Wintergreen Women Writers Collective (Wintergreen) and Torch Literary Arts (Torch) are embarking on an intergenerational three-year project for Black women writers called Welcome Table Talks. The virtual discussions will cover various topics related to organization building, literary freedom, legacy, and more. The virtual discussions are free and open to all.  

The first Welcome Table Talks event will be held on Tuesday, March 11, at 7 p.m. EST. Executive directors from both literary organizations will discuss the journey of building their respective institutions and the changing needs of leadership. Whether you’re a grassroots organizer or starting a nonprofit, this inaugural talk is perfect for self-starters looking for insight. You can RSVP to the first discussion here.

“Wintergreen has been providing a sacred space for women writers since 1987 when I invited Nikki Giovanni to meet other Black women writers in Virginia. In what was still an unwelcoming academic atmosphere, we came together to affirm the vibrancy of Black literary culture and our vital place in it,” said Dr. Joanne Gabbin, executive director of Wintergreen. 

In 1987, renowned author and activist Nikki Giovanni moved to Virginia as a Commonwealth Visiting Professor at Virginia Tech. In her honor, Dr Joanne Gabbin organized a small gathering of Black women writers at Wintergreen Resort. What began that day as a simple celebration of sisterhood and life blossomed into something much more. Now, almost four decades later, the Wintergreen Women Writers Collective offers workshops, retreats, and opportunities for Black women writers to connect, hone their craft, and gain exposure. By doing this, the Collective sustains a literary sisterhood focused on "Sacred Work"—creating in a safe, welcoming space that centers the encouragement and support of Black writing and culture, by nurturing each of the women as writers, scholars, and artists. 

At this literary site, members have workshopped and critiqued each other's work, offering guidance not only on pedagogy but even on publishing, promoting, and naming books. Annual retreats have served as nourishing spaces for seeds of ideas that resulted in programs, conferences, centers, and organizations. The Collective's range of public and private work has produced a supportive environment for the formation of mission-aligned institutions and organizations like Furious Flower, History of Black Writing, and Cave Canem. The Collective provides a haven for generational perspectives where emerging writers learn from senior writers and in turn spark new ideas. It is a place where the women go to heal, transform, and renew themselves. It provides a way to support systemic change in our communities while bringing about personal transformation.

This work contributes to the Mellon-funded implementation project by Wintergreen entitled “The Women Gather.” One area of key development the funding supports is building strategic partnerships with mission-aligned organizations like Torch.

“I’m excited to witness the magic this event produces,” said Amanda Johnston, founder and executive director of Torch Literary Arts. “When we provide space to learn from each other while simultaneously encouraging emerging writers and future leaders, we are creating invaluable resources and inspiring unimaginable work.”

You can find out more about Wintergreen by visiting their website at wintergreenwomenwriterscollective.com, and more about their pilot partnership, Torch, at torchliteraryarts.org. 

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About Wintergreen Writers Collective

The Wintergreen Women Writers Collective is a 501(c)3 organization that gathers Black women writers in a literary community that seeks to publish, document, preserve, and celebrate their creative work. More than 70 women from all over the country have taken part in one or more of the Wintergreen retreats or programs over the last 38 years, coming to a place where they can do the sacred work of literary and cultural production. Wintergreen Women are prefiguring a world where the history and legacy of Black women writers are honored and preserved—a world where Black women writers have access to intergenerational spaces where, in community and mutuality, they can nurture one another and locate resources to support their creative practice. Members of the Collective share their knowledge and creativity as a way of encouraging and engaging one another and their extended literary and scholarly communities.

About Torch Literary Arts

Torch Literary Arts is a 501(c)3 nonprofit established with love and intention in 2006 to publish and promote creative writing by Black women. We publish contemporary writing by experienced and emerging writers alike. Torch Magazine has featured work by Toi Derricotte, Tayari Jones, Sharon Bridgforth, Crystal Wilkinson, Patricia Smith, Natasha Trethewey, and others. Programs include the Wildfire Reading Series, writing workshops, and retreats.

Media Contact Information:

Brittany Heckard

Communications Associate

bheckard@torchliteraryarts.org 

(512) 641-9251