SOUTH ZONE YOUTH

Here is the beginning portion of the dance finale...

July25th-Finale_Beginning from T. OKATA on Vimeo.

A message to all South Zone members of the dance group:

"This is the finale portion of the dance performance for the festival.
Celebrating a colossal victory with Sensei! – All youth DANCE!!!!!
This is our mission… our vow… our dream… our response with our lives, to be eternal disciples with Sensei. All youth dance, hip hop, out to the participants. It is the spirit of uniting with our mentor!!!"

Please see this report from Olivia, the South Central Region YWD leader:

With one day left to finalize payment for performers and with many obstacles arising, the members of Gulf Coast Area are fighting with all their might and refuse to give up!!!! Yesterday, after viewing the MLK Parade in the Rain video, one YWD guest paid in full for Philly and will perform with the Fife & Drum Corps!!!

Last week, a young man, who was the guest of a YMD who received his Gohonzon late last month, signed his own Gohonzon application!!!! This will be the 11th Youth Division guest in Gulf Coast Area to receive the Gohonzon since the Rock the Era meetings started last year!!!!!!!!!! This is a 550% growth compared to the previous year!!!!! AMAZING!!!!!!!!!

The Youth have had tremendous support from the Women's and Men's Division leaders and members. For example, it is common for them to provide rides to youth, sometimes driving 5-6 hours one-way!!! Because of their sincere vow to raise new young leaders for kosen-rufu and encouraged by the District Incentive Program, two different Women's Division district leaders, in two different districts, were determined to send at least 5 youth from their district... and they've done it!!!!!!

Also, all 3 districts in one of the chapters are having 5-7 hour chanting sessions for the complete success of the festival with no accidents!!!!! And the Women's Area leader said this year, an unprecedented number of youth participated in the May Contribution!!!!!!!

Gulf Coast Area is truly Rocking the Era!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Here is the full intro for the Taiko Routine!

Take a moment to familiarize yourself with the steps and practice as much as possible. We have just 50 days until the festival!!!

Peace Walk - Heartbeat

Is everyone ready for next month's festival? (Yes, NEXT MONTH!!!!!)

Thank you for all of your efforts to promote the festival in your areas! In an effort to create amazing momentum towards the festival and to help with all of the preparations that will be required to have an absolutely successful movement next month, we have officially opened up the South Zone control center at the Atlanta Community Center!!!!!!

The control center will function as a campaign headquarters for members to CHANT, collect payments for the festival, receive/give encouragement, make phone calls to youth, hold impromptu shakubuku meetings, Gohonzon conferrals, etc. And of course, members in other areas will be able to call the control center (404-475-1984) with questions, updates, etc. This is going to be so exciting! The schedule for the control center will be MON-FRI (6:30pm-8:30pm) and SAT/SUN (10:00am-5:00pm).

Please announce this at all of the kosen-rufu gongyos this weekend!!!

For the members in Gulf Coast, Memphis, and New Orleans Areas, we are asking that you set up control centers at your centers, too!

We want as many people as possible to be involved with this aspect of the movement toward's next month's festival!!

Thank you again for all of your efforts!

South Zone Team