YJA Convention 2016 07 Los Angeles CA

Author(s): Young Jains of America (YJA)
Publisher: Young Jains of America YJA USA

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SESSION DESCRIPTIONS
Jainism and Sports: The Dilemma
Sunny Dharod
HS
LIFESTYLE
For those of us who are Jain athletes, how can we use religion to put ourselves in a position to win races, hit the game-winning home run, or make the shot at the last second? When we find ourselves tackling our opponents in football, accidentally hitting someone in the face with a basketball, or stepping on plants and insects while running races, do these acts of violence mean Jains shouldn't be allowed to play sports? In this session, we will explore what it means to be a Jain athlete and will ask and answer questions on how to balance out religious and athletic success! Jainism and the Art of Giving
Vaibhav Jain
JNF SOCIAL IMPACT
A core principle of Jainism is to leave selfishness for selflessness. Join public health specialist and foundation leader Vaibhav Jain for an interactive discussion about how even a small group of thoughtful and committed young Jains can change the world through philanthropy and service to the underserved. We'll consider the roles of advocacy organizations and foundations to create a structure for doing good on topics ranging from gender equality and poverty to global public health and animal rights.
Jainism for Future Presidents
Diyaanka Jhaveri, Rea Savla
HS/COL EDUCATION
Is there a place for Jainism in politics? Do our Jain views align with foreign policy in America? From the refugee crisis to the heated election these past few months, this session will provide an interesting discussion on how our Jain values can better align with our political beliefs. Come with an open mind and you'll be sure to learn some unique perspectives!
Jainism in the Modern Era
Simmi Nandu
Did you know there are close to 100,000 Jains living in the US? Join us in a discussion about the diaspora of Jainism to numerous corners of the world and explore the presence of Jainism and its influence in the current century. We'll examine references to Jainism in 21st century popular culture, understand the influence of Shrimad Rajchandra, and look into topics such as the 2015 Santhara Case that went to the Supreme Court of India.
Jainism on Your College Campus Ruhee Jain, Prakhar Bhandari
COL LIFESTYLE
Part of a Jain club on your college campus? If the answer is yes, come join us in this session! This session will be a time for members of Jain organizations from various universities to exchange their ideas and experiences. This session aims to help each organization broaden their educational and event materials, so that they can bring more variety to their club throughout the school year. Anyone interested in starting a Jain club on their campus should definitely attend this session as well!
Jainism vs. Modern Ethics
Anish Doshi
HS/COL EDUCATION
HS/COL
AGENTS OF CHAN EDUCATION
Jainism isn't unique in defining morality; ethical frameworks such as utilitarianism, deontology, and virtuism all provide alternative answers to the fundamental question, "What makes us good?" In the spirit of Anekantvada, we'll investigate these frameworks and compare them with Jainism. We'll apply our discussion to some interesting thought experiments, such as the Trolley problem and the Utility monster problem, and conclude with some real-world issues. By critically evaluating problems from a Jain perspective, we will explore new solutions to issues philosophers have debated for centuries.
Jainism: The Science of Life
Arpit Mehta
HS/COL/JNF EDUCATION
While the word religion is closely associated with faith, often it is purely faith and faith alone. However, Jainism is a philosophy which is based on logic and as the practices and theories are logically dealt with, faith comes from within. In this session we will look at Jainism from the eye of science. From Einstein's theory of relativity and the measurement of the smallest atom, to the laws of universal attraction and the theory of karma, step by step we will see how modern science approves the Jain tenants and how Jainism takes it further beyond logic.
Jains in Action (JIA)
JainU: Jainism in University
Poojan Mehta, Monica Vora, Adit Shah, Ravi Doshi, Pankti Gala
COL/JNF SOCIAL IMPACT
This session is reserved for the participants of Jains in Action (JIA) - YJA's first ever social impact competition! These Agents of Change will be putting Jainism into practice by spending this time collaborating on their JIA projects; generating new ideas, conducting research and analysis, discussing alternatives, and outlining their implementation plan. At the end of these working sessions, the Top 3 teams will be invited to present to judges in front of the entire convention audience!
HS/COL LIFESTYLE
Leaving the nest can be one of the toughest moments of our lives. Does Jainism change when you get to college? How can you practice Jainism through your daily choices and actions in college? If these are some of the things that you're wondering as you 33, AGENTS OF CHANGE head off to college this fall, come join us!