List of Torch Literary Arts' current in-person and virtual events. Upcoming Events Multiple Dates Torch Writing Cirlce Mon, Sep 21 Zoom Dedicated writing time for BIPOC womxn writers. Learn more A Gathering of Flames: Celebrating 20 Years of Torch Literary Arts Fri, Sep 25 Austin Central Library, Austin Public Li Join us for the launch of the Torch Awards, a literary conference, a community brunch and open mic, and more! Learn more Decatur Book Festival Sat, Oct 03 Decatur Learn more The Turn Up Open Mic Tue, Oct 06 Torch Literary Arts - Torch Center An open mic experience presented by Torch Literary Arts. Learn more October Saturday Open House Sat, Oct 10 Torch Literary Arts - Torch Center Shop for your new favorite book at the Torch Center and support Torch Literary Arts! Learn more Welcome Table Talk - The Sacred & The Secret: Writing the Women of the Black Church Tue, Oct 13 Webinar Featuring Dr. Latorial Faison and Deesha Philyaw. Moderated by Ashley M. Coleman. Learn more Celebrate Amanda Johnston Day! Fri, Sep 18 Torch Literary Arts Join us to celebrate our founder's official day in Austin, TX! Learn more The Turn Up Open Mic Tue, Sep 01 Torch Center at The LINC An open mic experience presented by Torch Literary Arts. Learn more Black Bookstore Day Sat, Aug 29 Torch Literary Arts - Torch Center Shop for your new favorite book at the Torch Center and support Torch Literary Arts! Learn more 4th Annual Carrying the Torch Wed, Aug 26 Torch Center A Remembrance and Reading for the Future. Learn more Wildfire Reading Series featuring LaToya Watkins Tue, Aug 25 Torch Center Presented by Black Pearl Books, join us for this special reading and conversation on Watkins' latest novel, The Book of Chuck! Learn more Free Grant Writing Hangout Sat, Aug 15 Torch Center Join us and get support writing your City of Austin ACME grants! Learn more Torch Center Grand Opening Tue, Aug 11 Torch Center Come see the Torch Center, Austin's new creative cultural hub at The LINC! Learn more FY27 Elevate Grant & Thrive Grant Workshop Wed, Jul 29 Torch Center Learn more about these ACME grants from the City of Austin and apply! Learn more Welcome Table Talk - Parables and Provisions: Feeding the Soil and the Soul Sat, Jul 11 Webinar with Shauna M. Morgan and Malika Booker. Moderated by Carmin Wong. Learn more Multiple Dates Torch x AFS: The Devil Queen Sat, Jul 04 AFS Cinema Join us for this special screening at AFS Cinema. Learn more Multiple Dates Torch x AFS: NATCHEZ Sun, Jun 21 AFS Cinema Join us for this special screening at AFS Cinema. Learn more In Conversation with Jacqueline Glover Wed, Jun 17 Zoom Jacqueline Glover is the Executive Director of the Black Film Project at the Hutchins Center at Harvard and Executive Producer of the new award-winning documentary, Natchez. Learn more Load More

Torch Literary Arts' digital publication, Torch Magazine, publishes, promotes, and archives creative writing by Black women. Archive Explore Torch Features from 2022 to the present. Click images below for Torch Magazine 2006 to 2016. *All back issues are being reformatted. Digital versions will be available. Subscribe to our e-newsletter for updates. Torch Magazine Features A. E. Wynter Adriene Cruz Adrienne Dawes Aisha Sharif Ajanaé Dawkins Alexa Patrick Alexis Pauline Gumbs Alma Simba Almah LaVon Rice Ambata Kazi-Nance Amina Gautier Ana-Maurine Lara Anastacia-Reneé Andrea "Vocab" Sanderson Angel C. Dye Angela Redmond-Theodore April Sojourner Truth Walker Ari Foster Ariana Brown Arianne Elena Payne Aricka Foreman Ariel Moniz Arisa White Ashunda Norris Benin Lemus Bettina Judd Beverly Chukwu Bianca Spriggs Boloere Seibidor Brandy Victoria Brianna Johnson Brittany Rogers C. Prudence Arceneaux C. Jean Blain c.r. glasgow Camara Aaron Camille Hernandez Camille Dungy Carletta Carrington Wilson Celeste Doaks Chanda Feldman Chantal James Charla Lauriston Chidima Anekwe Chiyuma Elliott Christina Springer Chyann Hector Cieara Estelle Cindy Elizabeth Clynthia Burton Graham Colleen J. McElroy Crystal Wilkinson Crystal Williams Cynthia Manick Damilola Omotoyinbo Dana Tenille Weekes darlene anita scott Dawn Okoro Deborah Mouton DeLana Dameron Demitrice Worley DeShara Shuggs-Joe Desiree S. Evans Destiny Birdsong devorah major Donika Kelly Dolen Perkins-Valdez E.J. Antonio Ebony Stewart Edythe Rodriguez Ehigbor Okosun Elisha Mykelti Elizabeth Alexander Elizabeth de Souza Erica Fredrick Erica Nicole Griffin Esther Kondo Heller Evie Shockley Fatihah Quadri Fatimah-Ayan Hirsi Faylita Hicks Felicia A. Rivers francine j. harris Gail Upchurch Glenis Redmond Hannah Olabosibe Eko Hermine Pinson Imani Nikelle Isha Camara Jacinda Townsend Jacquese Armstrong Jade Foster Jamey Hatley Jane Alberdeston Coralin Jasmine R Butler Jenelle Samuels Jennifer Coley Jennifer Falu Jennifer Price Jessica Araújo Jonterri Gadson Jordan E. Franklin Julia Mallory Juliet P. Howard K. Deneá Stewart-Shaheed Ka'Dia Dhatnubia Kailah Figueroa Kameryn Alexa Carter Katy Richey Keli Stewart Kelly Norman Ellis Kelly Harris DeBerry Khadijah AbdulHaqq Khalisa Rae Kimberly Dixon Kindall Gant Krista Franklin LaTasha N. Nevada Diggs LaToya Watkins Lauren K. Alleyne Lauri Conner Lenelle Moïse Lilian Oben Linda Susan Jackson Lisa B. Thompson Lor Clincy Lydia Mathis Lynne Thompson Madison Hunter Mahogany L. Browne Mary Weems Mecca Jamilah Sullivan Melanie Henderson Melissa Jones Metta Sama Mildred Lewis Mon Misir Monique Harris Monique-Adelle Callahan Nadia Alexis Nancy Shakir Natalie Graham Natasha Trethewey Natasha Ria El-Scari Natiesha Evans Nehassaiu deGannes Nicole Goodwin Nicole Sealey Nijla Mu'min Nikki Patin Nita Jade Obi Nwizu Octavia Washington Parneshia Jones Patricia Smith Rachel Eliza Griffiths Rahma O. Jimoh Raina J. León Remica L. Bingham-Risher Renee Breeden Rio Cortez Rochelle Robinson-Dukes Rohanna Ssanyu Ruth Ellen Kocher Sabrina Spence Saida Agostini Sami Schalk Samiya Bashir Sandra Jackson-Opoku Sapphire Savannah Balmir Senalka McDonald Shams Alkamil Sharon Bridgforth Sharon Dennis Wyeth Sharyon Culberson Shay Youngblood Shayla Lawson Shayla Hawkins Shia Shabazz Smith Shinelle L. Espaillat Shirley May Sydney Mayes t'ai freedom ford Tafisha Edwards Talicha J. Tameka Cage Conley Tanya Shirley Tara Betts Tatiana Johnson-Boria Tayari Jones Taylor Lena McTootle Taylor Lauren Davis Teri Ellen Cross Davis Toi Derricotte Toni Asante Lightfoot Torie Mchelle Toyin Odutola Tyra Douyon Valoneecia Tolbert Venus Alemanji Victoria Adams-Kennedy Wendy S. Walters Whitney French Wura-Natasha Ogunji Yael Valencia Aldana Yalonda JD Green Yolaine M. St.Fort Yona Harvey Yunina Barbour Payne zakia henderson-brown Zaynab Iliyasu Bobi Zoë Gadegbeku *Names of Torch Magazine features are updated annually.

< Back Brittany Heckard Communications Associate Brittany Heckard is a freelance creative writer at the intersection of policy and strategic communications based in Austin, TX. Her previous work includes lobbying for nonprofits and ESG efforts, helping local businesses with grants, and brand consulting. She has lobbied for companies and organizations like Ancestry, Texas Cultural Trust, Texas Access to Justice Foundation, Vera Institute of Justice, and others. Previously, she led public affairs campaigns for AT&T's legislative and corporate social responsibility units in Texas, Arkansas, Oklahoma, Kansas, and Missouri. An advocate for social justice, she has volunteered on the board for MOVE Texas Civic Fund and worked for Austin Justice Coalition. Brittany's favorite excerpt from Audre Lorde's Poetry Is Not a Luxury reads, "The white fathers told us, I think therefore I am; and the black mothers in each of us-the poet-whispers in our dreams, I feel therefore I can be free." In her spare time, Brittany enjoys reading, playing with her dog, going to concerts, and creative writing.

< Back Celebrating the Milestones of Community and History through Literary Greatness and Storytelling this Black History Month Brittany Heckard Feb 1, 2026 This year’s Black History Month theme, “A Century of Black History Commemorations,” urges us to acknowledge the historical impact of Black narratives. 2026 is the year of anniversaries – Torch’s 20th Anniversary, 100 years of celebrating Black History Month, and the United States’ 250th Anniversary. This trifecta of anniversaries underscores the importance of storytelling. In celebrating this Black History Month’s theme of “A Century of Black Commemorations,” we recognize the impact Black women writers have on America’s history. This month, we celebrate the truthseekers and truthtellers of the past, present, and future. Reflecting on these three anniversaries occurring this year, there’s an unavoidable connection between Black women writers and this nation’s history. Stories of America through the lens of Black women provide readers with an unignorable question: how long will Black History run parallel to the stories of America without proper acknowledgement? We may not know the answer, but we understand the importance of preserving our history and legacy regardless. History is memorialized through storytelling, and Torch’s community of Black women writers is undauntedly sharing theirs. Since 2006, Torch has cultivated an environment for preservation. The many warnings and commentaries from Black women writers in the past eerily foreshadow the future when ignored. This is why Torch exists. Our organization is a history book of Black women from around the world who speak to the times. We appreciate Black women storytellers all day, every day, but especially during such a commemorative year for this organization, a reflective celebration for Black History Month, and an introspective one for our country. If you’re looking for some February fun or want to see how you can support Torch’s work this month, here are a few ways: Donate to our Amplify Austin campaign : We’re raising $10,000 this year for one of the biggest giving days in Austin. Your contribution automatically enters you to win prizes and support our mission to amplify Black women writers. Join us for two screenings at Austin Film Society: Our new partnership with Austin Film Society kicks off this month with two screenings. You can watch Daughters of the Dust and/or Compensation (ASL provided) in community with us! Attend a Reading for our 3rd Annual Writers Across the Diaspora Series: This year, we’re excited to bring Dr. Malika Booker for a reading and conversation in partnership with Texas State University. We have two options – one event at Texas State University in San Marcos , and one event at the Carver Museum in Austin . Sign up for our first Workshop of the year: 2025 Torch Fellow, Starr Davis, will be leading “ Writing as Oath: Personal Truthtelling in Memoir and Essay ”. This free workshop will focus on craft, precision, and sustaining yourself as a writer while telling the truth of your life. As we celebrate this Black History Month’s theme of commemoration for a century, we encourage Black women to continue writing, to continue sharing, and to be bold and affirmative. We challenge readers to reflect on the times and continue reading works from Black women. Last but not least, we thank our Torch community, donors, and supporters for championing our organization for 20 years. Previous Next

< Back Austin Community Foundation Announces Torch Literary Arts as one of The Black Fund Grant Partners Brittany Heckard Jan 30, 2024 The Black Fund’s recognition of Torch Literary Arts as a grant partner allows Torch to continue hosting special events for Black women writers in the Austin community. AUSTIN, Tex., January 30, 2024 – Torch Literary Arts (Torch) was recently granted a semifinalist grant partner award from Austin Community Foundation’s The Black Fund. Torch is one of five arts, culture, and preservation impact area nonprofits to receive a grant from the fund. The grant will be used to fund Torch’s in-person special events supporting Black women writers in Austin. “ Funding Black-led and serving organizations is one of many critical steps needed to preserve Black culture in Austin,” said Amanda Johnston, founder and executive director of Torch. “Organizations like Torch, and the many others receiving a grant from The Black Fund, exist as safe-havens for Black people looking for their community.” Institutionally, funding for Black-led and serving organizations is scarce as these organizations are often neglected by larger foundations compared to other nonprofits. According to the Black Nonprofit Fundraising Guide , philanthropic racial bias leads to Black communities being underfunded by $2 billion. The Stanford Social Innovation Review found that Black-led organizations’ revenue is 45% smaller than white-led organizations despite focusing on the same work. Austin Community Foundation launched The Black Fund in 2022 with the purpose of addressing the systemic racial inequities present in Austin. Over three years, the fund will invest over $1 million dollars to Black-led and Black-serving nonprofit organizations in the Central Texas region. The Black Fund invests in the following impact areas: arts, culture, and preservation; education; health and wellness; power building, organizing, and advocacy; and wealth building. Austin Community Foundation was established in 1977 with the goal of meeting community needs in Central Texas. To date, the foundation has given over $500 million to over 1300 nonprofits across Central Texas. Their vision of advancing economic mobility is mobilized through their programs like The Black Fund, Hispanic Impact Fund, Women’s Fund, and FundATX. For more information about Torch Literary Arts, please visit https://www.torchliteraryarts.org/ or follow @torchliteraryarts on Instagram. ### About Torch Literary Arts Torch Literary Arts (Torch) 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 has featured work by Toi Derricotte, Tayari Jones, Sharon Bridgforth, Crystal Wilkinson, Patricia Smith, Natasha Trethewey, Elizabeth Alexander, and others. Programs include the Wildfire Reading Series, writing workshops, and retreats. Help Torch continue to publish and promote Black women writers by donating today. About Austin Community Foundation Austin Community Foundation was created through the generosity of one woman, Fannie Gray Files Leo . She wanted a way to provide for her favorite charities and upon her death, she earmarked five percent of her estate ($30,000) to create Austin Community Foundation. In 1977, a group of business leaders, led by Fannie Gray’s bank trust officer, officially founded Austin Community Foundation. In creating the foundation, Austin followed the example of hundreds of cities across the country with the goal to meet community needs and inspire local philanthropists to create endowments to generate earnings and distribute grants. Media Contact Information: Brittany Heckard Communications Associate bheckard@torchliteraryarts.org (512) 641-9251 Previous Next

< Back Torch Literary Arts Welcomes New Team Members Oct 18, 2024 Thanks to capacity-building funding, Torch adds a Creative Content Associate and Administrative Fellow to the Team. Torch Literary Arts is growing and we couldn’t be more excited to welcome two new team members to help further our mission to amplify Black women writers. We’re excited to announce that Creative Content Associate, Elena Johnson, and 2024 Administrative Fellow, Bri Nunn, have joined the Torch family. As the Creative Content Associate, Elena will amplify the work that Torch is facilitating on all of Torch’s social media platforms. She will be in charge of creating unique and engaging concepts that further communicate the deep impact Torch has on Black women writers across the world. Bri’s Administrative Fellowship will immerse her in the various roles of nonprofit structure including programming, creative content, communications, and evaluation. This allows a true hands-on learning experience for her to grasp the full spectrum of what it takes to run a nonprofit. We’re ecstatic to welcome these two phenomenal women to the team and are excited to see what they accomplish! Elena Johnson is a creative writer and social media strategist based in Austin, TX, with a BA in English and a minor in Journalism from The City College of New York. Elena has developed and executed strategies that enhanced audience engagement for digital newsrooms like Business Insider and The Yellow Tulip Project. Her articles on equitable education, community, and social identity have been featured in The Guardian, HarlemView, and Chalkbeat. Driven by a journalistic approach to digital production, Elena creates meaningful, engaging content that educates, inspires, and fosters deep connections with the audience. She combines her passion for mental health advocacy, art, and uplifting Black women with her expertise in digital content, working to amplify their experiences and voices through literature and multimedia storytelling. In her spare time, Elena enjoys reading, painting, and writing poetry, drawing inspiration from nature and the world around her. Bri Nunn is a current Huston-Tillotson student majoring in Communications, with a specification in TV and film. She is a writer, a poet, and a mother of two beautiful girls. She currently has a three-year-old podcast called, “Bri The Black Sheep” that discusses the intersectionality of Black Womanhood through her humorous dialect. Her previous work includes being an advocate for those facing and escaping domestic violence, as well as teaching vulnerable folks how to have healthier relationships. She plans to use her degree to create stories for young Black girls so that they can see themselves represented more in the media. Her ultimate goal is to develop a non-profit that allows them to have a space where they can freely exist and feel cared for. You can see the full list of our employees and board members here . ### About Torch Literary Arts Torch Literary Arts (TORCH) 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 has featured work by Toi Derricotte, Tayari Jones, Sharon Bridgforth, Crystal Wilkinson, Patricia Smith, Natasha Trethewey, Elizabeth Alexander, and others. Programs include the Wildfire Reading Series, writing workshops, and retreats. Help Torch continue to publish and promote Black women writers by donating today. Media Contact Information: Brittany Heckard Communications Associate bheckard@torchliteraryarts.org (512) 641-9251 Previous Next

< Back Celebrating the Intersectionalities of Black Women Writers Jun 5, 2025 June is a month full of pride for queer, Caribbean, and song-filled Black women writers and the readers who love them. Black women writers are not a monolith and we celebrate each intersectional identity, especially in June. Writers from all over the diaspora are recognized for the experience that produced the unique storytelling we all value. This June is a Black, queer, Caribbean, and music-filled month for Torch. This June 19, we’ll be celebrating 160 years of Juneteenth. Now a federal holiday, Juneteenth was the official “end” of slavery, with the final word delivered to Galveston Island two years after the signing of the Emancipation Proclamation. Torch is a proud Texas-based, Black-led organization from the South. Our work builds on the freedom our ancestors fought for by providing a community for Black women to freely share their stories. Pride Month occurs every June and is a consistent reminder that intersectionality is important in storytelling. Queer Black women and nonbinary writers continuously challenge the theoretical framework of gender, love, power, and sexuality in an undaunted and radical way. Lack of representation and lived experiences from these writers would lead to silenced and stifled viewpoints of all Black identities. June is also a time to celebrate Caribbean American writers during National Caribbean American Heritage Month. As an international organization, we welcome writers from all over and celebrate their unique voices in Torch Magazine and at our curated programs. Music is poetry, and June is the perfect time to celebrate Black Music Month. From workshops to events, Torch continuously supports Black women songwriters who merge music and poetry to produce memorable lyrics and tunes we sing in the shower or belt in our cars. Want to celebrate the work we’re doing to amplify every Black woman writer? Consider becoming a Community Impact Member (CIM) by donating at least $10 a month or $100 annually . Below are a few ways you can celebrate each month specifically. Celebrate Juneteenth: Attend These Torch Events June 9th – Torch Writing Circle June 20th – Carrying the Torch June 21st – Torch Writing Circle June 24th – Bloomsday & Beyond featuring Emma Dabiri presented by Torch and the Consulate General of Ireland Celebrate Pride Month: Read Work from Some of Torch Magazine’s Queer Features January 2025 Feature Alexis Pauline Gumbs July 2024 Feature Mecca Jamilah Sullivan Talicha J Ariel Moniz Shams Alkamil Celebrate Caribbean American Heritage Month: Read Work from Some of Torch Magazine’s Caribbean Features Puschart Prize Winner Yael Valencia Aldana April 2025 Feature Tanya Shirley Savannah Balmir Tyra Douyon c.r. glasgow Celebrate Black Music Month: Read Work from Some of Torch Magazine’s Songwriters August 2024 Feature Andrea Vocab Sanderson January 2022 Feature Shayla Lawson Alexa Patrick ### 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 has featured work by Toi Derricotte, Tayari Jones, Sharon Bridgforth, Crystal Wilkinson, Patricia Smith, Natasha Trethewey, Elizabeth Alexander, and others. Programs include the Wildfire Reading Series, workshops, an annual retreat, and special events. Help Torch continue to publish and promote Black women writers by donating today. Media Contact Information: Brittany Heckard Communications Associate bheckard@torchliteraryarts.org (512) 641-9251 Previous Next

< Back Torch Returns to the 2026 AWP Conference in Baltimore Mar 3, 2026 For four days, Torch will join other writing organizations, writers, publishers, students, and more at the largest literary conference in the country. Just one year after being awarded the inaugural Writing Organization Award by the Association of Writers & Writing Programs (AWP) , Torch is returning to the conference to highlight Black women writers. Events include a 20th Anniversary panel, Torch Feature & Fellow book signings, a Torch community photo, and more. Our Book Fair location will be booth #1264 . AWP recognizes writing conferences, festivals, centers, and other organizations that serve the writing community. AWP’s mission is to amplify the voices of writers and the academic programs and organizations that serve them. The association is committed to its members and the literary community, preserving writers’ intellectual property and their staff. The nonprofit was established in 1967 by fifteen writers across thirteen creative writing programs. You can learn more about AWP at awpwriter.org . We are excited to reunite with Torch community members, including Features, Fellows, workshop attendees, readers, and supporters! Don’t miss our programs: Thursday, March 5: 11:00 a.m. - Torch Fellow m. mick powell , author of Dead Girl Cameo , will be at our booth at 11 a.m. for a book signing. 12:15 p.m . - Attend our Torch 20th Anniversary Reading featuring Saida Agostini, Teri Ellen Cross Davis, Mecca Jamilah Sullivan, Ph.D., and Amanda Johnston in Room 318-319, Level 300, Baltimore Convention Center (Session Code: T164). Friday, March 6: 11:00 a.m. - Torch Feature by Khalisa Rae , author of Ghost in a Black Girl’s Throat , will be at our booth for a book signing. Saturday, March 7: 11:00 a.m. - Join the Torch community at Torch booth #1264for a group photo! About Torch Literary Arts Torch Literary Arts (Torch) 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 has featured work by Toi Derricotte, Tayari Jones, Sharon Bridgforth, Crystal Wilkinson, Patricia Smith, Natasha Trethewey, Elizabeth Alexander, and others. Programs include the Wildfire Reading Series, writing workshops, and retreats. Help Torch continue to publish and promote Black women writers by donating today. About AWP AWP is a professional association of creative writers and writing programs. AWP provides support, advocacy, resources, and community to nearly 50,000 writers, 550 college and university creative writing programs, and 150 writers’ conferences and centers. The AWP Conference & Bookfair is the annual destination for writers, teachers, students, editors, and publishers of contemporary creative writing. It includes thousands of attendees, hundreds of events and bookfair exhibitors, and four days of essential literary conversation and celebration. About m. mick powell m. mick powell is a queer Black Cape Verdean femme, an artist, an Aries, and the author of the chapbook threesome in the last Toyota Celica (Host Publications, 2023). Their debut full-length collection, DEAD GIRL CAMEO , is forthcoming from One World Books/Random House in Summer 2025. An assistant professor of Gender and Sexuality Studies at the University of Connecticut and a 2023 Tin House Resident, mick enjoys chasing waterfalls and being in love. Keep up with them at www.mickpowellpoet.com or @ mickmakesmagic.art on IG. About Saida Agostini Saida Agostini is a queer Afro-Guyanese poet, and author of the full-length collection, let the dead in (Alan Squire Publishing, 2022). A Cave Canem Graduate Fellow, she has been awarded residencies at Saltonstall, VCCA and Blue Mountain Center, amongst others. About Teri Ellen Cross Davis Teri Ellen Cross Davis is the author of a more perfect Union and Haint . Her fellowships and awards include The Journal/Charles B. Wheeler Poetry Prize, the Ohioana Book Award for Poetry, and a Maryland Individual Artist Award. She curated the O.B. Poetry Series at the Folger Shakespeare Library in Washington D.C. About Mecca Jamilah Sullivan, Ph.D. Mecca Jamilah Sullivan, Ph.D., is the author of three books: Big Girl , a New York Times Editors’ Choice and winner of the Balcones Fiction Prize and the Next Generation Indie Book Award for First Novel; T he Poetics of Difference: Queer Feminist Forms in the African Diaspora , winner of the William Sanders Scarborough Prize from the MLA; and the short story collection, Blue Talk and Love , winner of the Judith Markowitz Award from Lambda Literary. She has earned honors from Bread Loaf, the Institute for Citizens and Scholars, the Mellon Foundation, the Center for Fiction, the NEA, and others. Originally from Harlem, NY, she is Professor of English at Georgetown University in Washington DC. About Khalisa Rae Khalisa Rae is an award-winning poet, educator, and journalist in Durham, NC. She is the author of the debut poetry collection, Ghost in a Black Girl's Throat (Red Hen Press 2021), and Contributing Writer for Kindred . Her essays are featured in Autostraddle , Catapult , LitHub , as well as articles in Jezebel , Blavity , B*tch Media , NBC-BLK, and others. Her poetry appears in Southern Humanities Review , Gravy , Frontier Poetry , Florida Review , Rust & Moth , PANK , HOBART , among countless others. She is the winner of the Appy Award, Vulgar Genius, Bright Wings Poetry contest, the Furious Flower Gwendolyn Brooks Poetry Prize, among other prizes. Currently, she serves as Publications Coordinator for Split This Rock and EIC of Think in Ink BIPOC collective. Her YA novel in verse, Unlearning Eden , is forthcoming. Follow Khalisa on her website and on Instagram . About Amanda Johnston Amanda Johnston is a writer, visual artist, and the 61st Poet Laureate of Texas. She earned an MFA in Creative Writing from the University of Southern Maine. She is the author of two chapbooks, GUAP and Lock & Key , as well as the full-length collection Another Way to Say Enter. She is also the editor of the anthology Praisesong for the People: Poems from the Heart and Soul of Texas . Her work has appeared in numerous online and print publications, among them Callaloo , Poetry Magazine , The Moth Radio Hour, Bill Moyers, The Rumpus , and elsewhere. She has received fellowships, grants, and awards from Cave Canem, Hedgebrook, Tasajillo, the Kentucky Foundation for Women, The Watermill Center, American Short Fiction, and the Academy of American Poets. She is a former Board President of the Cave Canem Foundation and the founder of Torch Literary Arts. Media Contact Information: Brittany Heckard Communications Associate bheckard@torchliteraryarts.org (512) 641-9251 Previous Next

< Back Torch Announces First Ever Nominations for Best New Poets Anthology Apr 29, 2026 Two Torch Features, Tiezst "Tie" Taylor and Mecca M. Miles, are Torch’s inaugural nominees for their outstanding poems. In celebrating National Poetry Month and of 20 years of creating space for Black women writers, Torch is excited to nominate two poems from Torch Magazine to the Best New Poets Anthology. This is the first time Torch has nominated poets, and is excited to add another national recognition to the many nominations Torch Features can be considered for. Other prizes Torch nominates its writers for include Best of the Net, the Pushcart Prize, and O. Henry Prize. “Nominating Torch Features for awards is one of the best parts of being Associate Editor for Torch Magazine,” said associate editor Jae Nichelle. “In this literary landscape where Black women writers have so many barriers to entry, nominating our features gives us one more way to spotlight the incredible writers in our community.” Created in 2005, the Best New Poets Anthology focuses on highlighting 50 poems from emerging writers across the United States and Canada. Nominations can come from literary magazines, annual writing competitions, and graduate-level programs. You can learn more about the Best New Poets Anthology here . Our Two Torch Nominees Are: " High John [a duplex] " by Tiezst "Tie" Taylor " God Whispers on Leyland Drive " by Mecca M. Miles ### 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 has featured work by Toi Derricotte, Tayari Jones, Sharon Bridgforth, Crystal Wilkinson, Patricia Smith, Natasha Trethewey, Elizabeth Alexander, and others. Programs include the Wildfire Reading Series, workshops, an annual retreat, and special events. Help Torch continue to publish and promote Black women writers by donating today. About Tiezst "Tie" Taylor Tiezst “Tie” Taylor is a Disabled Black femme who is non-binary trans. They are a radical educator, artist-activist, poet, and storyteller. They have earned degrees in education (B.A. in the individualized major of Teaching for Social Justice, New York University & M.S.Ed in Elementary Education, University of Pennsylvania), and are a proponent of disability justice and abolitionist frameworks. Their work explores their experiences in surviving: Disability and severe mental illness; intergenerational trauma and poverty; and intersecting forms of oppression. They use their art and research to educate, heal, nurture, radicalize, and catalyze change for all marginalized peoples. Tiezst is an Emerge 2025 Fellow with San Francisco State University’s Paul K. Longmore Institute on Disability, where they are working on an essay for publication on the criminalization of mental illness as it intersects with Black woman / femme identity. They were a Spring 2024 Brooklyn Poets Fellow and a past awardee of the NYSCA/NYFA Artists with Disabilities Grant. Tie’s work appears or is upcoming in Lucky Jefferson , Querencia Press , Midway Journal , Shō Poetry Journal , and ANMLY . Follow Tiezst on Instagram @tiezst. About Mecca M. Miles Mecca M. Miles is a Black, queer writer and spoken word poet from San Antonio, Texas. Her work has appeared in such publications as Wellspringwords Literary Anthology , The San Antonio Review , Texas Bards Anthology , When the River Speaks , Voices de la Luna , Voices Along the River , and has been featured on Best of Button Poetry . She has competed nationwide, taking 8th in Florida at the Exit 36 Slam in 2023 and 8th in Dallas, TX at the Right to Write Slam in 2024. She has featured at a number of local venues and is the 2024/2025 Poetry Grand Slam Champion of San Antonio, TX. Media Contact Information: Brittany Heckard Communications Associate bheckard@torchliteraryarts.org (512) 641-9251 Previous Next

< Back Rachel E. Winston Board Secretary Rachel E. Winston is an archivist and curator based out of Austin, TX. She is the founding Black Diaspora Archivist at The University of Texas at Austin, where she leads the effort to build a library special collection documenting the Black experience across the Americas and Caribbean.

Torch Literary Arts' annual impact and financial reports. 2024-2026 Strategic Plan In the fall of 2023, Torch Literary Arts began a strategic planning process, a first in the organization's history, to prepare for the future and chart a path of continued growth and success in fulfilling Torch's mission to create advancement opportunities for Black women writers. This three-year plan outlines the strategic priorities for Torch Literary Arts' board of directors, leadership and team, and community stakeholders. The strategic plan is a commitment to intentional and responsible growth to meet the needs of Torch's community today and tomorrow. Join us in the process and mark your calendar to celebrate Torch Literary Arts' 20th anniversary in 2026! Annual Reports 2022 Annual Report IRS Form 990

Photos, video, and audio captured at Torch events. Go to link 1/1