Octavia’s Bookshelf is an independent bookstore in Pasadena focused on authors of color. The store is named after Butler, whom High said has been a consistent source of inspiration for her.
When the Palisades and Eaton Fires hit Los Angeles, many people found themselves grieving the loss of their homes and communities, just as the characters do in Parable of the Sower. The descriptions of fire-ravaged landscapes became more real to readers who had now seen them firsthand.
Octavia’s Bookshelf was just blocks from the fireline. Overnight, it, like so many other places, transformed into a community relief hub. High, other employees and volunteers took all of the books off the shelves and replaced them with stacks of donated blankets, diapers, clothing and household goods for survivors of the fire.
Emergency supplies were piled high where copies of Parable of the Sower once stood.
“Many of the ways that we’ve come to support each other are based in that book for me,” said High. “I’m constantly referring to those texts and I’m always thinking about Earthseed and how I can be a better steward of our community. And a lot of that has to do with Octavia Butler.”