Past Octavia E. Butler Library Science Fiction Contests & Festivals
When our library was named after alumnus, Octavia E. Butler (class of 1962), we started our first Octavia E. Butler Science Fiction Contest. All entries were published in a book, and we had winners in each category - short narrative, poetry, graphic fiction, and art.
The following year, we celebrated the contest winners with our first festival. Acclaimed author, Ibi Zoboi, was gracious enough to attend to celebrate the renaming of our school to honor Butler just as her biography, Starchild, was released.
Now annual events, the contest and festival celebrate the genre of science fiction while honoring the legacy of Octavia E. Butler, who wrote about wanting to provide opportunities for young people to write in the genre. Butler is known for immersing herself in research to ground her writing in reality while imagining what if...., if only..., and if this goes on.... Our festival brings together writers, artists, scientists, and creators to inspire our students to see themselves in the future and imagine how they can be the next generation of thinkers and creators.
The Octavia E. Butler Library Science Fiction Festival will be on Friday, March 21st from 3-6 pm. We are welcoming writers, artists, scientists, creators, publishers, and organizations to participate in our festival by presenting a workshop, demonstration, or experience for our students. Additionally, we are looking for sponsorship and donations to help us provide this festival free of charge to our community. Please contact the organizer if you would like to get involved.
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