Nnedi Okorafor

Nnedi Okorafor was born Nnedimma Nkemdili Okorafor on April 8, 1974, in the United States to Nigerian parents, and her dual heritage deeply shapes her work. She is best known for her novels in the *Binti* series, *Who Fears Death*, *Akata Witch*, and *Lagoon*, as well as her Afrofuturist and Africanjujuist storytelling—terms she coined to describe her blend of science fiction, fantasy, and African cosmology. Okorafor entered comics in 2018, writing the *Shuri* series for Marvel, which follows the Black Panther’s genius sister. She also co-created the acclaimed graphic novel *LaGuardia*, a sci-fi immigration story, with artist Tana Ford. Her comic work extends to *Wakanda Forever* and *Amazing Spider-Man: Wakanda Forever* miniseries, often collaborating with artists like Vita Ayala and Alberto Jiménez Alburquerque. Okorafor’s accolades include the Hugo, Nebula, World Fantasy, and Eisner Awards. She was inducted into the Science Fiction Hall of Fame in 2024, cementing her legacy as a visionary who expanded speculative fiction’s boundaries.