Emerging from the Shadows: Revisiting Black Horror & Black Healing

A conversation on Black horror, healing, history, and how speculative storytelling can help us imagine liberation. Join Sistah Scifi and the Berkeley Public Library for an evening exploring how Black horror can be used as a tool for Black healing—confronting trauma, reclaiming suppressed histories, and imagining new possibilities for liberation. Featuring a conversation with Black writers and cultural workers, the program will examine how horror gives language to personal and collective fears while creating space for resilience, transformation, and hope. Emerging from the Shadows: Revisiting Black Horror & Black Healing is a follow-up to Sistah Scifi’s 2025 Black Horror event at the San Francisco Public Library, continuing and expanding the conversation around Black horror, healing, and speculative storytelling. Watch the recording of the 2025 conversation on YouTube. Confirmed Panelists: • Tamika Thompson • Andrea Hairston • Clarence A. Haynes • Justin C. Key • Hayley Dennings • John Jennings Additional panelists will be announced as they are confirmed. About the Berkeley Public Library The Berkeley Public Library has served the people of Berkeley since 1893, and looks forward to providing many more years of community service. The Library is one of the most heavily used libraries in California, serving a local population of 118,950 and more from the surrounding area. (US Census estimate as of July 1, 2022) The Central Library, located in downtown Berkeley, and four recently renovated branches ensure easy library access for residents in Berkeley’s many and diverse neighborhoods. Read more here. About Sistah Scifi Started in 2019 by Isis Asare, Sistah Scifi is the first Black-owned bookstore focused on science fiction and fantasy in the United States, as validated by the American Booksellers Association, and has a community of nearly 65K points of contact with engaged readers across the country. The bookstore has been featured in The Seattle Times, KQED, Oprah Magazine, Buzzfeed, USA Today, KTVU, The New York Times, South Seattle Emerald and many more. Sistah Scifi's mission is to double the number of Black and Indigenous Speculative Fiction authors on the New York Times bestseller list by 2030. Read more here. Check out Sistah Scifi's bookshop.org page here if titles are out of stock at sistahscifi.com By attending this Sistah Scifi event, you consent to being photographed or filmed for promotional use. If you prefer not to appear in photos or videos, please let a team member know.