Stephani E. D. McDow is a Maryland-based, multi-genre writer published in Day Eight's Diaspora Cafe: DC, Bourgeon, Still Point Arts Quarterly, Genre: Urban Arts No. 7, and Femme Literati: Mixtape Anthology. Her work is anthologized alongside nationally prominent voices such as Jericho Brown, Lucille Clifton, and Tess Gallagher in Raven Chronicle Press’ Take a Stand: Art Against Hate, winner of the 2021 Washington State Book Award for Poetry. Additionally, she has work forthcoming in Kweli Journal and a presently unnamed anthology to be published with Day Eight.

Stephani has been a nonprofit and association leader for over fifteen years with expertise in professional development, and adult learning; and diversity, equity, inclusion, accessibility, and belonging assessment and strategy. Stephani is a lupus warrior and sexual abuse survivor whose work tends to focus on intertwining raw experiences and understanding with hopes of shattering the whole of trauma into particles better digested or destroyed. A Tin House Summer Workshop alumna and Hurston/Wright Summer Workshop Fellow, Stephani has a BA in English and Humanities from University of Maryland-GC and has completed professional development courses and workshops post. When not writing, Stephani is devouring novels, loving on family and snuggling with her Great Dane.