meet our team

Founded in 2018, midnight & indigo is a small publisher and literary journal that provides a space for Black women writers to share their voices with the world. Dedicated to celebrating the power of our narratives, we focus on short fiction and essay writing, contributing to the rich tapestry of Black literature. Through our tri-annual print publication, we publish via our online platform at midnightandindigo.com and facilitate online writing classes for Black women writers. We have published 300+ emerging and established Black storytellers across the U.S., Africa, the Caribbean, Europe, Canada, Asia, and Australia. Launched in January 2022, our online Writing Program has served 400+ Black women writers since its inception. We are 100% Black woman-owned.

Start

our editorial team

Ianna A. Small | Founder & Editor in Chief

Ianna A. Small is the force behind midnight & indigo Publishing and the creative mastermind of midnight & indigo, a literary platform spotlighting short stories and narrative essays by Black women writers. As editor-in-chief, she orchestrates the editorial and creative symphony for both digital and print, while also nurturing m&i’s Writing Program for Black women writers. When she’s not weaving literary magic for 300+ storytellers across the U.S., Africa, the Caribbean, Europe, Canada, Asia, and Australia, Ianna spends her spare time diving into the vibrant worlds of Black and South Asian literature, gets her adrenaline fix from Korean horror, and binge-watches Insecure, The Golden Girls, crime and cultural food documentaries. She dreams of running m&i from a lounge chair overlooking the archipelagos of her happy place: Santorini. A proud Syracuse University alumna, Ianna is a developmental editor and active member of ACES: The Society for Editing and the EFA (Editorial Freelancers Association). Email her at editor@midnightandindigo.com

***

Jola Naibi | Fiction Editor

Jola Naibi was raised in Lagos, went to school in the U.K., has lived in Switzerland and now calls the U.S. her home. She has been writing fiction for more than twenty years and is the author of TerraCotta Beauty, a collection of short stories which captures the essence of life in the city of Lagos. Her work has been featured in Afreada, midnight & indigo, Thriving Writers, and Isele Magazine.  Her short poetic essay entitled there are things that your privilege will not let you see is featured in Grub Street Literary Magazine and received an award from Columbia University. Reading and writing fuel her energy. Email her at jola@midnightandindigo.com

***

Ravynn K. Stringfield, Ph.D. | Non Fiction Editor

Ravynn K. Stringfield, Ph.D. is a writer based in Virginia. Ravynn’s creative nonfiction has appeared in Catapult, Shondaland, Greatist, ZORA and midnight & indigo. She penned the column ?Superhero Girlfriends Anonymous? for Catapult magazine from 2021-2022. Her debut novel, Love Requires Chocolate (Joy Revolution, August 2024), is a young adult romance following young Black American theatre nerd, Whitney Curry, as she conducts research on her idol, Josephine Baker, during a study abroad program in Paris but gets sidetracked by her French tutor. Her sophomore novel, Love in 280 Characters or Less (Feiwel & Friends), will be out April 15, 2025. You can read more at ravynnkstringfield.com or follow her on social media @RavynnKaMia. Email her at ravynn@midnightandindigo.com

***

Jina DuVernay | Non Fiction Editor

Jina DuVernay is a librarian, archivist, and writer. The California native currently resides in Atlanta, Georgia where she is pursuing a PhD in Humanities at Clark Atlanta University. DuVernay has published several professional articles and book chapters. She is a freelance writer for Sisters from AARP, American Greetings and is a Hurston/Wright 2022 Writers Week Retreat alum. DuVernay’s creative fiction has appeared in Kweli Journal. Email her at jina@midnightandindigo.com

***

Dayo Akinyemi | Fiction Editor

Dayo Akinyemi (she/her) is a listener and a health communicator whose main goal is to make health information accessible and relevant to different audiences, particularly communities of color. She believes that meaningful communications honor the lived experiences of those you are communicating with. Her work has included leading the communications department of a national, mental health non-profit, and garnering media interest for health and science research at Tufts University School of Medicine. Dayo is an avid reader, and primarily reads books authored by women of color. One of her favorite authors is Octavia E. Butler. As an editor, her intention is to help folks understand that storytelling and books can be powerful tools that facilitate our collective healing. Dayo hopes to amplify stories that expand the reader’s imagination through fantasy, and storytelling that provokes a journey of self-discovery using themes surrounding love, aging, and culture. Email her at dayo@midnightandindigo.com

***

Ardith Wilson | Fiction Editor

Ardith is Jamaican and Canadian and currently lives in Alberta, Canada. Ardith has loved speculative and literary fiction since a young age and is passionate about reading stories they can see themselves in. When not working or volunteering Ardith spends most of their free time gardening and caring for her foster cats. Email her at ardith@midnightandindigo.com