Octavia E. Butler: Certified sci-fi genius and motivational journaler

Her archives @ The Huntington; Star Child; Octavia's Brood; etc

It’s been such a while since I’ve shared thoughts here, but for the first time in a long time I am excited to share something that feels right, appropriate, and timely. This February, our 7-year-old had the opportunity to research and report to his classroom about an African American author, and I knew immediately I wanted to suggest Octavia E. Butler. Not because her books are an excellent choice for young readers — they are not — but because her biography and archives are so inspiring and resonant for young readers. Also, selfishly,  because her work offers tremendous cross-over to my professional life as a research librarian to a futurist. Over the last two+ years, I have been exploring data and toolsets supporting highly plausible future-oriented world building. That is, essentially, exactly what Octavia Butler did, often with stunning accuracy. My kiddo and I worked together to research her life, and I created a study guide of sorts that would be easy for a 7-year-old to share. 

If you are not familiar with Octavia Butler yet, I hope this piques your adult curiosity. If you are already familiar, you will notice my strategic focus on productive takeaways — there are so VERY many. But since I’m now talking to you, my adult friends and readers (and maybe some elder teen… babysitters?? I dunno, possible…) I’d be remiss not sharing that Butler’s future scenarios and worlds are indubitably dystopian, highly plausible extrapolations of racial and gender-based disparity and violence. Butler probes existential dilemmas that are relevant today: how will we cope on a dry and depleting planet; how do we reconcile unwanted pregnancy, the myriad awful circumstances that produce it, and the survival imperative; where is there evidence to support anything other than a continuing cycle of hierarchy, exploitation, and conflict? 

HOWEVER, however, there is, among Butler’s personal journals, calendars, and ephemera, such a huge collection of positive self-talk, action-oriented planning, and concrete goal specification and visualizing… I cannot help but think that Butler was driven by a conviction shared by many scenario planning coaches (Jane McGonigal) that clear, specific ideation about the future can in fact support better outcomes. Butler illuminates futures we should be working desperately to unwrite, sewn through with sacred reminders of how this might be possible (we change, we are changed, God is change, God is nothing but change, partnership is possible, we are potent). 

So, here I am, on Leap Day, at the nexus of Black History Month and Women’s History Month, on the eve of World Future’s Day (would you believe this timing, today, is actually a happy accident???)... here I am, inviting you to consider how the mother of Afrofuturism might help you and your young, sweet kiddos to find hope and activation in service of better futures.

The “study guide” I created for my first grader lives in this print-friendly Google Doc. It’s totally ready to share with your youngster, so, please, have at it. (Sources for all those nice photos above are given on the last page of the study guide.)

This is unusual, but I’m deviating a whole lot from my usual form here – I want to call special attention out to…

Ibi Zoboi’s 2023 book Star Child: A Biographical Constellation of Octavia Estelle Butler. Dutton Books For Young Readers. (Target audience is 10-13-year-olds per Amazon, 5th-grade+ per School Library Journal.) Libraries and bookstores.

…EVEN THOUGH I haven’t actually seen it yet! My copy was delayed, but it should be arriving today and I am super excited for it. 

Alright, that’s referenced in my study guide along with a couple of other pointers variously for the Octavia E. Butler archive at The Huntington Library. But also, you might like to check out these gems, which are honestly just the very tippity top of the awesome swell of Octavia Butler fandom and scholarship…

Octavia E. Butler Legacy Network, founded by Ayana Jamieson and Moya Bailey

Ibi Zoboi on Butler’s scientific mind and diligent research practices as the keys to her super forecasts.

Maria Popova on the spirituality represented in Butler’s work and interviews as “relational interdependence of selves, rooted not in our ideology but in our biology.”

ALOUD, a panel facilitated during Clockshop’s “Radio Imagination” event featuring works by artists let loose in Butler’s newly public archives at The Huntington Library.

Octavia's Brood: Science fiction stories from social justice movements. 2015, Walidah Imarisha, adrienne maree Brown, Sheree R. Thomas, et al. Libraries and bookstores.

Also, since World Futures Day is upon us, definitely check out Jane McGonigal’s super usable book Imaginable (libraries, bookstores), and consider exploring the various middle-school+ teaching tools at Teach The Future, especially the Futures Thinking Playbook.