You Belong
York County Libraries joins eight other central PA county library groups to present the Transforming Health Summer Read project, now in its ninth year. We’re excited to present You Belong: A Call for Connection by Sebene Selassie as this year’s selection.
Our goal for 2021 is to align the Summer Read program to complement Transforming Health’s “Here With You.” “Here With You” is a special campaign designed to promote physical and mental resiliency as we all grapple with the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic. During these difficult times, there is one thing we know we can do – come together! Whether it is virtually or in person, connection is important. We can find ways to help the most vulnerable members of our community and encourage each other and our families to maintain our health and mental wellness. You Belong is an inspirational book with a focus on connection and seems tailor-made for these times.
You’re Not Alone
We are not separate from each other. But we don’t always believe it, and we certainly don’t always practice it. In fact, we often practice the opposite—disconnection and domination. From the unconscious biases we all have to the prevalence of “cancel culture,” we are encouraged to separate ourselves. Sebene Selassie uses her book to show how this denial of our inherent interconnection with one another limits us.
In You Belong, much-admired meditation expert Sebene Selassie reveals that accepting our belonging is the key to facing the many
challenges currently impacting our world. Using ancient philosophy, multidisciplinary research, exquisite storytelling, and razor-sharp wit, she leads us in an exploration of all the ways we separate ourselves and offers a map back to belonging.
The book will be a conversation starter for sure. During the Summer Read, readers throughout Central Pennsylvania are encouraged to check out and read a copy of the book (available in digital, print, and audio). After reading the book, you can use the provided discussion guide to continue the conversation. Talk about it with friends, family, coworkers, and book discussion groups.
Don’t forget to complete the survey to enter a raffle! Thirty winners across south-central PA will receive a copy of the book as well as an invitation to a private signing event with Sebene Selassie. Entries must be submitted online or to your participating library by September 30, 2021.
Explore the Topic
On Thursday evenings in August, presenters from York County Libraries and WellSpan Health, a Transforming Health partner, will offer a series of virtual programs with various topics inspired by the book. Click any title to RSVP to save your seat, but you only need to RSVP once to gain access to all four sessions.
Aug. 5 | 6:30 PM on Zoom You Belong: Whether You Know it or Not
Aug. 12 | 6:30 PM on Zoom You Belong: Here and Now
Aug. 19 | 6:30 PM on Zoom You Belong: Because You Matter (and So Do They)
Aug. 26 | 6:30 PM on Zoom You Belong: The Beginning and the End
BONUS: Sept. 2 | 5:30pm. You Belong: With Us offers an exploration of tools you can use to care for yourself, others, and our shared world. This live event will be held at Dover Community Center at 3700 Davidsburg Road in Dover, PA. A separate RSVP is required for this event.
Connect with the Author
Besides the raffle prize where you might get to meet Sebene Salassie in person at a private event, there will also be a public author event on Monday, October 11, 2021. Sebene will speak on the topics covered in the book. You won’t want to miss out on this unique opportunity! Details to come.