In writing her first novel, Up North, Abena Sankofa developed a keen interest in researching the Reconstruction and Jazz Era, including the Great Migration. Along with adding to her ever-growing Jazz-Era playlist, as an aspiring Retro Fashionista, she is currently plotting how to fill her closet with 1930s-era hats and dresses. She currently lives in North Carolina with her parents, older sister, and a large, handed-down compendium of Jamaican recipes.