Writers, poets, philosophers, and artists have written theories and created beautiful worlds that inspire us to live differently. Throughout the history of patriarchal racial capitalism, there have been stories that allude to a different way of being. In VOL’s monthly reading groups, we explore some of these histories and stories in community. Each month we alternate between an “intellectually rigorous” and a “relationally rigorous” book based on the idea that we need both to exist differently. 

When: 4th Mondays of the month 

Past reading groups: 

• February 2025, All About Love by Bell Hooks 

• March 2025, A History of the World in Seven Cheap Things by Jason W. Moore and Raj Patel

• April 2025, What It Takes to Heal by Prentis Hemphill 

• May 2025, Pedagogy of the Oppressed by Paulo Freire

• June 2025, Parable of the Sower by Octavia E. Butler

Join VOL’s August reading group for Parable of the Talents, the powerful sequel to Octavia Butler’s Parable of the Sower. We’ll continue along with Lauren Olamina on her journey to be an agent of change and reflect how this dystopian California can be a mirror of our own world today. Join us for a discussion on how to create community, navigate pressure, and exist differently.

Free Admission Event

A digital copy of the book will be provided after registration.