I love that you specifically mentioned Butler, as I too find her work exemplifies this quality, moreso than even other SF authors in her cohort. I recently started the Lilith's Brood trilogy, and while it is more fantastical than anything else of her's I've read, it still remains *just* as grounded.

Yeah, I remember first reading her work in college and being surprised by how accessible and direct her stories can be. Most of the other stuff we studied even among Black authors just didn't click for me as much as hers did haha