Nisi Shawl and Gerry Caravan discuss the work of Octavia Butler at the Library of America blog. “[M]uch of science fiction’s increasing inclusivity is due to Octavia’s presence. By modeling the creation of imaginary worlds in which she and those like her—and those unlike her yet also unlike the dominant definition of ‘normal’—took part, Octavia influenced a myriad of other creators. Some of us belong to non-dominant demographic groups; all of us are interested in portraying non-dominant groups and group members in our work, as she did.”