SITES OF MEMORY
a dialogue series
In 1987 Toni Morrison penned the essay, 'The Site of Memory'. Through this essay Morrison explains, and illuminates, how writers, Black writers, confront and cope with historical traumas through literary archeology and the recollection of memory.
“All water has a perfect memory…
“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
Currently as we bear witness to the reckonings of violent systems, we are presented with the opportunity to decide if, and how we choose to be in relationship with this reckoning.
SITES OF MEMORY dialogue series is a liberatory offering; a menacing, in a society built to keep us from collective growth, expansion, and harmony.
RECKON, stipulative definition (aka, personal meaning)
to enter into a dance with tension until the dancers become more partners, than opponents; partnership is in reference in resolution, by way of working through the tension, together, in relationship to, and with one another.UPCOMING
SATURDAY . MAY 23RD .
A day-long retreat centering literature and art from past and present luminaries. An invitation to release, explore and dialogue, in community.
featured luminary: Toni Cade Bambara
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 to be 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 about exploration, unraveling, and uncovering…
SITES OF MEMORY dialogue series centers the works of past and present luminaries, and offers space and time for not just alchemizing emotion, but for expressing.
This series is about exploration, unraveling, and uncovering.
In community, we discuss the past and present, and glean wisdom from luminaries who have archived time in unique and still resonant ways.
Through discussion, we explore language, and transform emotional weight into the ability to identify personal and communal paths forward, towards more well, harmonious, and whole-being.
“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.
Toni Cade Bambara, The Salt Eaters
Originally offered as a two-hour meditative write-in, the vision for SITES OF MEMORY has expanded into a day-long retreat.
TESTIMONIALS
“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.”
— Hannah T.“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.”
— Patience S.