Octavia Butler is known worldwide for her science fiction work. She’s even considered the “Mother of Afrofuturism,” a future that includes Blackness and our culture. But there’s another powerful side of her that it’s now crucial for us to examine.
The reluctant prophet. Butler’s “Parable of the Sower,” though first published in 1993, predicted the rise of white nationalism right down to the year 2024 and the “Make America Great Again” slogan. But that’s not all.
In "Parable of the Sower", the planet has become an overheated and desolate place. Violent storms ravage homes and take lives. There are droughts, even as sea levels rise. Income inequality is worse than ever, and desperate people struggle to make ends meet. And yet all is not lost.
In the sequel, “Parable of the Talents,” Butler shows us how to survive in an ever-changing and increasingly anti-Black society. The overarching survival tactic is working together to build the communities we want to see without expecting them to be perfect.
Butler’s stories teach us that liberation does not promise an easy path to a happy ending. Instead, she reminds us that the freedom to build, rebuild, and reimagine is how we survive rampant white nationalism and anti-Blackness. What foundations are we laying to become builders for our future?