Taking Refuge: Melvin Escobar on Generosity, Trust, and Belonging

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When we sat down with EBMC core teacher Melvin Escobar to talk about community and gift economics, he surprised us by getting emotional before the camera even started rolling.

What he shared was simple, spacious, and deeply moving.

When asked about his role at EBMC, Melvin paused, then said:

“My primary role is human taking refuge. That’s the role. We arrive here and it’s like… wow.”

For Melvin, EBMC has long been a place of arrival — a place where showing up as you are is not only allowed, but welcomed. A place where refuge is not theoretical, but lived.

Melvin spoke about generosity not just as a practice, but as an act of trust. A faith that what is offered freely, without attachment, returns in ways we cannot always predict or control.

“Generosity is a faith practice. We offer freely, without attachment, and freely knowing it will come back. That is the divine law.”

That sense of trust is something Melvin felt early on in his relationship with EBMC.

“There was a wiser aspect of me that said, ‘This is somewhere you can be.’ And the Sangha reflected that back. There was unspoken permission to be here in my unique expression.”

This is what generosity makes possible at EBMC.

A place where people can arrive exactly as they are.
A place where refuge is real.
A place where belonging is alive and embodied.

During this Season of Gratitude, we invite you to support the community that has held thousands of us in moments of vulnerability, healing, and awakening.

Your generosity helps sustain EBMC’s refuge — for this moment and for generations to come

👉 Make your monthly gift today: Join us in our Season of Gratitude 2025

Thank you for being part of this community with your presence, your practice, and your generosity.