Our First Digital Issue is here!

It’s here – midnight & indigo digital issue no.1!
July 5, 2023

Featuring 10 short stories and essays by Black women writers from the U.S., Africa, and Europe, our first-ever all-digital issue introduces characters learning secrets, defining themselves, and making sense of love. From beach towns to round-the-way grocery stores, beauty shops to being Black-at-work, join us for a literary journey.

Contributors include:
Kim Brandon | Favour Iruoma Chukwuemeka | Athena Dixon | Johannah Maria Fienburgh | Nikita Haynie | Jessica Kelley | Oghenesuvwe Kokoricha | Jā. R. Macki | Serenity Marshall | Kendall Tiarra

IN THIS ISSUE:

Short stories

• “Sandcastles” by Johannah Maria Fienburgh
  A Black family spends a day at the beach in 1960s America. Amid their happy day, a sinister appearance reveals a darker reality.

• “Finding Her Again” by Oghenesuvwe Kokoricha
  Two Nigerian sisters spend a day together touring art galleries. One has assimilated more than the other, causing tension.

• “Cats, Dogs, and Turtles” by Serenity Marshall
  A woman explores love and loss as she navigates a new relationship and comes to terms with a new lover.

• “What it takes to be (Wo)Man“ by Favour Iruoma Chukwuemeka
  A protagonist longs to be something else but watches helplessly until someone comes into her life and shakes up her perspective.

• “Songs my Mama Used to Sing” by Kim Brandon
  If you are a lucky kid, you might know who your parents were. Others find out bits and pieces of their own story on the street. Sista finds out what happened to her parents, the public secrets, and who she is third-hand—in exchange for a fist full of peanuts.

Essays

• About Your X by Jā. R. Macki
  A montage-y, shapeshifting list form reflecting on work experiences from a Black employee’s perspective.

• Running Tabs by Athena Dixon
  Explores the legacy of grocery store tabs and the hunger of the body and community.

• A Black Girl Reading & Writing by Nikita Haynie
  Reflects on the impact and influence of Black women writers on her personal journey.

• Traveling in Twist Outs: The Hair Politics of Black Women Abroad by Kendall Tiarra
  A Black woman grapples with natural hair, experimentation, and others’ perceptions while traveling abroad.

• The Shop by Jessica Kelley
  Every Queen needs a throne, and one of the best places to find one is in the beauty salon, aka The Shop. Take a humorous look at the special place it holds in the writer’s heart.