The bookstore preserving the legacy of Altadena author Octavia Butler
Octavia Butler was often noted for being ahead of her time. A science fiction writer, she became the first Black woman to gain widespread acclaim in a genre that was predominantly white and male. During the Eaton fire, people were quick to point out the eerie similarities to her 1993 dystopian novel Parable of the Sower, which took place in 2025 and imagined Los Angeles ravaged by fires.
Altadena resident Nikki High opened Octavia's Bookshelf in February 2023, inspired by the author. 'People miss the blueprint of hope [Butler] wrote in Parable of the Sower.' It was with that in mind that High knew she wanted to help the community that had supported her in opening her bookstore, even as she was dealing with the effects of the fire herself. She turned the store into a mutual aid shop the day after the fires began, collecting and distributing donations to impacted residents. Octavia Butler passed away in 2006, but her legacy lives on in Altadena, Pasadena and beyond. Video by Rebecca Castillo.
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Yahoo
42 minutes ago
- Yahoo
A portrait taken in North Philly in the 1980s reconnects poet with cherished memories of her own beloved father
To celebrate Father's Day, The Conversation U.S. asked Philadelphia anthropologist, playwright and poetic ethnographer Kimmika Williams-Witherspoon to reflect on a poem she recently performed to accompany a 1986 photograph by Philadelphia photographer Joseph V. Labolito. Williams-Witherspoon, who also serves as senior associate dean of the Center for the Performing and Cinematic Arts at Temple University, shares how the collaboration came about, and why one of Labolito's photos in particular brought back a rush of cherished memories of being a little girl hanging out with her dad. The whole poem is a tribute to my father, Samuel Hawes Jr., who lived from 1920 to 1989, and the many men like him who were always present and participatory in the parenting of their children and the providing for their families. Because of stereotypes and popular culture – media, movies, news stories – that tend to demonize and pathologize Black men, there's a myth that men in our communities are all cut from the same cloth. For me, the poem discounts that stereotypical narrative and celebrates the African American men that I knew growing up – Daddy, my uncles, the deacons in our church, the neighborhood dads on my block. The men in this photograph represent men like Daddy, who at one point worked two jobs to provide for his family. He drove a yellow cab and worked the graveyard shift as a presser at the U.S. Mint. He took me to school every morning when I was in high school. He made it to every school function or occasion, drove me to and from parties so I could hang out with friends, took me to church every Sunday morning and on those special road trips to Cleveland, Akron, Ohio, and Fort Lauderdale, Florida, throughout my life. Joe Labolito is a Philadelphia photographer whose work, I believe, is visual ethnography at its best. Throughout the '80s, '90s and 2000s, he documented the people, streets and neighborhoods of Philadelphia. His photographs are housed in several public and private collections, including the Special Collections Research Center at Temple University and the Free Library of Philadelphia's Print and Picture Collection. About a year ago, I saw an exhibit of Joe's work at Temple. Since that time, I have been using some of his photographs as a visual prompt for my students, while he and I talked about doing something together down the road. When I was asked to participate in Temple University President John Fry's investiture events in March 2025, I asked Joe if he wanted to do something with me. Right away he said 'Yes … whatever it is.' I asked him to send me maybe 25 of his favorite photos, and instead, he sent me about a hundred. When I got a minute to sift through them, there were 11 that, as soon as I looked at them, immediately prompted lines of poetry. This photograph of the two men and the little girl, however, made me remember an old poem, 'There Are Black Fathers,' I had written a long time ago – on Father's Day on June 19, 1983 – for my father before he passed away from prostate and bone cancer. I went digging through my old journals until I found the poem that I had written for Daddy, and I performed that poem to this photograph at the event. The juxtaposition between the men and the little girl – their beautiful, bright smiles, the joy they seemed to radiate – it all made me think about and remember how much I loved Daddy my entire life but especially as a little girl. That's the power in these kinds of artistic, material and visual artifacts. This photograph transported me right back to my childhood, filled with the warmth of a summer's day, hanging out with my dad, and the promise of a banana Popsicle later in the afternoon. Whatever the prompt – a photograph, a landscape, a person I've passed on the street, a word or phrase – the first draft is a free-write sensory download dump. I ruminate and then write down everything that comes to me in whatever order it comes. And then with each subsequent draft or pass at it, I start reading the poem out loud and tweaking it, making edits, moving and changing things while crafting lines that frame and build the story. I read the piece aloud over and over and over again until the poem tells me when I've got it right. I don't know how, but my ear will tell me when it's done and right with my spirit. Ethnography is an area of anthropology. From the Greek word 'ethnos,' ethno simply means people or culture, and graphy, from the Greek word 'graphia,' is the writing about said people or culture. Traditional ethnographies are usually written in a diarylike journal form. You end up jotting things down – thoughts, feelings, expressions, verbatim texts from interview participants – alongside bits and pieces of theory that correlate. Field notes are a combination of prose and scientific inquiry. I am a proponent of compiling poetic ethnographies – turning my observation and investigation of cultures, communities, and my field notes, into poetic form. Growing up in Philadelphia and a product of Philadelphia public schools, my primary language is mainstream U.S. English, but I tell people that my actual language is poetry. I see the world through poetry, and through the medium of poetry, I think I am better able to articulate the world I see. Read more of our stories about Philadelphia. This article is republished from The Conversation, a nonprofit, independent news organization bringing you facts and trustworthy analysis to help you make sense of our complex world. It was written by: Kimmika Williams-Witherspoon, Temple University Read more: Nurturing dads raise emotionally intelligent kids – helping make society more respectful and equitable Fathers need to care for themselves as well as their kids – but often don't From 'dada' to Darth Vader – why the way we name fathers reminds us we spring from the same well Kimmika Williams-Witherspoon has received funding from Lumena Foundation's Fund for Racial Justice and Equity (2018-19) and PEW Charitable Trusts Arts Grant (2020). Joseph V. Labolito owns the copyright to Philadelphia Collections. Philadelphia Collections research and operations is supported and partially funded by the Bridge award; an internal grant provided by the Office of the Vice President for Research (OVPR) at Temple University for the 2024 - 2025 year.
Black America Web
an hour ago
- Black America Web
Gallery: Black Couples We Swooned Over At The 2025 BET Awards
Source: Johnny Nunez / Getty There may have been unforgettable performances, stirring tributes, and tear-jerker speeches, but one of the biggest showstoppers at the 2025 BET Awards was all the love in the air. Yes, the true main character energy came from the Black couples at the BET Awards, fans can't stop talking about—arm in arm, matching in style, and oozing with chemistry. Date night was in full effect this year, and so were the vibes. This year's Black couples BET Awards moments didn't disappoint. Teyana Taylor and Aaron Pierre topped the list of couples that made us swoon at Culture's Biggest Night . While the two made their relationship 'Instagram official' just a few days before the show, they were all the way locked in at the BET awards. Between performing on stage, the Rose from Harlem looked stunning beside Aaron. She wore a fitted Jagne white dress and strappy black heels with flirty flower details. Her new man – that's Mufasa – matched her fly in all black. His suit was giving swaggy, sharp, and tailored to perfection. This award show date comes right after Teyana threw Aaron a surprise birthday bash. Pictures of the intimate soiree have gone viral – and so has a video of the couple sharing a smooch. Yes, it looks like Teyana and Aaron are 'official official.' Yes, Sis! But Black love didn't stop there. Couples To Watch: Kash Doll & Za'Darius Smith Match Each Other's Fly At The 2025 BET Awards Detroit's finest Kash Doll also arrived boo'd up and beautiful with her new NFL bae, Za'Darius Smith. The two hit the carpet in coordinating snakeskin fits – and were a whole moment. Kash rocked a tied-up, grommet-detailed strapless bodycon that hugged her curves. Za'Darius made the look his own in a matching sleeveless vest and pants that showed off his NFL physique. Source: Aaron J. Thornton / Getty The pair didn't just match outfits—they matched energy. And for fans who've followed Kash's journey, it's giving: Yes, girl, you deserve. From newly minted couples we are watching to more established ones that keep us inspired, Black Love had a moment this year at the BET Awards. Scroll on for our gallery of couples who turned the BET Awards into the ultimate date night. Gallery: Black Couples We Swooned Over At The 2025 BET Awards was originally published on Source:Getty We love to see Skyh Black and KJ Smith on a red carpet. The two always understand the assignment and give us both 'just enough' and 'a little too much.' Following the announcement of their first baby together, the BET Sistas couple looks fabulous. Source:Getty LeToya Luckett and Taleo Coles are giving us couples style goals, and we are obsessed. Each brought their own take on brown with LeToya in a liquid, patent leather like gown and Taleo in a sharp tailored suit. Is the phrase 'a couple that slays together, slays together' their mantra? Source:Getty If Black Tie was the dress code then D-Nice and his girlfriend Jennifer Freeman embodied it! We love Jennifer's halter-style dress that showed off her tiny waist, sculpted arms, and curvy legs. Sis looks good! And DJ D-Nice matches her fly in a black suit with his signature wide brim hat. 10 out of 10 for this couple! Source:Getty DeVon Franklin and Maria Castillo are another couple who chose to bet on black. DeVon wears a classic black tuxedo with a bow tie. Maria continues his sophisticated vibe with a black sequin dress and simple jewelry. (We see that engagement ring, Maria!) Source:Getty Snoop Dogg and his wife Shante Broadus chose to bring bold color to the 2025 BET Awards just before the rapper received his Ultimate Icon Award. The couple, who have been married for 28 years, each rocked their own take on electric blue. Snoop wore a relaxed long button down and pants, while Shante chose a suit with exaggerated shoulders. Both stunted for the cameras in shades. Black America Web Featured Video CLOSE
Miami Herald
an hour ago
- Miami Herald
‘Sinners' returns to AMC for discounted screening on Juneteenth. What to know
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