Commentator Lester Spence remembers Octavia Butler, the author who introduced him to science-fiction writing and convinced him the genre wasn't just for white audiences. Butler died February 24, 2006 after a fall near her Seattle home.
It's easy to find remedies for racism and violence in the fictional world. But what about in real life? In her essay for NPR, Butler asks: What would make us more tolerant, more peaceful, and less likely to need a UN Conference on Racism?