Walidah Imarisha facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Walidah Imarisha
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Imarisha discusses Octavia's Brood on The Laura Flanders Show in 2015
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| Occupation | Writer, activist |
| Nationality | American |
| Genre | Visionary fiction |
Walidah Imarisha is an American writer, activist, and teacher. She is also a spoken word artist, which means she performs poetry. She uses her writing and art to explore important ideas about society and justice.
Contents
Exploring Walidah Imarisha's Work
What Kind of Books Does She Write?
Walidah Imarisha is known for her writing. She co-edited a book called Octavia's Brood: Science Fiction Stories From Social Justice Movements. This book is named after the famous science fiction writer, Octavia Butler. It brings together science fiction stories that imagine new ways to make the world fairer.
She also helped edit Another World Is Possible. This was one of the first collections of writings published after the 9/11 attacks.
Walidah Imarisha has written her own books too. Her poetry collection is called Scars/Stars, published in 2013. She also wrote a nonfiction book, Angels with Dirty Faces: Dreaming Beyond Bars, which came out in 2016. This book looks at ideas about justice and how we can imagine a better world. It won the Oregon Book Award for Creative Nonfiction in 2017.
What is "Visionary Fiction"?
Walidah Imarisha, along with her co-editor Adrienne Maree Brown, uses the term "visionary fiction" to describe a special kind of storytelling.
They explain that visionary fiction is like radical science fiction. It uses real-life experiences and challenges to create new ways of understanding the world. It helps us imagine new worlds that could exist. This type of fiction also teaches us how to work together better. Visionary fiction uses our imaginations and feelings to guide us in making positive changes.
Where Has She Taught?
Walidah Imarisha has shared her knowledge at many universities. She has taught at Stanford University and Portland State University. She also taught at Oregon State University and Southern New Hampshire University.
For six years, she was a public scholar with Oregon Humanities. She gave talks all over Oregon. Her topics included the history of Black people in Oregon, new ideas for justice, and the history of hip hop.
How Has She Been an Activist?
Walidah Imarisha has been involved in many groups that work for change. She spent six years on the board of the Central Committee for Conscientious Objectors. This group supports people who refuse to fight in wars for moral reasons.
She also helped start the Human Rights Coalition. This group includes families of prisoners and former prisoners. It has three chapters in Pennsylvania.
