About Afabwaje

Photo credit: Jaimy Ellis

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Afabwaje Kurian is the author of the novel BEFORE THE MANGO RIPENS, which was longlisted for the 2025 Aspen Words Literary Prize. She received her MFA from the Iowa Writers' Workshop. Her short fiction has been published in McSweeney’s Quarterly Concern, Callaloo, Crazyhorse (now swamp.pink), The Bare Life Review, and Joyland Magazine. 

She's taught creative writing at the University of Iowa, for the International Writing Program, and for The Writer’s Center, and received residencies and fellowships from Ucross, Vermont Studio Center, and Ragdale. Born in Jos, Nigeria, and raised in Maryland and Ohio, Afabwaje now divides her time between Washington, D.C., and the Midwest. ​