Octavia’s Legacy: Imagining the Futures She Made Possible

Join us for Octavia’s Legacy: Imagining the Futures She Made Possible, an evening honoring the enduring influence of visionary science fiction writer Octavia E. Butler and the generations of storytellers inspired by her work.

Presented in partnership with Aunt Lute Books, this special panel brings together acclaimed authors and thinkers to explore how Butler’s groundbreaking ideas about power, survival, community, and transformation continue to shape speculative fiction today.

Featuring , (Joining Virtually), , and , the conversation will reflect on Butler’s profound impact on literature and culture while examining how contemporary writers expand on her legacy through stories of resistance, imagination, and radical possibility.

From questions of climate and social justice to the role of empathy, spirituality, and adaptation in times of change, this discussion invites readers to consider how Butler’s work continues to guide the stories we tell—and the futures we imagine.

Whether you are a longtime admirer of Octavia E. Butler or discovering her influence for the first time, Octavia’s Legacy offers an opportunity to celebrate one of the most important voices in speculative fiction and the vibrant community of writers carrying her vision forward.

About Aunt Lute
Aunt Lute Books is an intersectional, feminist press dedicated to publishing literature by those who have been traditionally underrepresented in or excluded by the literary canon. Core to Aunt Lute’s mission is the belief that the written word is critical to understanding and relating to each other as humans. Through the sharing of stories, we strengthen ties across cultures and experiences, and at the same time honor the hurt, loss, and harm incurred through structural power imbalances, prejudiced and gendered systems, and ancestral trauma. We uplift these voices in order to build a more just future. Read more here.
About the San Francisco Public Library
San Francisco Public Library connects our diverse communities to learning, opportunities, and each other. Read more here.
About Sistah Scifi
Started in 2019 by Isis Asare, Sistah Scifi is the first Back-owned book store focused on science fiction and fantasy in the US, as validated by the American Booksellers Association. Located primarily in cyberspace, Sistah Scifi launched three Sistah Scifi Book Vending Machines at Chapter510, located at 546 9th St, Oakland, CA 94607, and Northwest African American Museum and Distant Worlds Coffee in Seattle, WA, in 2022. Read more here.

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