It's sci-fi month on The Lift Up! Hosts Tamara Crawford and Vina Orden discuss The City We Became, the latest novel by award-winning author N. K. Jemisin, and Friday Black, Nana Kwame Adjei-Brenyah's debut short story collection. Both writers create hyperreal versions of American society, imagining what it might look like when communities either succeed or fail to come together against the evils of our time—from racism and xenophobia, to police violence, to gentrification, to overconsumption and unfettered capitalism.

Thanks to listener and friend of the pod Camille, who suggested Jemisin, specifically her must-read Broken Earth trilogy! For transcripts, links to things mentioned on the show, and other bonus material, please visit our blog (https://medium.com/the-lift-up-podcast).