Flip the Script

SGI-USA General Director Adin Strauss opened the conference by relaying three points to keep in mind as we further develop in the areas of friendship, community and successors where we live.

The first point: Sincerity.

Mr. Strauss said that sincerity always wins the day. In volume 7 of The New Human Revolution, Ikeda Sensei spoke about the Soka Gakkai spirit to always act with the purest motives for the happiness of the people and the peace and prosperity of the world: “To sincerity, I respond with even greater sincerity. To arrogance, I respond with strength. Against evil and injustice, I fight armed with truth. This is my creed and my conviction” (NHR-7, revised edition, p. 285).

The second point: Conviction.

Mr. Strauss recalled meeting with members last fall who were concerned about the current state of the country and wanted his take on how things would unfold. He instead thought of this passage from Nichiren Daishonin’s writings: “If all of Jambudvipa [the entire world] were to be thrown into chaos, there could be no doubt that [the Lotus Sutra would] ‘be widely propagated throughout Jambudvipa’ [The Lotus Sutra and Its Opening and Closing Sutras, p. 363]” (“The Kalpa of Decrease,” The Writings of Nichiren Daishonin, vol. 1, p. 1122).

“We must not only be convinced but absolutely determined to create this truth, this reality, with our own hands,” Mr. Strauss said.

The third point: Let’s stay focused on our youth.

While districts worked incredibly hard in March to create youth-friendly discussion meetings, we have many more milestones ahead of us, culminating in gathering 100,000 youth in 2028 to celebrate Sensei’s 100th birthday and beyond.

Sensei, who was unrivaled in his love of and focus on fostering youth, said in his dialogue with young people: “Even if you think you’re hopeless and incapable, I know you’re not. I have not the slightest doubt that each of you has a mission. Though others may disparage you, please know that I respect you, I believe in you. No matter what circumstances you now face, I have absolute confidence that a wonderful future awaits you” (Discussions on Youth, p. 27).

Mr. Strauss said that if we want the youth to meet us where we’re at—the discussion meeting—we must move to where they’re at—their homes, parks and coffee shops, for instance. “This requires that we dig deep and shake up our discussion meeting format—looking at what’s formality and what’s substance—and adjusting as appropriate,” he said. “With our united daimoku and vigorous action, nothing is impossible.”

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Strengthening Our District Community

This year, the SGI-USA community is focused on four tentpole months to bring out as many members as possible to our core activity, the district discussion meeting: February, May, August and November. 

At the same time, the Soka Victory District initiative was relaunched this year, setting key benchmarks for a healthy district. Soka Victory Districts will receive an award at their monthly kosen-rufu gongyo meeting and be mentioned in an upcoming issue of the World Tribune.

The benchmarks are:

•20 total attendees at a discussion meeting at least two times during the year;
•20 people subscribed to the SGI-USA publications;
•2 people having received the Gohonzon; and
•10 people participating in the SGI-USA Sustaining Contribution Plan.

For the youth, the March youth-led discussion meetings proved to be the launching point for implementing creative new ways to hold discussion meetings, for instance, by changing up the meeting format (gongyo at the middle or end of the meeting) or creating more time in the agenda for discussion.

Youth District and Group Leadership

The SGI-USA recently introduced youth group leaders as an entry-level youth leadership position, with the only criteria being they subscribe to the SGI-USA publications and that the district has an established group with at least one group men’s or women’s leader. Youth group leaders are eligible to attend Ikeda Wisdom Academy meetings.

At the same time, the CEC voted to change the contribution participation requirement for district young men’s and young women’s leadership since it restricts capable youth practicing less than a year from taking on district-level leadership.

Student Division as a Stand-Alone Division

So far this year, 51 universities and colleges held SGI campus club meetings, making a powerful fresh start for the student division, which in 2025 became a stand-alone division encompassing youth between the ages of 18–25 attending college. 

While the student division remains under the youth division umbrella, it has a parallel leadership structure that includes national, territory and zone student division leaders, and campus club leaders. These positions are being filled over time.

At the March CEC, the body voted to change the leadership criteria for appointing a student division leader at the region and zone levels. Whereas the leadership manual required one year of line leadership at levels specific to the appointment, student division region and zone leaders will now just need experience as a campus club leader.

From March 12, youth members ages 18–25 will receive a pop-up prompt when logging in to their member resources account at portal.sgi-usa.org, asking if they are between ages 18–25 and attending a university or college. This will enable them to self-select to join the student division.

While the division continues to build out its structure, activities will include: campus club meetings; a monthly student division study lecture; an FNCC conference; Ikeda Wisdom Academy and supporting their monthly district discussion meetings. They will also continue to support activities behind the scenes as Byakuren, Soka Group and Gajokai.

Changes to Soka 2030

The national youth team is working with the study department to create a Soka Spirit curriculum that will be presented on the last Sunday of each month at Soka 2030 meetings. The meeting addition is aimed at educating new members and youth about this foundational issue. The first installment in the series appears in this issue of the World Tribune, p. 9.

Soka 2030 meetings in the meantime will now include Ikeda Sensei’s videos weekly, with an expanded selection of videos to choose from.

These changes are rooted in the spirit expressed by Sensei in volume 26 of The New Human Revolution: “Capable successors aren’t raised overnight. It takes a lot of time and assiduous effort. But the only way to open the eternal future of kosen-rufu is to foster people, and there is no undertaking nobler than this. Please become models of fostering capable people and pass on your know-how in this respect to the current chapter and block leaders” (NHR-26, 325).

May Contribution

“Soaring Higher, Creating Fortune” is the 2025 theme for our annual May Commemorative Contribution activity, which will be held April 28–June 1. To mark the 50th anniversary of the SGI’s establishment in January 1975 (see the Feb. 14, 2025, World Tribune), members who participate in this year’s campaign will receive a commemorative coaster.

May Contribution kickoff meetings will be held at the region or zone level depending on location. Please look out for the May Contribution insert in the April 4, 2025, World Tribune, plus study materials and faith experiences in both the April and May issues of World Tribune and Living Buddhism.

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In her closing encouragement, Naoko Leslie, the SGI-USA women’s leader, spoke of the initiative introduced last year to pair up men’s and women’s line leaders with a youth member to do gongyo with them weekly and help them establish a firm foundation in faith.

In January, she began supporting a young woman who moved to the U.S. from another country. Every time they meet, they chant and study Sensei’s guidance together. This young woman is now part of the Byakuren Group, and her husband, who is attending meetings, will soon join the Soka Group.

At their March district discussion meeting, the young woman emceed the meeting, and her husband shared a faith experience.

Ms. Leslie also relayed a recent experience of sharing Buddhism with her Uber driver. His response was to speak passionately about his own faith. While she hesitated to share more, she recalled a passage where Nichiren states that anyone who hears about the practice will attain Buddhahood so “one should by all means persist in preaching the Lotus Sutra and causing them to hear it” (“Those Initially Aspiring to the Way,” WND-1, 882).

Ms. Leslie told the driver that chanting Nam-myoho-renge-kyo enables you to accumulate fortune. “I need fortune!” the driver told her and took the card. He is driving on the weekends to support his children, two of whom are in medical school, while he worries that his federal job will be cut. 

“Everyone needs hope,” she said. “Now is the time to share this practice without hesitation! Let’s bring hope and happiness to our discussion meetings.”

March 21, 2025 World Tribune, pp. 6–8