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< Back Parneshia Jones Advisory Board Member Parneshia Jones is an award-winning poet and publisher. Jones serves as Director for Northwestern University Press and acquires poetry for the TriQuarterly Books and Seminary Co-op Offsets imprints. Her acquisitions have garnered some of the highest literary honors, including the National Book Award, Kingsley Tufts, Pulitzer Prize finalists, Hurston Wright Legacy Awards, NAACP Image Awards, L.A. Times Book Award, and others. Jones is the author of Vessel: Poems (Milkweed Editions), winner of the Midwest Book Award and featured as one of “12 Books to Savor” by O, The Oprah Magazine. She has been honored with the Gwendolyn Brooks Poetry Award, the Margaret Walker Short Story Award, and the Aquarius Press Legacy Award. Named one of the “25 Writers to Watch” by the Guild Complex and one of “Lit 50: Who Really Books in Chicago” by Newcity Magazine, her work has appeared in anthologies including, She Walks in Beauty: A Woman’s Journey Through Poems and The Ringing Ear: Black Poets Lean South . Jones has been featured on PBS Newshour, the Academy of American Poets, espnW, and an international poetry exchange in Seoul, South Korea and sponsored by DreamYard. She previously served as Board President for the Cave Canem Foundation and currently serves on the Board of Directors for the Poetry Foundation and advisory board for Shorefront Legacy Center. She resides in her native home, Evanston, IL.

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 monthly.

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Torch Literary Arts is a 501(c)3 nonprofit that creates advancement opportunities for Black women writers. Contact Torch First Name Last Name Email Address Phone (entering gives Torch permission to contact you) Write a message Submit Thanks for submitting! Torch Literary Arts 6406 N Interstate 35 Frontage Rd Suite 1807 Austin, TX 78752 Available by Appointment Only Contact for Torch Center Rental Inquiries Email: contact@torchliteraryarts.org Phone: (512) 641-9251

< Back Torch Literary Arts Releases Fall 2025 Season Aug 28, 2025 Torch’s Fall 2025 Season includes dynamic readings, a screenwriting conversation, book festivals, workshops, and more! Torch is excited to bring another season full of community building, networking, and workshops for Black women writers across the diaspora. Building on the excitement from our 20th Anniversary "Save the Date" announcement and our birthday month, the Fall 2025 Season will bring more of what our community has come to rely on and expect. You can RSVP to Torch’s events by visiting torchliteraryarts.org/events . Our special events this season include: August 28: Tending the Flame with Lenelle Moïse , Kelly Harris-DeBerry , Amina Gautier , and Amanda Johnston September 8: Torch Writing Circle - Dedicated virtual writing time for BIPOC women writers September 13: In Conversation with Sonja Perryman , award-winning associate producer for Hulu’s East Los High and screenwriter for the Amazon Prime drama, Cross October 4: Torch will be at the Decatur Book Festival in Downtown Decatur, GA. Find our booth! October 9: Poetry Workshop - Chewing on the Alphabet & Stealing from the Best with Lynne Thompson October 11: Torch Day at BookPeople - Join us in person or shop online at BookPeople to celebrate Torch Day. October 21: Welcome Table Talk - Thinking About Love and the Divine with Ajanaé Dawkins , author of Blood-Flex , and DaMaris Hill , author of Blood Bible: An American History. Presented by the Wintergreen Women Writers Collective and Torch Literary Arts. October 23: Wildfire Reading Series featuring Ebony Stewart , author of WASH November 3: Wildfire Reading Series featuring Ashley D. Farmer , author of Queen Mother November 6 & 8: Torch x Texas Book Festival featuring Donika Kelly , author of The Natural Order of Things , and Tiana Clark , author of Scorched Earth. Join us for readings, panels, and more at the 2025 Texas Book Festival ! November 19 : Workshop - From the lion’s mouth: The Writer as Historical Witness with Sandra Jackson-Opoku Stay tuned for more fall events and announcements!! ### 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, writing workshops, and retreats. For more information about Torch Literary Arts, please visit https://www.torchliteraryarts.org/ or follow @torchliteraryarts on Instagram. 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 Literary Arts Receives National Book Foundation Grant Sep 5, 2024 The National Book Foundation awarded Torch funding from the Capacity-Building Grant Program. AUSTIN, Tex., September 5, 2024 – Torch Literary Arts (Torch), a nonprofit organization dedicated to amplifying Black women writers, will receive funding from the National Book Foundation. This is the nonprofit’s first year receiving funding from the foundation. The National Book Foundation awarded Torch funding from the Capacity-Building Grant Program. The grant supports capacity building related to fundraising, marketing, and other necessary skills needed for nonprofit staff and board members. The grant is hyper-focused on the sustainability of nonprofit literary organizations. “Capacity building as a nonprofit can be difficult – especially as a Black-led, Black-serving nonprofit,” said Torch founder and executive director, Amanda Johnston. “Funding from the National Book Foundation continues our efforts to ensure our staff and board are supported in the extremely impactful work that we do at Torch.” The National Book Foundation’s grant will help supplement Torch’s growth as an organization. Just last year, Torch was able to add part-time positions including two fellowships and two part-time associates for content creation, communications, programming, and more. The organization is also growing its board by recruiting members with diverse backgrounds to help provide valuable input and networking opportunities. While the missions of nonprofits are important, capacity building is necessary for the sustainability of the nonprofits and their ability to fulfill their mission. Funding for capacity building in the nonprofit space is extremely limited, yet critical for long-term nonprofit operations. In fact, since COVID, there has been a push for philanthropies to loosen restrictions on grants and reporting for long-term and equitable sustainability. The National Book Foundation’s Capacity Building Grant awarded just under 50 literary arts nonprofit organizations. You can read more about the National Book Foundation’s Capacity Building Grant Program here . 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, writing workshops, and retreats. Help Torch continue to publish and promote Black women writers by donating today. About the National Book Foundation The National Book Foundation was founded in 1989 to administer the National Book Awards, which has been one of the most prestigious literary prizes in the country since 1950. The Foundation also produces numerous educational and public programs that help connect readers to books in new and meaningful ways. Media Contact Information: Brittany Heckard Communications Associate bheckard@torchliteraryarts.org (512) 641-9251 Previous Next

< Back Shannon Johnson Board Member Shannon Johnson has over 20 years of technology experience in Fortune 100 companies, start-ups, and management consulting. She has led technology teams at Merck, Ernst & Young, Dell, and BigCommerce. In addition, Shannon was recognized as Central Texas Black Business Journal’s Most Influential Technologist for 2021 and 2022. Shannon is passionate about empowering women and mentoring the next generation of young leaders. She currently serves on the Advisory Board for VentureLab and previously served on Girlstart’s Central Texas Council and UT Austin’s WIELD board. Shannon holds a Bachelor of Business Administration in Management Information Systems and a Master of Arts in the Human Dimension of Organizations – both from The University of Texas at Austin. She also holds certifications in several areas of expertise including Change Management, Agile, and Project Management. Outside of work, Shannon enjoys supporting local business creatives, writing down thoughts for her next book or screenplay, and traveling with her two daughters.

< Back Celebrating Women’s History Month and International Women’s Day Mar 11, 2025 This year’s themes of moving forward together and accelerating change reinforce Torch’s mission to ALWAYS support Black women writers and the stories they share. March is Women’s History Month, and this past Saturday, March 8, was International Women’s Day. Each year, people around the world celebrate the impact that women have in their lives. Whether it's a mother, sister, teacher, aunt, or writer, the impact women have in shaping our world is immeasurable. This year’s theme for Women's History Month is “ Moving Forward Together! Women Educating & Inspiring Generations,” celebrating the impact and importance of information sharing and inspiring growth. This year’s theme for International Women’s Day was “Accelerate Action,” marking the importance of moving forward boldly and swiftly to address the systemic barriers that women face. Torch’s mission is beautifully represented in both themes this year. As a nonprofit organization dedicated to amplifying both emerging and established Black women writers around the world, we work hard to share knowledge, pay and publish Black women, and provide community. In 2025, our work only reaffirms this year’s themes around education, inspiration, and actionable change to impact the lives of Black women writers. As we continue our work, your support for writers is also just as impactful! Below are some ways you can join us in supporting Black women writers internationally and intergenerationally. March Events March 11th - Join the Welcome Table Talk in Collaboration with Wintergreen Women Writers Collective March 15th - Playwriting Workshop: Who all over there? Learning the Character of Your Characters with Florinda Bryant March 15th - Torch Writing Circle Torch Magazine Read our March 2025 Feature: Nijla Mu'min Support Torch Become a monthly donor to help us reach our $40,000 fundraising goal Shop our BookShop page featuring our Torch Features ### 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 Welcoming the New Year with Love and Community Brittany Heckard Jan 3, 2025 Taking the time to thank you all for your support in 2024 and share exciting news for 2025 Happy New Year! We made it to another year of celebrating Black women writers. Thanks to Torch community members like you, we surpassed our 2024 individual giving goal of $35,000 by raising $41,716. We’re excited to see how much more we can accomplish with our 2025 individual giving goal of $40,000 ! These unrestricted contributions help us with programming, sustaining the organization, paying Torch features, and much more. In 2024, we: Hosted over 80 events including free workshops, our Wildfire Reading Series, monthly open mics, virtual writing circles, and more. Paid over $80,000 to Torch Magazine Features, Retreat Fellows, authors, artists, and independent contractors. Hosted our inaugural Writers Across the Diaspora Program with support from Texas State University, Culture Ireland, and the Consul General of Ireland. Supported writers from Illinois; California; Texas; Nevada, Virginia, Ohio, North Carolina, and Lagos, Nigeria during our 2nd annual Torch Retreat. Received the Pushcart Prize Best of the Small Presses award for the second consecutive year. Interested in learning more about what we have in store for 2025? You can watch our “Fueling Torch’s Flame” Webinar online now! You’ll hear board members, staff, and community members talk about the importance of supporting Black women writers and Torch Literary Arts's impact on their lives (including some amazing readings by special guests Evie Shockley, avery r. young, and more!). You can watch the live webinar here using this passcode: EH+hXN8d . We’ll also start our Community Impact Member (CIM) program this year. When you donate to Torch, you’ll get exclusive access as a CIM. More information about CIM benefits and events will be coming soon! We can’t wait to see what we accomplish this year with you all! Previous Next

< Back Torch Announces the Nominations for the Pushcart Prize Brittany Heckard Nov 22, 2024 Six Torch Features, Erica Frederick, A. E. Wynter, Sydney Mayes, Chidima Anekwe, Chyann Hector, and Mon Misir, are nominated for their respective works. For the third year in a row, Torch is elated to nominate six Torch Features for The Pushcart Prize. The Pushcart Prize has been published every year since 1976 and showcases small presses from all over America. Torch Magazine has been featured in the publication every year since our nominations began in 2022. It is a true testament to the work that Black women produce and the importance of amplifying their work through our online magazine. You can learn more about the prize here . Our Amazing Torch Nominees Include: “ Banana Trees/Sunflower Seeds ” by Erica Frederick “ Track One (Kick, Push III) ” by A.E. Wynter “ Exhaustion Whispers Tough Luck to The July Child ” by Sydney Mayes “ Biafra Song ” by Chidima Anekwe “ Black Girlhood ” by Chyann Hector “ Excise ” by Mon Misir ### 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 Erica Frederick Erica Frederick is a queer, Haitian American writer from Orlando, Florida currently living in Brooklyn, New York. She received her MFA in fiction from Syracuse University and writes about being big in all the ways there are to be big—in body, in spirit, in Blackness, in Florida suburbia. She has received fellowships from MacDowell, Tin House, The Rona Jaffe Foundation, VIDA, Lambda Literary, and the Hurston/Wright Foundation. She is well at work on her first novel, Fight in the Night. About A.E. Wynter A. E. Wynter is a Black, Jamaican-descended writer and editor from New York. She is also a community organizer and currently lives in Saint Paul, MN where she has curated multimedia art exhibits, writing workshops, and readings, among other events. Wynter has received multiple grants from the Minnesota State Arts Board and was a fiction fellow in the 2021-2022 Loft Mentor Series. Winner of the 53rd New Millennium Award for Poetry and The Florida Review 2024 Editors' Award in Poetry, her poems have also appeared or are forthcoming in West Trade Review and Water~Stone Review . Wynter was a 2023 resident at the Carolyn Moore Writers Residency. About Sydney Mayes Sydney Mayes is a poet from Denver, Colorado. Her poems have been published or are forthcoming in The Atlantic, Poets.org , The Iowa Review Blog, Gulf Coast Journal, Obsidian, Denver Quarterly, Booth, and Prairie Schooner . Mayes won the 2021 Iowa Chapbook Prize for her chapbook You Look Just Like Your Mama . She was selected by Roger Reeves as a finalist for the 2024 Furious Flower Poetry Prize. Executive Editor of Nashville Review , Mayes is an MFA Candidate in Poetry at Vanderbilt University. Follow Sydney on Instagram . About Chidima Anekwe Chidima Anekwe is an emerging writer hailing from the old coastal town of Stratford, CT. She is a recent graduate from Yale University with a B.A. in English Language & Literature and a concentration in Creative Writing. For her work, she has received support from the SAEF Grant and the DuPuy Prize, and has been nominated for a MacNelly Award for Literary Arts. She writes to explore new postcolonial poetics and Black feminist existentialisms within contemporary American girlhood, usually with a satirical bent. She has read for The Yale Review and edited for DOWN , a BIPOC-centered webzine, among others. She is currently based in CT and gaining experience in NY. About Chyann Hector Chyann Hector is a Black Jamaican-American writer and educator based in the DMV. She has been writing ever since she could remember and wrote her first novel in a spiral notebook in the 5th grade. In her work, Chyann prioritizes the voices of Black women who are immigrants and descendants of immigrants. She also explores multi-generational relationships, mental health, and culture in her writing. You can find her on Instagram and TikTok: @chyiswriting. About Mon Misir Mon Misir (she/they) is a queer Black British writer and recovering lawyer based in London, UK. They use their writing to explore facets of their experience as a black woman, with a speculative bent. When not writing or editing others’ work in various writers groups, they enjoy reading, theatre (musical and otherwise), and learning how to wield a longsword. They have work published in or forthcoming with the Decolonial Passage and Midnight & Indigo . You can find their links here: https://bio.site/Nomonbooks or follow them on Instagram . About The Pushcart Prize The Pushcart Prize: Best of the Small Presses series, published every year since 1976, is the most honored literary project in America - including Highest Honors from the American Academy of Arts and Letters . Since 1976, hundreds of presses and thousands of writers of short stories, poetry and essays have been represented in our annual collections. Each year most of the writers and many of the presses are new to the series. Every volume contains an index of past selections, plus lists of outstanding presses with addresses. Media Contact Information: Brittany Heckard Communications Associate bheckard@torchliteraryarts.org (512) 641-9251 Previous Next

< Back Torch Announces the Nominations for the O. Henry Prize Aug 30, 2024 Two Torch Features, Felicia A. Rivers and Lydia Mathis, are nominated for their respective short fiction stories. The O. Henry Prize is the oldest major prize for short fiction in America. Awarded since 1919, the prize seeks to provide a prominent platform for short story writers from all around the world and at all points in their careers. The winners’ stories are collected and published annually by Anchor Books. Learn more about the prize here . Our Amazing Torch Nominees Include: “Maestro” by Felicia A. Rivers “A Body Walks into Public Safety” by Lydia Mathis ### 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 Felicia A. Rivers Felicia A. Rivers lives in the Greene Townes west of Philadelphia, PA, USA where she escaped the corporate majority and joined the artistic minority. She earned her MFA from the Bennington Writing Seminars, has showcased plays in Philly and New York, and her work has appeared in various publications, including Menagerie Magazine, The Ampersand, and a tiny Philadelphian street sheet that had a short, but happy life. Also, she daydreams. A lot. About Lydia Mathis Lydia Mathis has an MFA in fiction from New York University. She earned her BA in English literature with a minor in classical civilizations from Agnes Scott College. She has worked as a teacher for Teach for America in Memphis and as a teaching fellow at Coler-Goldwater Hospital in New York City. She is the recipient of A Public Space’s 2023 Editorial Fellowship and is currently an assistant editor at A Public Space. She has stories published in or forthcoming from Stanchion , Southeast Review , Five on the Fifth , oranges journal , and North American Review . Media Contact Information: Brittany Heckard Communications Associate bheckard@torchliteraryarts.org (512) 641-9251 Previous Next

< Back Culture Ireland Awards Torch Literary Arts Funding to Host Irish Poets Brittany Heckard Jan 9, 2024 Torch will use the Culture Ireland funding to host Irish poets Nithy Kasa and FELISPEAKS for interactive writing workshops from October 1-7, 2024. AUSTIN, Tex., January 9, 2024 – Torch Literary Arts (Torch), a nonprofit organization dedicated to amplifying Black women writers, was recently granted funding from the Culture Ireland Grant Programme (Culture Ireland) to fund Torch’s programming hosting Irish poets, Nithy Kasa and FELISPEAKS . Over the week, the poets will present an in-person reading and two workshops. The events will be free and open to the public. “ I’m thrilled to be presenting my poetry and my art with Torch Literary Arts, it is an adventure I’m excited to go on; a platform centering Black femme voices, beautiful,” said Nigerian-Irish poet FELISPEAKS. The €2.95m in funding from the Department of Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media is for Culture Ireland to promote Irish arts globally. The organization selected 99 projects across the globe to coordinate international arts projects in circus, dance, film, literature, and other art categories. Torch is one of just 25 organizations from the United States, one of two recipients from Texas, and one of two from the United States in the literature category. “ The grant from Culture Ireland empowers Torch to continue hosting intentional programming for Black women writers,” said Amanda Johnston, founder and executive director of Torch. “As a nonprofit dedicated to amplifying Black women’s voices across the diaspora, Culture Ireland’s support of our mission and belief in our work affirms our global impact.” Following a wave of controversial book bans and the silencing of diverse experiences and perspectives, Torch Literary Arts remains true to its mission to amplify Black women writers across the diaspora. This year, Torch has hosted readings from Torch alumni like Rachel Eliza Griffiths, published work from writers across the globe, and partnered with the Texas Book Festival. 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 support Black women writers by donating today. About Culture Ireland Culture Ireland, a division of the Department of Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media is responsible for the promotion of Irish arts worldwide through specific grant programmes. We also create and support opportunities for Irish artists and art organisations to present and promote their work at strategic international festivals and venues. We develop platforms to present the richness and quality of Irish creativity to international audiences through showcase events in key arts markets including the Edinburgh Festivals and Venice Biennale, as well as various special initiatives. Media Contact Information: Brittany Heckard Communications Associate bheckard@torchliteraryarts.org (512) 641-9251 Previous Next