We live in an Octavia Butler novel, in case you haven’t noticed. What did the Afrofuturist queen prophesy will happen to Los Angeles in 2025? They arrived. She wrote about the political upheaval in Parable of the Sower, right? trending right now.
In fact, Butler’s 1993 story of a young Black woman surviving in a civilization in decline, Sower, feels more like a survival guide than fiction. Therefore, it’s not surprising that more individuals are bringing attention to Butler’s work given her apparent foresight into the doomsday climate of today.
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Tananarive Duesays, a bestselling author, TV writer, and professor of creative writing, was interviewed on Zoom, and she was paying close attention. As they say, all you need to do to be a prophet is to pay attention, and she was unable to turn away. To be honest, she was frequently rather afraid about our future since she was unable to turn away.
However, Butler’s tales offer more than just startlingly precise forecasts; they serve as a means of imagining different worlds from a Black cultural perspective.
Parable of the Sower is a classic in Afrofuturist studies and an undeniably challenging novel, according to Due, who teaches a Black Horror and Afrofuturism course at UCLA.
Having seen Butler firsthand, she and her spouse, fellow author Steven Barnes, see her writing as an exhortation to build a future founded on healing, community, and emancipation.
Barnes stated, “We’re forcing ourselves to create an island within which we can create in the midst of chaos,” and Octavia accomplished just that.
In light of this, Barnes and Due are both writing during these hectic times and instructing others on how to do the same. The pair, who also co-host podcasts and vlogs, bases their courses on the writings of Butler and other authors, such as Ray Bradbury of Fahrenheit 451.
Barnes recently spoke via Zoom to a class of over 100 people, saying, “I want to teach you guys how to use, create, and consume art to save your hearts in the midst of stress.”
For Black people, stress and racial trauma are pervasive: a pivotal election that left Kamala Haris supporters disillusioned, followed by President Trump’s inauguration that brought forth several contentious executive orders. Following that, there were several global events, such as efforts to bring about a ceasefire in Gaza and destructive fires around the greater Los Angeles area that destroyed Altadena, a cherished Black neighborhood where Butler resided and is buried.
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Butler, who wrote over a dozen books about the future, struggled with depression herself. Prior to her death in 2006, Sower wasn’t a bestseller, but as disasters and crises continue to occur, sales have increased. During the peak of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, the book made its debut on the New York Times Best Sellers List. Even though the book is set decades after it was first published and the societies in Butler’s worldview have advanced technologically, outdated views on racism and sexism have persisted or become more pronounced.
However, Butler’s writing isn’t limited to dystopian horrors. According to Due, a lot of her writings discuss challenging both large and minor power structures.
One of the most often cited quotes from the Parable of the Sower is: God transforms you; everything you touch transforms you; change is the only constant reality.
Following the 2016 presidential election, that line became Due’s lifeline.
Due stated in class that it was those exact words that helped me come out of my shock. I’ve heard that keeping thinking that this can’t be happening is one of the things about grief that makes it more difficult to move on. This is not possible; it cannot be real. And I could continue on to the next stage to decide, “Okay, now what are we going to do?” after realizing that the only thing that will last in this election is change.
The answer to that question lies at the core of Afrofuturism and is essential to imagining a world free from the oppression of anti-Blackness.
Although the workshop’s guidance from Barnes and Due is intended for authors who want to publish, it could also be useful for individuals who are merely attempting to avoid violent deportations and spread awareness of the end of DEI through journaling or other creative endeavors. Of course, there is also the admiration for Butler’s vision and the use of it as a guide to remind us that clarity and healing are the first steps toward freedom.
According to Due, identifying the issue is one thing we can take away from her work. A problem cannot be solved before it is recognized. You have to get beyond your incredulity at that point.and, to be honest, chaos agents want us to experience that cognitive dissonance.
Due argues that instead of becoming upset over everything we see on social media, we should really figure out what important and what we should be furious about when every headline is more ridiculous than the one before it.According to Due, every absurdity we hear diverts our attention from a call to action. Small or large actions can be taken to strengthen communities, neighborhoods, or families in the midst of hardship.
