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 60K 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, 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.
Located primarily in cyberspace, Sistah Scifi launched three Sistah Scifi Book Vending Machines at Chapter510 located in Oakland, CA and Northwest African American Museum located in Seattle WA and Distant Worlds Coffee located in Seattle, WA in 2022. You can find details about the Sistah Scifi Book Vending Machines here.
Oakland Arts and Lectures with (from left to right) Tommy Orange, Katie Dorame, and Dr. Darcie Little Badger
Key Milestones
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2019: Sistah Scifi was founded, becoming the first Black-owned books to specialise in Science Fiction and Fantasy.
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2022: Janelle Monae The Memory Library with City Arts and Lectures.
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2022: Omar Epps and Clarence A Haynes on Sistah Scifi Wine Down Wednesday.
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2023: Launched three Sistah Scifi Books Vending Machines in Seattle at NAAM and Distant Worlds Coffee and in Oakland at Chapter510, making Black Speculative Fiction more accessible to the community.
- 2024: Oakland Arts and Lectures with Nana Kwame Adjei-Brenyah.
- 2024: Oakland Arts and Lectures with Tommy Orange and Dr. Darcie Little Badger.