Searching for New Suns: Engaging the Prophetic Wisdom and Imagination of Octavia E. Butler
With Naomi Washington-Leapheart
June 12 - 14, 2026
Award-winning science fiction and speculative fiction writer Octavia Estelle Butler said, “There is nothing new under the sun, but there are new suns.” Butler’s stories, grounded in human vulnerability and human agency, anticipated the current chaos of our time. During this retreat, we will explore what Butler’s words can teach us about identity, survival, community, and transformation.
NOTE: This stand-alone retreat is open to the public. If you’re interested in continuing a long-term study of Butler’s Parable novels, consider joining the New Suns Cohort, which will meet virtually from 7-8:30pm ET on 3rd Mondays between July 2026 and May 2027 and for a closing retreat in June 2027. If applying for the Cohort, you do not need to sign up separately for this retreat. It is included in your package.
Leader
Rev. Naomi Washington-Leapheart is a Black queer preacher, teacher, movement strategist, and justice advocate. She is an adjunct professor of theology and religious studies at Villanova University and Arcadia University, and was the Government Fellow for Religion and Public Life at Harvard Divinity School from 2022 to 2024. Rev. Naomi also serves as the first-ever Strategic Partnerships Director at Political Research Associates (PRA), a social justice research and strategy center that provides strategic insights and actionable research that identifies, disrupts, and competes with movements and institutions that undermine democracy, justice, and human rights. In 2021, Rev. Naomi founded Salt |…
Learn more about Naomi Washington-Leapheart