IN-PERSON
Upcoming
offering
ABOUT
In 1987 Toni Morrison penned the essay, 'The Site of Memory'. Through this essay Morrison explains, and illuminates how Black writers confront and cope with historical traumas through literary archeology and the recollection of memory.
Deeply influenced by Morrison, SITES OF MEMORY [SOM] seeks to engage collective memory not to recollect our trauma but to re-engage our agency.
Using art and literature as portals for curiosity SITES OF MEMORY offers space to collectively contemplate and consider past history, present reality, and the developing future.
“You know, they straightened out the Mississippi River in places, to make room for horses and livable acreage. Occasionally the river floods these places. "Floods" is the word they use, but in fact it is not flooding; it is remembering. Remembering where it used to be. All water has a perfect memory and is forever trying to get back to where it was. Writers are like that: remembering where we were, that valley we ran through, what the banks were like, the light that was there and the route back to our original place. It is emotional memory--what the nerves and the skin remember as well as how it appeared. And a rush of imagination is our "flooding.”
Toni Morrison, ‘The Site of Memory’
Through dialogue and expression, we contemplate questions like, “What do we want?”, “Do we want to be well?”, and we discuss possibilities and pathways towards more well, harmonious, and whole ways of being.
May 23rd SITES OF MEMORY will center the work of Toni Cade Bambara, and her 1980 essay, ‘What Is It I Think I’m Doing Anyhow’.
WHAT TO EXPECT
LITUATION As in, a very literary situation.
Readings from the featured luminary
Meditations centering the works of other past and present luminaries
Mindful considerations to help guide the processing of emotion and expression of thought
CONTEMPLATION (aka) Sitting with it.
The practice of exercising pause before determining a thought, deciding on our feeling or reacting to internal or external stimuli or circumstance
DIALOGUE A collaborative, open-ended conversation focused on deep listening, understanding, and exploring perspectives to "think together".
Listening to see from points of view outside our own
Discussing to invite and welcome curiosity
Uncovering new or different perspective, idea and thought
Expanding the heart and the mind
NOURISHMENT For the mind and emotional body.
Lunch will be served (attendees will be asked to provide notes on dietary restrictions upon confirmation of attendance)
Closing meditation and sound bath
SPECIAL GUESTS TO BE ANNOUNCED
WHO THIS IS FOR
The bookish
The interested
Those looking to develop, deepen, and expand
The heart-centered and open-minded
The curious
WHY A DAY-LONG RETREAT?
Because, contemplation, and collaborative dialogue requires the spaciousness of time.
SITES OF MEMORY was originally offered as a 2-hour meditative write-in, and the two hours felt like 20 minutes (and we did less writing, and more discussing).
In a time when immediacy and fast pace is a norm, what many of us are craving is time to slow down, and sit. The “sit” is a term often used in meditation, because sitting –meditating, allows us time to focus, and focus allows us to become more mindful and aware.
In 1970 when Gil Scott-Heron released, ‘The Revolution Will Not Be Televised’, what he was communicating was a message: true change and awakening happens first with mental shift.
SITES OF MEMORY is an offering of time and space to sit, and shift.
reflections
“There will always be a lot happening in the world, and Sites of Memory gave us a place to collectively exhale and use the writings of some of our favorite authors and thought leaders to anchor us in self-reflection and collective discussion. Sites of Memory brought together like-hearted folks to create space to fill our own cups, helped us consider how the themes present in literature show up, and shape our lives, and discussed how we can continue building inner and outer worlds of our dreams.”
— H.T. [February 28th, SOM 1]“I loved that this offering is centered on pedagogy in life praxis rather than simply interpreting text — we explored the emotional context around the work and how it related to our own lives. There was a lovely balance between text and interpretation — flowing from an excerpt or reading, to probing questions, to open sharing. I resonated with the idea of what Ẹniafẹ describes as, “breaking into the self,” as I myself felt broken open by the end of the experience, leaving satisfied because I’d learned something new about Morrison, about others in the room, and about myself.”
— P.S. [February 28th, SOM 1]CONFIRM YOUR
ATTENDANCE
PLEASE NOTE: in effort to serve those who may need financial assistance, a limited number of seats will be available at a discounted rate, or at no cost. If you are someone who needs assistance, please submit an inquiry via the form HERE.
A day-long retreat, and dialogue series, centering literature and art from past and present luminaries. An invitation to dialogue, expression, and contemplate the question “What do we want?”, and “Do we want to be well?”, and discuss possibilities and pathways towards more well, harmonious, and whole ways of being.
10:00AM - 4:00PM (lunch provided*)
Facilitator: Ẹniafẹ Isis Adewale
Guest: To Be Announced
Featured Luminary: Toni Cade Bambara
You will be asked to provide notes on dietary restrictions upon confirmation of attendance.
PAY-IT-FORWARD
Can’t attend but want to support? Pay-It-Forward goes towards SITES OF MEMORY facilitation budget and helps to support attendees who need assistance with covering the cost to attend.
"All water has a perfect memory."
Toni Morrison, 'The Site of Memory'
"All water has a perfect memory." Toni Morrison, 'The Site of Memory'
a note from me,
to you
Sites of Memory is my “medicine in the honey”, my menacing in this system and society…
For over two decades I made a career out of bringing ideas to life. My official, and unofficial titles have included Event Producer, Project Manager, Account Director, overall Multiple-hat-Wearer and Magic Maker. In 2025 I began transitioning out of my career in corporate advertising, a decision made in order to more fully, and freely, ground into my voice, my agency, and creative gifts.
I understand one of my gifts is the ability to alchemize emotion (energy-in-motion) in a way that allows others to experience emotion differently. I alchemize through the expression of language, and language is a jumping off point for moving into action.
SITES OF MEMORY is my “medicine in the honey”, my menacing in this system and society created to keep us from each other and ourselves.
My hope for this offering is multifaceted, amongst the facets is the hope that we think for ourselves, and return to ourselves, our heritage and wisdom of our lineage; the selves that pre-date the western world and western civilization; the selves that understand we are not islands amongst ourselves, we are tethered, and this tethering is our protection, our safety, and our sanctuary.
~ eniafe isis
“Are you sure, sweetheart, that you want to be well?…
“Are you sure, sweetheart, that you want to be well?…Just so’s you’re sure, sweetheart, and ready to be healed, cause wholeness is no trifling matter. A lot of weight when you’re well.”