On July 12, under a relentless summer sun, a procession of approximately one hundred individuals embarked on a silent, deliberate journey toward the Metropolitan Detention Center (MDC) in Brooklyn. This somber procession marked the third significant stop of the "Day of Remembering Our Interdependence" pilgrimage, an ambitious undertaking organized by Mahasangha NYC. The event united participants from diverse Buddhist lineages and a spectrum of other faith traditions, charting a course across all five boroughs of New York City. The pilgrimage’s itinerary was punctuated by moments of ritual, chanting, spoken reflections, and concerted efforts to foster community connection.
The group halted their slow march directly opposite the imposing structure of the MDC. The stark chain-link fence that bordered the facility bore poignant testaments to the outside world’s connection to those within: handmade signs, bearing messages like "Happy Birthday, Dad" and "We Love You," a testament to enduring familial bonds. The MDC, the sole federal detention facility within New York City, currently houses a population nearing 1,200 individuals. Its inmates include high-profile figures, such as Nicolás Maduro, the former president of Venezuela. However, beyond such notorious cases, the facility has garnered significant negative attention. The New York Times has extensively documented the MDC’s "dreadful conditions, near perpetual lockdowns, and grave staffing shortages," painting a grim picture of daily life within its walls. In recent years, the center has become a holding site for hundreds of individuals detained by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) during a surge of immigration raids and sweeps over the past eighteen months, exacerbating the existing challenges.
As Sister True Vow of Blue Cliff Monastery began to lead the assembled pilgrims in a song, a discernible response emanated from within the prison. A rhythmic tapping on the narrow, fogged windows of the MDC echoed outward, a subtle yet powerful signal of presence from those confined. The pilgrims responded with the resonant chant, "May all live in peace, be protected and safe." Dharma teacher Kaira Jewel Lingo amplified this sentiment in her address, stating, "Every human being in this building behind us is a human being worthy of our love and respect." Lingo drew a personal connection, noting her age was similar to that of Lorenzo Salgado Araujo, an individual who had been fatally shot by ICE agents in Houston mere days prior, an incident that tragically occurred while agents were in pursuit of a different person.
The persistent tapping from within the MDC continued as Father Adam Bucko offered a prayer rooted in the Christian tradition. This was followed by remarks from Reverend Juan Carlos Ruiz, who spearheads weekly vigils outside the detention center and actively engages with some of its detainees. Reverend Ruiz shared harrowing accounts from individuals who had been released from the MDC, describing conditions so dire that they made the notoriously harsh Delaney Hall in Newark appear as mere "child’s play."
Meanwhile, a dedicated team of medics, identifiable by their red crosses, moved fluidly through the crowd. They distributed water, applied sunscreen, offered snacks, and provided handheld fans, anticipating the day’s considerable heat. Mara Phelan, a physician and co-organizer of the pilgrimage, had proactively mobilized her medically trained colleagues to volunteer, recognizing the potential health challenges posed by the prolonged outdoor gathering. This act of care was emblematic of the many small, thoughtful gestures that characterized the day for participants, some of whom had been on their feet since early morning.
Artist and author Tenzin Mingyur Paldron then took the microphone, sharing a profound story of a Tibetan woman who endured twenty-seven years of imprisonment by Chinese authorities. During her incarceration, she learned that the Dalai Lama was still alive and felt compelled to impart a message of hope to her fellow prisoners. However, due to the stringent isolation protocols, speaking was forbidden. Undeterred, she conveyed her message through song, her voice carrying the hopeful lyric, "After the snowfall comes the warmth of the sun." The other prisoners, though unable to respond verbally, grasped the meaning and found solace, much to the bewilderment of their captors. "They were trying to contain life," Paldron observed, her voice resonating with conviction. "And we are uncontainable." Paldron concluded her powerful address with a series of full-body prostrations before the MDC, a gesture accompanied by the group’s unified chanting.
Origins and Intent of the Pilgrimage
The genesis of the "Day of Remembering Our Interdependence" can be traced back to a gathering of friends in February. Many within this circle expressed deep concern regarding the prevailing socio-political climate. However, they also found inspiration in the "Walk for Peace," an earlier initiative where a monastic group walked 2,300 miles from Fort Worth, Texas, to the Lincoln Memorial in Washington, D.C., over 110 days. "It’s like call and response," explained co-organizer Dorotea Mendoza, reflecting on the inspiration. "That was their call, what is our response?"
Through numerous discussions and collaborative planning sessions, a core group of approximately ten organizers, predominantly women of color, conceived the idea for a similar pilgrimage. In alignment with the spirit of the "Walk for Peace," their intention was not to present a political agenda, but rather to actively embody and champion their most deeply held values. "I wasn’t there trying to fix anything," Mendoza stated regarding her presence outside the MDC. "That in itself feels light."
For some organizers, like Stephanie Cates, their prior involvement in activist spaces, particularly concerning environmental justice and the situation in Palestine, provided a foundation for collaboration. However, Cates emphasized the inclusive vision of the pilgrimage: "bringing others in as our own, even the people that I might consider my enemy, like an ICE agent." Milou Haskin, another organizer, further clarified the pilgrimage’s core ethos, stating that it was not about making demands. "We’re not actually waiting on anyone," she asserted. "We want to insist on how much we love each other and [take] care of each other—for this little microcosm to embody all the things we want the world to be."
The "Day of Remembering Our Interdependence" resonated beyond New York City, inspiring similar walks that same weekend in Austin, Texas; New Orleans, Louisiana; and Troy, New York. The pilgrimage’s emphasis on interfaith dialogue and cross-denominational Buddhist practice mirrors the spirit of the "May We Gather" memorials held in Los Angeles and Antioch, California. These events utilized ritual to draw attention to historical and contemporary anti-Asian violence. Furthermore, many participants were connected through established inter-lineage networks such as the Buddhist Council of New York and the Buddhist Action Coalition, underscoring a growing movement towards collaborative spiritual and social action.
A Journey Through the Five Boroughs
The New York City pilgrimage commenced at two distinct starting points. One group began their journey at the 9/11 Memorial on Staten Island, while another initiated their walk from the "Banana Kelly Double Dutch" sculpture in the Bronx, a significant 1982 artwork by John Ahearn and Rigoberto Torres. Utilizing a combination of walking and public transportation, the two contingents reconvened later that morning at the African Burial Ground National Monument in Manhattan. Here, Grandmother Clara Soaring Hawk and Owl Steven Dennison Smith, both esteemed members of the Ramapo Munsee Lenape Nation, offered profound blessings, grounding the pilgrimage in the ancestral lands. Following this deeply meaningful interlude, the group shared a communal lunch in Brooklyn before proceeding to their third stop: the Metropolitan Detention Center. Throughout the day, participants were encouraged to engage with two contemplative questions: "What stories does this place hold that I have not yet learned to hear?" and "What would it mean to meet this place with an open heart rather than certainty?"
The event’s website described it as a "Buddhist-led interfaith" walk where "all are welcome." Michael Shen, one of the volunteer medics, while not identifying as a practicing Buddhist, found the experience deeply impactful. "It was very nice to walk in silence and meditate on our interconnectedness," he remarked. He described the experience of hearing the taps on the MDC windows as "heart-wrenching," noting that it "solidified the fact that there are humans in there." Shen expressed his consideration of attending the weekly vigils, indicating the pilgrimage’s lasting influence.
A Concluding Ceremony of Connection and Dedication
The pilgrimage culminated at the Socrates Sculpture Park in Queens, a vibrant waterfront space offering panoramic views of the East River. Organizers had arrived earlier to prepare the site, arranging chairs and laying out a spread of refreshments. As the walkers gathered under the shade of trees, the sun began its descent, casting a warm glow over the proceedings. The day concluded with further communal singing and a series of speeches that underscored the profound interdependence between humanity and the natural world, as well as a deep respect for the Lenape people, the original stewards of the land. Reverend James A. Lynch of the Buddhist Council of New York offered a dedication of the day’s merit "to those who feel forgotten, abandoned, unseen, or lonely," among many others. Reverend Doyeon Park of the Won Buddhist community drew upon the power of the four great vows, particularly "Sentient beings are numberless; we vow to save them," as a guiding principle for action, subsequently chanting them in Korean.
To bring the pilgrimage to a close, Mendoza held up a jar containing water collected from Staten Island and the Bronx. She then invited fellow organizer and environmental activist Matthew Menzies to lead a ceremony of water sharing. Menzies spoke about his personal connection to the East River, having been born nearby, and acknowledged his Indigenous heritage as a way of embracing the complex tapestry of origins. "Your home flows within you," he declared, before ceremonially pouring the water into the river. This act symbolized the mingling of waters from across the five boroughs, a potent metaphor for unity and interconnectedness.
Mara Phelan stood by the river’s edge, her eyes filled with tears as the day drew to a close. "I’d been in organizing spaces before, and something was always missing, so I came to the conclusion that organizing wasn’t for me," she shared. While acknowledging the indispensable nature of protests, Phelan articulated how the "Day of Remembering Our Interdependence" revealed what had been absent for her. "I really needed the faith piece, I really needed the Buddhist spiritual piece, I really needed the love. It feels like coming home to find the space where I belong, and the people that I want to organize with." The pilgrimage, therefore, served not only as a powerful act of witness and solidarity but also as a profound spiritual homecoming for many of its participants, reinforcing the enduring human need for connection, compassion, and shared purpose in the face of societal challenges.
