angel Kyodo williams

angel Kyodo williams (born 1969) is an ordained Zen teacher who now holds the title Rōshi, reportedly the only living Black woman to hold Zen's highest teaching title, and is known for a teaching style that treats social justice and structural transformation as inseparable from contemplative practice, rather than as a separate concern. Her book Radical Dharma, co-written with Lama Rod Owens, argues this case directly.

She continues to teach through public retreats, including an Omega Institute retreat in May 2026 and further events through the summer, alongside work as a speaker on Zen practice and social change.