“We Belong Together”: New Library Series with Guest Curator Amber Flame Kicks Off Jan. 25
release date: January 20, 2026
This winter, join The Seattle Public Library and guest curator Amber Flame for a new series, “We Belong Together.” With a kickoff event on Sunday, Jan. 25, the three events will explore how we expand our human and natural connections to access delight and the healing power of connectivity.
“To know one's place in community, to know who to plant seeds, grow, and build with -- and where to find joy -- is essential in combatting the chaos of our times,” said Amber Flame of the series.
Each event is free and open to the public, and will be held at the Central Library, Level 4 Room 1. Registration is required.
“Rooting for the Future” (Sunday, Jan. 25, 3:30 p.m. to 5 p.m.) will bring together workers, healers and activists focused on new learning and cross-sharing. We’ll discuss practical learning tools for world-building such as collective farming; micro-communities using barter and trade systems; foraging groups; and root and medicinal knowledge sharing.
“Meet Cute at the Library” (Sunday, Feb. 22, 2 p.m. to 3:30 p.m.) is inspired by an idea for a cheap date night that was featured in an early 2000s edition of “The Stranger Suggests.” The events column in the weekly newspaper suggested picking a book of love poems and reading them together on the Red Floor (Level 4) at the Central Library. You’ll experience stations of local performers sharing love poems and short stories to celebrate all kinds of love – romantic but also friend-love, platonic love, love of nature and animals, love for children, and more. Performers will come together for a panel on writing the heart.
“Peepless in Seattle” (Sunday, March 1, 2 p.m. to 3:30 p.m.) features creatives and community leaders whose work is grounded, formed and rooted in the Pacific Northwest, but hail from other parts (or countries). This panel will dive into belonging and how long it takes to call a place home.
The Library frequently works with guest curators to develop community-responsive programming, which is supported by The Seattle Public Library Foundation and the Gary and Connie Kunis Foundation. See our guest curator page for more information.
About guest curator Amber Flame
Amber Flame is an award-winning multi-genre writer and interdisciplinary artist. Flame is author of poetry collections “Ordinary Cruelty” and “apocrifa,” and is deputy publisher and cofounder of Generous Press.
Flame is at work on a third poetry manuscript, an essay collection, and a film while touring as singer/songwriter of Last of the RedHot Mamas, a blues band.
About The Seattle Public Library
The Seattle Public Library believes that the power of knowledge improves people's lives. With 27 locations and a Mobile Services unit, a digital and physical collection of 2.9 million items, and thousands of programs a year, we bring people, information and ideas together to enrich lives and empower community.
Contact the Library’s Ask Us service by phone at 206-386-4636 or by email or chat at spl.org/Ask. Staff are ready to answer questions and direct you to helpful resources and information. Find out more about our future plans at www.spl.org/StrategicPlan.