Rev. CJ Sokugan Dunford (they/them/theirs) is a Jōdo Shinshū minister serving as minister's assistant at the Berkeley Buddhist Temple and Tokudo minister at the Buddhist Temple of Marin. Rev. CJ recently completed a Doctorate of Ministry degree at the Pacific School of Religion and teaches at the Institute of Buddhist Studies. Rev. CJ works towards establishing practical Jodo Shinshu frameworks of spiritual care for LGBTQ+ folks that can be utilized by both leadership and laypersons in various sangha settings ranging from traditional temple structures, to smaller LGBTQ+ focused healing & support groups and organizes the annual Transgender Day of Remembrance at the Berkeley Buddhist Temple.

We discussed finding community and a framework for liberation in Jōdo Shinshū, viewing hope as a discipline, exploring "gender as empty," the joy and magic found in building queer family in Japan, and the importance of knowing that you're loved.