Celebration: Divine Forces: Exploring the Power of the Orishas

Sun Jan 18 2026 at 12:30 pm to 05:00 pm UTC-08:00

San Francisco Public Library | San Francisco

Sistah Scifi
Publisher/HostSistah Scifi
Celebration: Divine Forces: Exploring the Power of the Orishas
Advertisement
Join us for a discussion on divine forces in African spirituality and their enduring influence across the African diaspora.
About this Event

Join us for Divine Forces: Exploring the Power of the Orishas, a transformative, all-day cultural gathering celebrating Yoruba spirituality, African diasporic traditions, and the enduring power of divine forces as sources of healing, resistance, and creative inspiration.

Hosted by the African American Center of the San Francisco Public Library, in collaboration with Sistah Scifi and Brother-Story, this immersive event features New York Times bestselling, Hugo- and Nebula Award–winning author , creator of the Legacy of Orisha series.

Anchored by a keynote from acclaimed author and Yoruba Priestess , the program brings together visionary writers, scholars, and cultural workers to explore how the Orishas function as spiritual guides, cultural anchors, and living forces across literature, faith, and community life.

Featured speakers include Sakena Young-Scaggs, , , , and Tomi Adeyemi, with conversations spanning Black diasporic religions, post-colonial traditions, and the resurgence of West African cosmology in contemporary literature—especially young adult fantasy.

, founder of Sistah Scifi, will moderate a special discussion with Adeyemi examining the role of Orishas in modern storytelling and their power to shape imagination, identity, and liberation.

This event celebrates resilience, creativity, and spiritual heritage, inviting readers, writers, and community members to reconnect with ancestral wisdom and envision futures rooted in divine possibility.
Panelists:

  • Ayize Jama-Everett ayizejamaeverett.com
  • Sakena Young-Scaggs rev-dr-sakena-young-scaggs
  • Luisah Teish yeyeluisahteish.com/about-yeye.html
  • Tomi Adeyemi tomiadeyemi.com
  • Clarence A. Haynes @clarenceahaynes
  • Kemi Ashing-Giwa kashinggiwa.com

Moderators:

  • Isis Asare
  • Dr. Stanford Carpenter @stanfordcarpenter
Advertisement

Event Venue & Nearby Stays

San Francisco Public Library, 100 Larkin Street, San Francisco, United States

Tickets

USD 0.00

Icon
Concerts, fests, parties, meetups - all the happenings, one place.

Ask AI if this event suits you:

More Events in San Francisco

Sunday Soul Flow Yoga
Sun, 18 Jan at 10:30 am Sunday Soul Flow Yoga

Baker Beach

Designing Her Next Chapter: Wellness, Worth and the Art of Repositioning
Sun, 18 Jan at 11:00 am Designing Her Next Chapter: Wellness, Worth and the Art of Repositioning

Sports Basement Presidio

San Francisco's Elegant Wedding Fair - Free Tickets Available
Sun, 18 Jan at 12:00 pm San Francisco's Elegant Wedding Fair - Free Tickets Available

Beacon Grand A Union Square Hotel

Resonance
Sun, 18 Jan at 12:00 pm Resonance

The Cowell Theater at Pier 2

EnVision 2026 - Manifest Your Year! - Jan. 18th
Sun, 18 Jan at 12:00 pm EnVision 2026 - Manifest Your Year! - Jan. 18th

735 Oak Street, San Francisco, CA, USA

Sunday Swaps
Sun, 18 Jan at 12:00 pm Sunday Swaps

Mirage Tattoo

Moon Daze, The Secretary and 1,000 Dreams
Sun, 18 Jan at 01:00 pm Moon Daze, The Secretary and 1,000 Dreams

3160 16th Street, San Francisco, California 94103, United States

Alaska Reindeer Hike & Greet!
Sun, 18 Jan at 01:00 pm Alaska Reindeer Hike & Greet!

1329 Columbus Ave, San Francisco, CA, United States, California 94133

Wood Finishes: The Basics!
Sun, 18 Jan at 01:00 pm Wood Finishes: The Basics!

The Randall Museum

Paint and Sip
Sun, 18 Jan at 01:00 pm Paint and Sip

911 Marina Blvd

PlayGround Solo Fest: The Specimen
Sun, 18 Jan at 02:00 pm PlayGround Solo Fest: The Specimen

Potrero Stage

San Francisco is Happening!

Never miss your favorite happenings again!

Explore San Francisco Events