Building Thriving Spaces For Black Californians

We're featuring work from our colleagues at the Bay Curious podcast this week. Reporter Ariana Proehl digs into the history of Parchester Village, a neighborhood in the Bay Area town of Richmond. After World War II, Black ministers there made a deal with local politicians to build some of the state’s first housing intended to be racially integrated. Parchester Village soon became a hub for Black political power, excellence and community. Residents remember the powerful sense of belonging they felt growing up there. And host Sasha Khokha talks to Nikki High, owner of Octavia's Bookshelf, a new bookstore in Pasadena. When High’s grandmother died last year, she started reevaluating her life. She’d always wanted to open a bookstore and decided it was time to finally chase that dream. The store, named after science fiction writer Octavia Butler, will open in February. High tells us about the type of community she hopes to foster in the space and why Butler’s writing was so important to her growing up. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices