by Nahlah Abdur-Rahman
January 21, 2025
The store became a donation hub for the historically Black area impacted by the ongoing Los Angeles fires.
Octavia’s Bookshelf, the Black-owned bookstore in Pasadena, California, named after Octavia Butler, has transformed into a resource center for victims of the Los Angeles fires.
According to NBC News, the store has emerged as a safe haven for those displaced by the still-ongoing fires. Neighboring the heavily impacted and historically Black area of Altadena, the bookshop’s location provides access and comfort to the Black Angelenos who need it most.
The store’s namesake came from the Parable Of The Sower author. The novel warned of these fires due to environmental and racial injustice. Given this, the store’s management felt it was their duty to give back in honor of Butler and her advocacy.
“The focus has always been serving the community, and that means different things at different times. Right now, it means something other than books,” Kiki Williams, manager of the bookstore, said.
The bookstore’s owner, Nikki High, also had to flee her home in the Los Angeles suburb. However, she discovered that her business still had power and immediately used the source to help other victims.
The 621-square-foot space transformed into a mutual aid hub. Through this, community members have come by, free of charge. There, they charged their devices and secured essential items, from blankets to baby food. Moreover, a volunteer initiative has helped deliver these necessities to the elderly figures in the area.
“This community is one with a lot of elders, it’s one with folks with disabilities,” continued Williams. “Also, people are in shock, they’re spread out. They’re far away, so we want people to have access to these items even if they’re not able to come get them themselves. So we have been able to take clothing and food and items to folks who are farther away, who don’t have cars at the moment but who need them.”
The bookshop will transition into a sanctuary for the community through writing workshops and more as it phases out of resource distribution. However, paying homage to Butler’s own Pasadena upbringing and legacy as a writer-activist made the mission worth it.
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