Youth Activities
SGI Activities
United Prayer Chanting Session every Monday night 7-8 pm at the Houston Community Center. Spear-headed by the youth but all are welcome.
Junior High/High School Division is a group that encompasses youth in junior high through high school, offering a place for young people in the SGI to connect to others who can relate to them and help them strengthen their faith, practice and study. A Junior High/High School Conference is held each year at Soka University of America. Visit the SGI-USA’s Junior High/High School Division web page for more information.
BSG (Behind the Scenes Group) is a group of young men and women who support all SGI activities from behind the scenes, making sure meetings are planned and run smoothly, supporting the logistics of small to large SGI-related events, and being of assistance to SGI members and non-members alike. The three BSG groups are Byakuren, Soka Group, and Gajokai.
Byakuren
“The mission of the Byakuren is to be pioneering practitioners, to protect fellow members who embrace the Gohonzon, and to safeguard our community centers—the strongholds of kosen-rufu.”
Daisaku Ikeda
(From a speech at the 1st Byakuren General Meeting, in Shizuoka, Japan on April 3, 1977)
Soka Group
Soka Group are members of the young men’s division who take full responsibility for protecting SGI-USA members, facilities and the movement for kosen-rufu. Soka Group members also ensure that meetings and activities run safely and smoothly.
Gajokai
“Gajokai members are SGI-USA young men’s division members who have accepted the responsibility for the care of the SGI-USA’s members, facilities and movement for kosen-rufu.” (SGI-USA Gajokai Manual) The SGI-USA community centers and culture centers are considered the castles of kosen-rufu. The Gajokai members ensure the safety and protection of the members.
If you are interested in being a part of any of these groups, please contact your local community center.
Art & Culture
SGI-USA Houston Arts Department
Houston Culture Festival - The Culture Festival is an annual event, showcasing the talents of our Houston SGI-USA members and friends. Please see the Events page for more information about the upcoming 2008 Culture Festival on October 4th!
Community Outreach
The SGI-USA promotes a broad range of community outreach initiatives based on humanistic principles and the quest for happiness in order to help humankind come together to work for common goals and share through worldwide exchange the variety of ideas and inherited assets of each culture.
The SGI-USA has been quick to react in times of crisis, offering resources and actively contributing to the support of those in need.
