Jain Digest 1996 04

Author(s): Federation of JAINA
Publisher: USA Federation of JAINA

Page 15

Young Minds
Young Jains of America
Convention planning, fundraising sails at full speed
les), to name a few. The convention will also feature Yoga and Preksha Dhyan workshops, as well as organized social and cultural activities to give youths a chance to mingle and make new friends.
If you are interested in helping plan activities or anything else, please contact YJA/ SFCC (names and numbers listed on next page).
of America and Canada," comments YJA By Mintu Turakhia, YJA (West)
Co-Chair Amit Shah. "I'm confident that the
support is out there. We just need to let ev- With the Young Jains of America (YJA) eryone know what we're doing and why we Convention less then two months away, the need their help." San Francisco Convention Committee The response to the convention has been (SFCC) and YJA have shifted planning into overwhelming, with over 700 applications overdrive, with most major arrangements to date. With participants from over 30 states, complete.
Canada, and the U.K., the convention proves Over a dozen Jain youth groups and cen- to be a truly international event. "Our goal ters in North America have been working is to provide youth with a diverse educational with the 60-member San Francisco Conven- forum that will help them better understand tion Committee (SFCC) for the past seven Jainism in the context of their own lives," months. "We hope these efforts will commented Site Coordinator Sonali strengthen and expand Jain youth activities Kapadia. "That's why we chose 'Integratand develop stronger ties among youth ing Philosophy and Practice' as this year's around the country," commented Activities theme." Coordinator Seema Bhimani.
Speakers include spiritual guide Gurudev Meanwhile, YJA has begun a national ef- Chitrabhanuji and noted Jain teacher fort to raise $30,000 for the convention and Praveen Shah, as well as other religious, future YJA activities. In March, the Jain academic, and community leaders. Youths Center of Northern California held a Sangeet will also attend workshops presented by their program benefit and $10,000 in ticket and peers, including Jain Art and History (Deraffle sales alone. "With a total goal of troit), Anektantevada (Texas/Arizona), and $50,000, we need to rally support from all "Scientific Aspects of Jainism" (Los Ange
Highlights of YJA: Recent projects, future plans October 1995
• Host City Selected for 1996 YJA Convention • San Francisco Convention Committee (SFCC)
formalized January 1996
YJA/SFCC Executive Board meeting in San
Francisco February
• St. Louis, Atlanta selected as Foster Focus Cities • Young Minds published and mailed to 1200
YJA members March
YJA overhauls board selection Members can now vote to select Executive Board
Convention enrollment reaches record numbers April
• SFCC Sangeet benefit raises $13,000
by Anish Makim, YJA (Northeast)
Worried about the future of Jain youth? Should YJA and other youth groups be do- ing more? Well here's your opportunity to get directly involved with YJA.
For the first time in its history YJA will be opening up its executive board positions to general elections by its members. Cur- rently, YJA is divided up into six regions, with two board members each: Northeast, Mid-Atlantic, South, Southeast, Midwest, and West. In addition, the Executive Board
has three general coordinators who are chosen by the board at the beginning of the term.
To ease the transition for this first election, there will be one position per region open for election. This will prevent a potentially high turnover from disrupting board continuity, particularly since we expect the upcoming convention to cause youth interest to be greater than ever. The returning board members will also be able to better guide the newly-elected board members.
Elections will be conducted by mail following the convention (via ballots in Young
• Redesigned YJA internet home page introduced
YJA membership reaches 1600 May • YJA begins national fundraising campaign to
reach $30,000 goal • YJA Election candidate nominations begin July
Second Biennial YJA Convention • Release of convention issue of Young Minds July-August
• YJA Executive Board Elections August
• New YJA board term and fiscal year begin • Post-convention issue of Young Minds
published
(continued on p. 15)
May 1996 Jain Education Intemational
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