“When I began writing science fiction, when I began reading, heck, I wasn’t in any of this stuff I read. I wrote myself in.”
— Octavia Butler
Boy, it’s hard to choose. But while it’s tempting to make you read everything Octavia Butler wrote, instead I will point you to two living writers.
N.K. Jemisin — like Natalie Diaz — is a winner of the MacArthur Foundation’s “Genius Grant.” (The title of this post is hers, for a book of short stories.) She is best known for a sci-fi trilogy called the Broken Earth series. It’s good! But I won’t make you read it. Instead, please watch this video the MacArthur Foundation made about her and this video of a famous speech she made at an award ceremony (the Hugos) about representation:
If you are going to write your response this week on literature, please also read this New Yorker profile of Jemisin.
Another obvious heir to Octavia Butler is Nnedi Okorafor. You can read an excerpt from her (super amazing) Binti trilogy here:
How does N. K. Jemisin relate to Afro-futurism literacy?
She has opened new opportunities for Afro-Americans in the literature section of sci-fiction. letting new generations of Afro- Americans connect with futurism in a way that they could feel recognized and empowered.
She is raising the Afro-American culture to be part of literacy and showing new generations that they are just as important to literary history as whites.
N.K Jemsin is one of the faces of afro-futurism literacy because has really open opportunity not only for literature writing she has opened the eyes of other colored people who want to inspire others without being told they have to do it this way or do it that way but instead they can do it there own way.She really inspire the Afro-American community that they can compete with other races in literacy and be as big and well known without there being a excuse to their success.
Afro-futurism is a movement in literature, music, art etc.One thing N.K Jemisin said that stood out to me was in the last part of the speech she was talking about about line from the kendrick Lamar song and how we all shall “let the stars come closer to all of us and the stars are ours” was very close to me because it makes me feel as if I can see someone like her to do why couldn’t I.
In my opinion I feel like everyone can learn about afro-futurism and should try to understand the culture even though they can’t relate they can see we’re people that look like me are coming from and give us opportunities instead of making excuse for why we are successful.
How does N. K. Jemisin relate to Afro-futurism literacy?
N. K. relates to Afro futurism literacy by pushing the boundaries of Afro Futurism, by allowing the writing to be able to impower Afro Americans, and at the same time allow them to feel represented. She allows creativity and uniqueness through literature. She allows Afro Americans to be included instead of excluded in literature.