddhism, pp. 54–55)

Culture Department

: National Women’s Paige Asawa

: National Men’s Jason Berg

: Healing Arts Men’s Gustavo Shimabuco

: Academic Women’s Lisa Barne

: Doctors Men’s Vernard Sharif Fennell

: Educators Women’s Sophia Chang Baltz

: Educators Men’s Ric Ornellas

: Legal Women’s Lisa Graves

: Legal Men’s Ron George

Academic: Jason Goulah continues to serve as the men’s leader.
Healing Arts: Sophia Nakabayashi continues to serve as the women’s leader.
Doctors: Mitsuko Takahashi continues to serve as the women’s leader.

National Language Bureau

: Japanese Men’s Andy Nagashima

: Spanish Women’s Adriana Flynn

: Spanish Men’s Abe Uccello

: Chinese Women’s Yin Thin Low

National: Yoshiko Kadin continues to serve as the women’s leader and Harry Monteagudo as the men’s leader.
Japanese: Nanami Vittor continues to serve as the women’s leader
Korean: Julie Yeo continues to serve as the women’s leader and Sungchun Lee as the men’s leader.
Chinese: Danny Chan continues to serve as the men’s leader.

National Arts Department

: National Women’s Kryssi Staikidis

: National Men’s Tom Hatton

: National Young Women’s Bianca Golden

: National Young Men’s Luca Manganaro

Courageous Freedom

: National YOUNG MEN’S Kade Mitchell

: National WOMEN’S Ericka Jones

: National MEN’S Otis Richardson

Katie Thornber continues to serve as the young women’s leader.

People of African Descent

: National WOMEN’S Diann Castleberry

: National MEN’S Dave Goodman

: National YOUNG WOMEN’S Cynthia McCright

: National YOUNG MEN’S Robert Fisher

Many Treasures

: Vice Women’s Dianne Jackson Mclean

: National VICE MEN’S Guy McCloskey

Kazue Elliot continues to serve as the women’s leader, with Matilda Buck as vice leader. Fred Zaitsu continues as the men’s leader.

Military Support

: National CHIEF Rex Taylor

: National Vice Dianna Fleek

: West J.D. Williams

: Central Earl Spencer

: East John Sanford

Future Division

: National WOMEN’S Kazuyo Nakagawa

Parents Group

: National WOMEN’S Kathy King

: Alex Marcos SGI-USA Future Division Leader

Ian McIlraith continues to serve as the four-divisional future division leader, Jennifer Wilmeth as the young women’s leader and Ryan Hayashi as the young men’s leader.