In Parable of the Sower, a fire-ravaged California endures a future climate change that is now a reality. In 1993 speculative fiction classic, American science-fiction author Octavia E. Butlerwho lived in nearby Altadena, predicted catastrophic fires in Los Angeles.
The Afrofuturist's grave is in Altadena, which has been hit hard amid recent fires that have left thousands of Californians homeless. But his tomb survived: the AP shared a photo of the location and reported that it had received “minimal damage,” a statement on the Altadena Mountain View cemetery's web site cited. Butler passed in 2006 and her footstone reads “Everything you touch, you change. Everything you change, changes you,” a quote from Parable of the Sower.
Altadena, already CBS news described as “a historic Black community,” is now working to rebuild. The Book of Octaviaa Pasadena bookstore named for the inspired author, is a hub of activity that works tirelessly to support Butler's beloved Los Angeles enclave. For more information on how to help with relief efforts visit here.
Watch the interview below with Octavia Bookshelf owner Nikki High on the work they do—and the importance of Altadena as a great American city that should be preserved and not bought by real estate capitalists.
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