Cupertino Forging a Path to Racial Justice & Amity

Cupertino Forging a Path to Racial Justice & Amity The Baha’i Community of Cupertino California facilitates regular deepening on Racial Justice, Equity, Amity, and Reciprocity. Q.

These interactive and consultative sessions are open to the public who wish to join our journey. How can we keep in touch with the Cupertino Study Circle’s Work, Events, and Study Circle? All our events are shared on our page: https://www.facebook.com/justiceamity. We share to help us be better allies, accomplices, and co-conspirators to our journey of a world free of racial, social, and

injustices that divide humanity. We facilitate talks, host meaningful conversations, and coordinate study circles where we deepen to grown and heal. If you are curious about our topics, this one-year review of what we’ve studied thus far:

Cupertino Baha’i Study Circle Forging a Path to Racial Justice and Amity
https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1l1Xo2pUFWsLs1GwS-nQZIBQSKOsdp_-_FnOCH9g2i9g/edit?usp=sharing


Q. What are the Baha’i views on racism and social injustices? The elimination of racism is a fundamental tenet Baha’is follow. Baha’i are tasked to eliminate racial prejudice and view it as “the most vital and challenging issue” facing humanity.

“O CHILDREN OF MEN! Know ye not why We created you all from the same dust? That no one should exalt himself over the other. Ponder at all times in your hearts how ye were created." -The Baha'i Writings

The Cupertino Baha’i Study Circle Forging a Path to Racial Justice and Amity is one small effort in an ocean of activity. The three documents are useful to understand Baha’is commitment to this challenge. FORGING A PATH TO RACIAL JUSTICE - A message from the Baha’is of the United States June 19, 2020 (https://www.bahai.us/path-to-racial-justice/)

THE VISION OF RACE UNITY - Americas Most Challenging Issue 1991 (https://www.bahai.us/the-vision-of-race-unity-americas-most-challenging-issue/)

“To create a just society begins with recognition of the fundamental truth that humanity is one. But it is not enough simply to believe this in our hearts. It creates the moral imperative to act and to view all aspects of our personal, social, and institutional lives through the lens of justice. It implies a reordering of our society more profound than anything we have yet achieved. And it requires the participation of Americans of every race and background, for it is only through such inclusive participation that new moral and social directions can emerge.”

05/20/2026

The core teaching of unity, one of the most prominent Baha’i principles, calls on all people to love the common humanity in each person despite any superficial differences. As Abdu’l-Baha clearly pointed out: “This earth is one household and the native land of all humanity; therefore, the human race should ignore distinctions and boundaries which are artificial and conducive to disagreement and hostility.”
Unity does not imply or require uniformity. Even people of the same nation, ethnicity or color may be radically different in the way they think and behave. The Baha’i byword is “Unity in diversity.” Our different talents and abilities give us strength as a society, and make the world beautiful. We have begun to realize, as our world grows closer and closer and boundaries break down, that the diversity in humanity is an asset and not a stumbling block.
Abdu’l-Baha taught, “The diversity in the human family should be the cause of love and harmony, as it is in music where many different notes blend together in the making of a perfect chord.”
We should love and associate with each other, not hate and avoid each other.
In his book, “The Hidden Words,” Baha’u’llah wrote: “Know ye not why We created you all from the same dust? That no one should exalt himself over the other. Ponder at all times in your hearts how ye were created. Since We have created you all from one same substance it is incumbent on you to be even as one soul, to walk with the same feet, eat with the same mouth and dwell in the same land, that from your inmost being, by your deeds and actions, the signs of oneness and the essence of detachment may be made manifest.”

The views expressed in this article reflect individual perspectives and do not represent the official views of the Baha'i Faith.

04/19/2026

Baha’u’llah calls upon each of us to be “an upholder and defender of the victim of oppression” and “an ensign of the hosts of justice.” He wrote, “Be generous in prosperity, and thankful in adversity... Be a treasure to the poor, an admonisher to the rich, an answerer to the cry of the needy, a preserver of the sanctity of thy pledge. Be fair in thy judgment, and guarded in thy speech. Be unjust to no man, and show all meekness to all men... Be a home for the stranger, a balm to the suffering, a tower of strength for the fugitive. Be eyes to the blind, and a guiding light unto the feet of the erring...”
Baha’is advocate for the human rights of every person. The idea of human rights can be found in the teachings of all the religions of the past. All of them call on us to recognize that we are members of one human family, and to come to the rescue of the oppressed and the downtrodden.
The growing income and wealth inequality adds one more element to the various forms of suffering and human injustice. This includes the oppression of women by a patriarchal society, the exploitation of national resources, and the abject poverty in which millions live.
We must all distinguish ourselves with individual acts of generosity to the needy. Those with power should recognize that a society is neither just nor sustainable with such extremes of wealth and poverty and must make it the highest priority to care for the most vulnerable.
As consciousness of the inherent oneness of humanity is raised and understanding of the spiritual nature of human beings is fostered, the peoples of the world will be empowered to address the challenge of injustice.

The views expressed here reflect individual perspectives and do not represent the official views of the Baha'i Faith.

04/12/2026

“You must manifest complete love and affection toward all mankind. Do not exalt yourselves above others, but consider all as your equals, recognizing them as the servants of one God. Know that God is compassionate toward all; therefore, love all from the depths of your hearts, prefer all religionists before yourselves, be filled with love for every race, and be kind toward the people of all nationalities. Never speak disparagingly of others, but praise without distinction. Pollute not your tongues by speaking evil of another.
Act in such a way that your heart may be free from hatred. Let not your heart be offended with anyone. If someone commits an error and wrong toward you, you must instantly forgive him.
Turn all your thoughts toward bringing joy to hearts. Beware! Beware! lest ye offend any heart. Assist the world of humanity as much as possible. Be the source of consolation to every sad one, assist every weak one, be helpful to every indigent one, care for every sick one, be the cause of glorification to every lowly one, and shelter those who are overshadowed by fear. In brief, let each one of you be as a lamp shining forth with the light of the virtues of the world of humanity. Be trustworthy, sincere, affectionate and replete with chastity.” Abdu’l-Baha

03/12/2026

For Women’s History Month, we continue to share stories of Baha’i heroines who have shared the teachings of the Baha’i Faith, spoken out for justice, and made incredible sacrifices.

Patricia Locke was raised on the Fort Hall Indian Reservation in Idaho. She was a Native American educator and activist, who worked closely with indigenous activists in supporting the American Indian Religious Freedom Act. After joining the Bahá’í Faith, she was elected as the first Native American woman to serve on the National Spiritual Assembly of the Baha’is of the United States.
Patricia believed that there is a fundamental difference in values between Native Americans and Western society, and that Native Americans should have the autonomy to solve issues among themselves. She spoke out against federal government regulations affecting Indian governments, supporting the American Indian Religious Freedom Act, which led to the establishment of religious freedom for indigenous groups that had previously been stripped away. Soon after, she was appointed to the Interior Department Task Force on Indian Education Policy. Patricia played an instrumental role in the establishment of 17 different Indian colleges led and organized exclusively by indigenous groups in North America.
She was a MacArthur Fellow, represented the US National Baha’i community in Beijing at the World Conference on Women, and was honored with the Indigenous Language Institute's Those Who Make a Difference award. Posthumously she was inducted into the National Women's Hall of Fame, and was a Race Amity Medal of Honor winner, and the Google Cultural Institute included her in its listing showcasing Great Women.
The Patricia Locke Foundation was created in 2018, which aims to educate indigenous peoples and children in the importance of their ancestral languages and spiritual connections. It also works to support Native Women-led businesses, and seeks to invest in younger generations who will shape the future and pass on indigenous traditions to future generations.

03/09/2026

Over the years, brave Bahá’í women have shared the teachings of the Baha’i Faith, provided guidance, spoken out for justice, created art, and made incredible sacrifices -- even giving their lives. For Women’s History Month, we will share the stories of a few of these heroines.

Hazel Scott was a brilliant musician and civil rights champion. She was only eight years old when she auditioned at Juilliard. Hazel wasn’t new to performing. She started around age three on her home island of Trinidad and continued when she and her mother moved to the U.S. Her skills grew, and she played at night clubs, sang on Broadway, and was in an all-woman band while in high school. By age 19, Hazel supported her family financially.
Hazel stood up for the rights of African Americans. At that time, Black women in movies were often cast as servants. When she appeared in films, Hazel insisted on approving her wardrobe and music, and she would only appear as herself, Hazel Scott, not as a character
Throughout her career, Hazel worked against the racial prejudice that separated Black and White people in schools, buses, restaurants, and concert halls. She only performed for audiences where Black and White people sat side by side. She said, “Why would anyone come to hear me and refuse to sit beside someone just like me?” She was so successful that in 1950, she had her own TV show -- a first for a Black woman.
In 1968, Hazel became a Bahá’í through her friend Dizzy Gillespie. In one interview, she said, “There is only one God. That’s what is great about Bahá’í. We believe that whenever man has been ready to absorb more knowledge, God has revealed it.”
Even after her death in 1981, Hazel’s music can be heard on the many albums she recorded during her 61 years. She is remembered for her gifted contributions to jazz, films, TV, and equal rights. She said, “Who ever walked behind anyone to freedom? If we can’t go hand in hand, I don’t want to go.”

Excerpts from https://brilliantstarmagazine.org/themes/WomenHistory

01/18/2026

Martin Luther King, Jr., whose promotion of nonviolent means of achieving racial equality in the United States cost him his life. The positive effects of his heroic efforts brought encouragement to downtrodden peoples throughout the world. His aspirations for a society in which the races can live in harmony are perhaps best expressed in the famous “I have a dream” speech he delivered in 1963.
Dr. King was a visionary who knew how to build into his sermons messages that both inspired and warned. King’s words, preached more than 60 years ago, remain sadly relevant in America today, where extremism is on the rise, racism and misogyny are increasingly mainstreamed, and power and wealth are sequestered by a tiny elite class while many at the bottom of society struggle to access what they need to survive.
The Baha’i teachings proclaim that we are living in an age of great transition, one destined to give birth to a new world founded on justice and love. In 1941, Shoghi Effendi gave this prophetic warning:
“The ages of humanity’s infancy and childhood are past, never again to return, while the Great Age, the consummation of all ages, which must signalize the coming of age of the entire human race, is yet to come. A tempest, unprecedented in its violence, unpredictable in its course, catastrophic in its immediate effects, unimaginably glorious in its ultimate consequences, is at present sweeping the face of the earth. These great oppressions are preparing us for the advent of the Most Great Justice, the Justice upon which the structure of the Most Great Peace can alone rest.”

The views expressed in this article reflect individual perspectives and do not represent the official views of the Baha'i Faith. For more information about the Baha’i faith, visit www.bahai.org and www.bahai.us

01/11/2026

Racism is the most challenging issue confronting America. A nation whose ancestry includes every people on earth, whose motto is E pluribus unum, whose ideals of freedom under law have inspired millions throughout the world, cannot continue to harbor prejudice against any racial or ethnic group without betraying itself. Racism is an affront to human dignity, a cause of hatred and division, a disease that devastates society.
Notwithstanding the efforts already expended for its elimination, racism continues to work its evil upon this nation. Progress toward tolerance, mutual respect, and unity has been painfully slow and marked with repeated setbacks. The recent resurgence of divisive racial attitudes, the increased number of racial incidents, and the deepening despair of minorities and the poor make the need for solutions ever more pressing and urgent. To ignore the problem is to expose the country to physical, moral and spiritual danger.
Aware of the magnitude and the urgency of the issue, we, the National Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá’ís of the United States, speaking for the entire U.S. Bahá’í community, appeal to all people of goodwill to arise without further delay to resolve the fundamental social problem of this country. We do so because of our feeling of shared responsibility, because of the global experience of the Bahá’í community in effecting racial harmony within itself, and because of the vision that the sacred scriptures of our Faith convey of the destiny of America.

Opening paragraphs of “The Vision of Race Unity: America’s Most Challenging Issue” - A statement by the National Spiritual Assembly of the Baha’is of the United States. https://www.bahai.us/the-vision-of-race-unity-americas.../
For more information about the Baha’i faith, visit www.bahai.org and www.bahai.us

11/11/2025

The Baha’i teachings counsel everyone to avoid blind imitation. Abdu’l-Baha taught, “God has created in man the power of reason whereby man is enabled to investigate reality. God has not intended man to blindly imitate his fathers and ancestors. He has endowed him with mind or the faculty of reasoning by the exercise of which he is to investigate and discover the truth; and that which he finds real and true, he must accept. He must not be an imitator or blind follower of any soul. He must not rely implicitly upon the opinion of any man without investigation; nay, each soul must seek intelligently and independently, arriving at a real conclusion and bound only by that reality.”
Over the course of history, some religious authorities have discouraged the independent investigation of reality; punishing and condemning those who questioned.
Baha’u’llah, urging all humanity to investigate spiritual truth for themselves, urged us to “look into all things with a searching eye.” An open-minded spiritual exploration can take many forms. When you dedicate yourself to a spiritual search, to your own independent investigation of reality, you become a true seeker. You can learn from the experience and knowledge of others, but ultimately you must let your own heart and mind decide what you truly believe. For this reason, Baha’is have no clergy. Each Baha’i has the responsibility for his or her own spiritual growth.
We all have minds, hearts and souls. When these three instruments combine in a seeker’s quest, our intelligence, our emotions and our deepest spiritual yearnings can bring our true inner reality to light. The Baha’i Faith encourages everyone to take that journey of spiritual discovery.

BahaiTeachings.org is the original publisher of this article. Excerpts from “How to Independently Investigate the Truth” by David Langness: https://bahaiteachings.org/independently-investigate-truth
The views expressed in this article reflect individual perspectives and do not represent the official views of the Baha'i Faith. For more information about the Baha’i faith, visit www.bahai.org and www.bahai.us

10/18/2025

Racism is a symptom of disease in society. Suppressing the symptom does not cure the disease, but curing the disease eliminates the symptom. The Baha'i International Community is convinced that the disease from which society currently suffers is failure to recognize the principle of the oneness of humanity, and racism is but a symptom. If we wish to eliminate racism entirely, we must establish, as the moral of foundation for society, the unshakable conviction of the oneness of the human race.
From the Baha'i perspective, racism is one of the most baneful and persistent evils in society. Racial violates the dignity of human beings. Racism cripples its victims, corrupts its perpetrators, and blights human progress. And yet it persists. Racism persists precisely because it is deeply rooted in outdated attitudes and erroneous beliefs.
In the Baha'i view, racism will be eliminated only when the peoples of the world are convinced of the oneness of humankind and proceed to reconstruct their lives and their societies on that basis.
The recognition of the oneness of mankind would require the abandonment of all doctrines of superiority. No nation can claim to be entirely free of racist tendencies; therefore, we can approach this problem as a shared human problem.
“Bahá’u’lláh has proclaimed the oneness of the world of humanity. He has declared that difference of race and color is like the variegated beauty of flowers in a garden. If you enter a garden, you will see yellow, white, blue, red flowers in profusion and beauty -- each radiant within itself and although different from the others, lending its own charm to them. Racial difference in the human kingdom is similar. If all the flowers in a garden were of the same color, the effect would be monotonous and wearying to the eye. Let all associate, therefore, in this great human garden even as flowers grow and blend together side by side without discord or disagreement between them.” (Abdu’l-Baha)

For more information about the Baha’i faith, visit www.bahai.org or www.bahai.us

09/24/2025

The oneness of humanity is a primary principle of the Baha’i Faith -- we believe every human being is a member of one human family.
Baha’is embrace diversity rather than division, and differences are valued, not condemned. The Baha’i teachings assure us that humanity’s unity is divinely assured, but the path toward that unity demands conscious effort and unwavering commitment.
Abdu’l-Baha explained: “The Cause of Baha’u’llah will bring about the oneness of mankind, and the tabernacle of unity will be upraised on the heights of the world, and the banners of the universality of all humankind will be unfurled on the peaks of the earth.”
Abdu’l-Baha counsels us: “Cleanse ye your eyes, so that ye behold no man as different from yourselves. See ye no strangers; rather see all men as friends, for love and unity come hard when ye fix your gaze on otherness. And in this new and wondrous age, the Holy Writings say that we must be at one with every people; that we must see neither harshness nor injustice, neither malevolence, nor hostility, nor hate, but rather turn our eyes toward the heaven of ancient glory. For each of the creatures is a sign of God, and it was by the grace of the Lord and His power that each did step into the world; therefore they are not strangers, but in the family; not aliens, but friends, and to be treated as such.”

The views expressed in this article reflect individual perspectives and do not represent the official views of the Baha'i Faith. For more information about the Baha’i faith, visit www.bahai.org and www.bahai.us

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