We ride in their wake: A personal journey of uncovering Black women’s history

Jobs, Journalism, Justice

Leinani Lucas is an Indigenous and Black writer from the Pacific Northwest. She can be found on Twitter @LeinaniLucas

Articles by Leinani Lucas

Colorful digital image of Vincent Van Gogh's face

Immersive: How the digital age is making traditional art more accessible

By Leinani Lucas | March 16, 2022

The most extensive collection of paintings by Vincent Van Gogh in the world is currently in Amsterdam. The aptly named Van Gogh Museum houses more than 200 works by the illustrious painter, with rotating exhibitions and sidewalk chalk art of sunflowers leading up to the main doors. But while I managed to visit in 2016, going to that museum for most of us Seattleites requires a plane ticket, a place to stay, the cost of food and admission and coveted time off from work or school. ...

In ‘Black Pulp,’ an academic exploration misses the authentic Black experience

By Leinani Lucas | February 23, 2022

BOOK REVIEW: ‘Black Pulp: Genre Fiction in the Shadow of Jim Crow’
By Brooks E. Hefner | 2021 | Paperback, $25 | Nonfiction, academic | Available via Interlibrary Loan

In “Black Pulp: Genre Fiction in the Shadow of Jim Crow,” James Madison University professor Brooks E. Hefner shares the history of pulp fiction by Black authors in the early 20th century. Hefner details the rise and fall of publishing houses and papers that focused on Black American genre fiction. ...

Young Black man, seen from behind, stands on expanse of concrete and bends down while holding measuring tape.

In ‘Goliath,’ Black Americans’ history defines our collective future

By Leinani Lucas | February 2, 2022

Tochi Onyebuchi’s masterful new near-future dystopia “Goliath” tells the story of an Earth that parallels our own. Onyebuchi shines light where we often don’t see it in sci-fi. “Goliath” is an unapologetically authentic Black American epic unlike any that I have read before. The dystopian nature of the Earth isn’t because of some extraterrestrial force, but from a terrifying combination of eco-fascism and white supremacy. ...

Black woman with shoulder-length hair, wearing tailored suit and pearl necklace, stands with hands on hips in front of a sunlit bridge

Failed justice

By Leinani Lucas | December 29, 2021

From prison to the courtroom, Keeda J. Haynes shows the inequity of the system

Criminal justice reform has long been a divisive topic for Americans on all sides of the political spectrum. The pendulum doesn’t only swing between “death penalty” and “abolition,” and even people belonging to the same political parties or ideology will have different ideas on the best way to deal with those in our society who commit crimes. In “Bending the Arc,” Keeda Haynes reframes the topic as a question: Does the justice system encourage reform at all or is it purely punitive? ...

Painting of two boxers with faces in shadow, one, in red, punching the other, who is in blue

Swords and robots: Book-It Theatre audio dramas drive the action forward this season

By Leinani Lucas | December 15, 2021

Faking humanity: A new sci-fi play asks timeless questions

Seattle’s Book-It Repertory Theatre has opened its 32nd season with the audio play “Zen and the Art of an Android Beatdown.” The play features a small cast of actors in an adaptation of the story by Tochi Onyebuchi. The show mostly hinges on two characters: Cecile, voiced by Mandy Rose Nichols, and the Boxer, voiced by Tim Gouran. ...

Combining Japanese treats and yōkai, ’Yume’ is a delicious debut

By Leinani Lucas | October 27, 2021

Book review: ‘Yume’ By Sifton Tracey Anipare

In Sifton Tracey Anipare’s debut novel “Yume,” readers are thrown into a delightful world of monsters, food and stunning visuals, all of which makes a fantastical fall read. “Yume” takes us across the Pacific Ocean to Japan, where Ghanian Canadian Cybelle is teaching English in a town outside of Osaka. ...

‘Nothing But Blackened Teeth’ By Cassandra Khaw

A taste of horror: Inspired by Japanese folklore, a thrilling novella twists and turns a familiar genre into new shapes

By Leinani Lucas | October 13, 2021

Book review: ‘Nothing But Blackened Teeth’ By Cassandra Khaw

Cassandra Khaw’s new horror novella, “Nothing But Blackened Teeth,” is a quick read that will leave you captivated and gripping your book or e-reader. With the weather in the Pacific Northwest turning chilly and dreary, this is the perfect tale for those who embrace the season and Halloween in particular. ...

'Image Control: Art, Fascism, and the Right to Resist' by Patrick Nathan

Control the images, & the world: The personal is political in Patrick Nathan’s new book

By Leinani Lucas | September 29, 2021

Book review: 'Image Control: Art, Fascism, and the Right to Resist' by Patrick Nathan

When I first picked up “Image Control: Art, Fascism, and the Right to Resist” by Patrick Nathan, I was a little skeptical. It sounded intriguing, but I often find that books on the leftist spectrum will pull punches and refuse to condemn themselves and their participation in society. Instead, Nathan’s ideas blew me away and resonated with me deeply. ...

‘She Who Became the Sun’ By Shelley Parker-Chan

Becoming the sun and founding a dynasty: A queer retelling of Chinese history challenges old worldviews

By Leinani Lucas | August 4, 2021

Book review: ‘She Who Became the Sun’ By Shelley Parker-Chan

Shelley Parker-Chan’s debut novel, “She Who Became the Sun,” is a gripping and dazzling read set in 14th century China when there was Mongol rule. Citizens of the Yuan Dynasty suffered from famine and roaming gangs of bandits the further they were from the Emperor’s army. It is in one of these famine-stricken villages that we meet our protagonist. ...