In “Ignoring Our Cities’ Racist Histories Is a Sin of Omission,” David Leong writes that Sarah L. Sanderson pushes readers of The Place We Make: Breaking the Legacy of Legalized Hate to ask, “What more could we learn about ourselves and our neighborhoods if only we looked a little closer and more honestly at our past?”

I invite you to slow down, consider the question above, and receive good things from author Sarah L. Sanderson and her book The Place We Make during an online seminar on February 10, 2024. This is one of my favorite books of 2023 and I’m thrilled to offer this seminar for those who are interested in exploring the book’s themes of racism, truth-telling, and hope for redemption.

Please Note: There are two paid options and one free option for this retreat. The two paid options include a copy of the book. The free option does not include a copy of the book.

Use code BR7RAAD for 50% off. This option and the full price option both include a copy of the book.

Use code FREE2024 to register for full access at no cost. If you choose the free option and would like to pay what you can, you can Venmo any amount to Charlotte at @CharlotteDonlon.

Retreat Date and Time: Saturday, February 10, 2024 from 10 a.m.-1 p.m. CT on Zoom

Books will be mailed within 48 hours of registration. Books can only be mailed to addresses in the contiguous US.

This seminar is three hours long. Each hour of the seminar will follow the following format:

—Contemplative Practice (10 minutes)
—Teaching from Sarah (10 minutes)
—Conversation between Sarah and Charlotte (10 minutes)
—Q&A and Facilitated Discussion with Retreat Participants (10 minutes)
—Break with Optional Journaling Prompts (20 minutes)

The final hour will have a shorter break and a few minutes to close out our time together.

Please Note: All are welcome. This is not a seminar for writers, but writers will have opportunities to write or journal if they choose to do so.

All registered participants will receive the Zoom link and additional information by 2/9/2024 at 6 p.m. CT or ASAP if registration occurs after 6 p.m. CT on 2/9/2024. Please contact Charlotte at charlotte@charlottedonlon.com if you have any questions.

More about The Place We Make by Sarah L. Sanderson:

A thoughtful investigation into the incredible true story of a Black man convicted and exiled under the Oregon Exclusion Law in 1851—and a contemporary White woman wrestling with racism and faith after learning she’s a descendant of two men who assisted in the exile.

“A beautiful rendering of an ugly history. A worthy read.”—Chanté Griffin, advocate, journalist, and author

A SOJOURNERS BEST BOOK OF THE YEAR

Moving back to the outskirts of Portland, called the “Whitest city in America,” prompted Sarah’s curiosity about the colonization of the West, her ancestors, and the legal exile of a Black man. She examined four city leaders involved in Jacob Vanderpool’s case—Oregon City’s founder, the case judge, Jacob’s accuser, and a local pastor—and the cultural and theological fallout of their decisions. Along the way, Sarah took a hard look at her tendencies, unconscious and deliberate, to ignore the possibility of prejudice in her heart. 

Vanderpool’s case proved a fascinating lens on a far bigger story than one trial, illuminating truths to help us all come to honest terms with our past, learn to repent, and contribute to the good of the people and places around us.

Journey through this sensitive expedition into the events that remain a thorn under America’s skin and discover afresh the vast potential of the flawed but endlessly redeemable—human heart.