@NicoleCRust Kiini Ibura Salaam and Nisi Shawl wrote some of the most vivid sci fi stories I've read -- I remember their scenes like dreams. They're both published by Aqueduct Press, a feminist sci fi publishing company from Seattle http://aqueductpress.com/
I think they both have released short stories mostly, but Nalo Hopkinson is also published by Aqueduct and her books are really good
Ones you probably already know about: Ursula Le Guin, Octavia Butler, Ted Chiang, Samuel Delany, Stanisław Lem
Not sci fi:
Djuna Barnes, Ana Castillo, Maryse Condé, Clarice Lispector, Jorge Luis Borges
[sorry it's a huge list of authors, I'm terrible at picking favorites]