April 2020
Introducing The Sanga Initiative Newsletter
Haribol everyone! The Sanga Initiative is excited to introduce the launch of our newsletter! This newsletter will be sent every other month and will contain important updates about The Sanga Initiative’s programs and teams. The newsletter will also contain exciting content on media, recipes, food, events, and people that are inspiring the TSI community. This newspaper is made for YOU. Please email us at news@sangainitiative.org if there are any content ideas you have for this newsletter. We hope you enjoy reading this month’s edition and please share it with your communities!
Program Updates
Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, The Sanga Initiative has decided to place a pause on registration for all retreats this summer. This includes both Camp Ignite and The Summer Retreat. We are monitoring the situation very closely and will send out an update on registration as soon as we can. In the meantime, we are praying that all of you and your families are safe!
What’s New
We are excited to introduce one of the many teams that have kick-started in 2020. Introducing the TSI Communications team! The TSI Communications team is an initiative that was started to effectively communicate all messaging, branding, logos, design, and networking for TSI. The team consists of Networking and Marketing.
The Networking team communicates all formal emails, messages, and connects with the larger ISKCON counter-parties as well as staying in contact with the TSI community by being the liaison between the TSI organization team and the rest of the community, including retreat members and alumni. The Networking team is also involved in the TSI Internship program and creating this newsletter!
The TSI Marketing team is primarily responsible for creating and broadcasting images, messages, and ideas that best communicate the brand values of TSI. The marketing team comprises three sub-teams: Content Strategists, Social Media Designers & Managers, and Ad-Hoc Designers. Our team aims to showcase the intentions and purpose of TSI to communities worldwide!
We are also so excited to introduce a new initiative at TSI called TSI Chapters!
TSI Chapters is an initiative to bring our summer retreat into a year-round format for local communities. We currently have four communities: Chicago/Naperville, New Jersey, Washington D.C, and Atlanta. The pillars of TSI Chapters are Sanga and Service. The goal is for the communities to meet once a month to discuss a theme in a sanga-group format, and that they also meet every other month to do service for their local communities!
We also plan to have online meetings between the communities so that the youth can interact with one another and discuss chapter themes and gain different perspectives. We're hoping to continue expanding TSI Chapters all over the nation, and inviting more guest speakers that youth can connect to. If you have a local youth community and would like to get involved, please feel free to reach out to us!
Upcoming Events
We hope you’re staying safe and healthy during this unpredictable time. We are excited to be launching a webinar series that will allow us all to stay engaged through discussion and association! Please check our social media pages for upcoming webinar dates:
TSI Internships
TSI is honored to launch our internship program this summer! This internship is in partnership with ISKCON at the United Nations and will be an amazing opportunity to grow your skills while also doing groundbreaking service.
In 2017 ISKCON Communications was granted Special Consultative Status with the United Nations Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC). The team focuses on key issues as they align with the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals (climate change, gender equality, food hunger, education). By showcasing ISKCON’s work within these spaces and helping the world address these critical concerns, ISKCON at the UN aims to further strengthen ISKCON’s role as a leading global spiritual organization.
Please note that our internship application is now closed for the the summer of 2020. Thank you to all that applied!
Media Recommendations
Books
Kirtan
Lectures
Empty Husk - HH Radhanath Swami
Protecting Prabhupada’s house - HH Bhakti Tirtha Swami
Liquid Beauty - HDG Srila Prabhupada
Father Pierre - HH Indradyumna Swami
Bitter Mercy - HH Sacinandana Swami