April 28: Loss, Beginning, and Awakening
Some dates don’t just pass through time—they hold it.
April 28 is one of those days for me.
It is the day my father passed away. It is a day defined by loss, by absence, by the quiet weight of grief. Yet, that same day has come to hold something else as well—something expansive, something alive.
It is also the day I formally joined a community to practice Buddhism together. It is a second birthday of sorts, not of the body, but of intention. I am choosing, consciously, how I want to live, how I want to respond, how I want to create meaning.
And long before my own life touched that date, April 28 was already marked by another beginning. In 1253, Nichiren Daishonin chanted the mantra, Nam-myoho-renge-kyo, for the very first time while facing the soft rays of the rising sun, establishing a practice rooted in the belief that each person possesses limitless potential—and the power to bring it forth.
Loss. Beginning. Awakening.
All on the same day.
When I reflect on the hoodie collections we’ve created, I realize they are not separate from this date—they are expressions of it.
The Black Joy Collection carries the message of deep roots and boundless brilliance. It is a reminder that even through histories marked by struggle, there is joy that cannot be erased, brilliance that continues to rise, and roots that anchor identity in something unshakeable. That message resonates deeply with April 28—a day that taught me that even in loss, something enduring remains.
The Lunar New Year Greetings Collection is grounded in Chinese characters—language that is both visual and meaningful, ancient and still evolving. These characters carry blessings, intentions, and cultural memory. They are shared across generations and across borders, including their historical influence on Japanese writing. In this way, they represent continuity—how meaning travels, transforms, and is re-expressed over time.
And then there is the Buddhist Inspirations Collection, where phrases like “change karma into mission”, “winter always turns to spring,” and “change poison into medicine” come to life. These are not just words; they are practices. They are ways of relating to life that insist: no matter the circumstance, transformation is always possible.
April 28 holds all of this.
It holds grief, and it holds the decision not to be defined by it.
It holds history, and it holds the courage to begin again.
It holds roots that run deep, and the brilliance that continues to rise from them.
Launching these hoodies on this day is not about marking an ending. It is about honoring a cycle—cause and effect, past and present, loss and creation—all existing together.
It is a way of saying:
From what we inherit, we create.
From what we experience, we transform.
From what we believe, we bring forth something new.
In that sense, April 28 is not just a date.
It is a reminder that even the most personal moments of our lives are connected to something much larger—a shared human capacity to find meaning, to express identity, and to choose, again and again, to create value.
And so this launch is offered in that spirit.
With deep roots.
With boundless brilliance.
And with the belief that what we create—within and around us—can ripple far beyond what we first imagine.
Consider this an invitation for you to revisit our site come launch day. 🙂
As a special thank you to our early supporters, the entire collection will be available at an introductory price of $78 through May 31, 2026. On June 1st, the price will transition to its standard premium rate of $88. This adjustment ensures we can maintain our commitment to 100% cotton, sustainable production, and meaningful contributions to the causes we support.