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< Back Torch Literary Arts Receives Burdine Johnson Foundation Grant Brittany Heckard Jun 28, 2024 This is Torch's third year receiving the grant that serves Central Texas arts, education, historical preservation, and environmental sustainability causes. AUSTIN, Tex., June 28, 2024 – Torch Literary Arts (Torch), a nonprofit organization dedicated to amplifying Black women writers, will receive funding from the Burdine Johnson Foundation. This is the nonprofit’s third year receiving funding from the foundation, contributing to Torch’s operations since becoming a nonprofit organization. “Continuous funding from The Burdine Johnson Foundation for our literary mission is affirming and speaks to Torch’s impact, especially here in Central Texas, where we started,” said Torch founder and executive director, Amanda Johnston. We are grateful for our long-standing relationship with the foundation and want to thank the foundation for their mission to support charitable causes.” Funding from the organization assists Torch’s programs in the Central Texas region and beyond. Thanks to this unrestricted grant from the Burdine Johnson Foundation, Torch is able to host free and low-cost in-person events for the community including the Wildfire Reading Series, our annual Juneteenth event “Carrying the Torch”, the annual Torch Retreat, engaging panels with Torch Features, and many more inclusive events. The Burdine Johnson Foundation has donated over $54 million to charitable causes in Central Texas since its inception in the 1960s. Outside of the geographic range, the foundation supports arts, education, health and human services, historic preservation, and the environment. You can read more about The Burdine Johnson Foundation 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 Burdine Johnson Foundation In 1960, Burdine Clayton Johnson, a pianist, poet and lover of nature, along with her husband, J.M. Johnson, and several trustees, established The Burdine Johnson Foundation in Houston, Texas. The founding mission stated that the funds were to be used for the “purposes of public usefulness” and to administer and distribute the funds “exclusively for religious, charitable, scientific, literary or education purposes.” Media Contact Information: Brittany Heckard Communications Associate bheckard@torchliteraryarts.org (512) 641-9251 Previous Next

< Back Torch Literary Arts to Receive Grants for Arts Allocation from the National Endowment for the Arts Brittany Heckard May 24, 2024 This is Torch's second year receiving funding from National Endowment for the Arts. Funding will go towards artist honorariums for retreats, workshops, panels, and readings. AUSTIN, Tex., May 22, 2024 – Torch Literary Arts (Torch), a nonprofit organization dedicated to amplifying Black women writers, will receive funding from the National Endowment for the Arts’ (NEA’s) Grants for Arts Projects (GAP). The award from the NEA will be used to support artist honorariums for retreats, workshops, panels, and readings. “ We are so excited to receive another year of funding for Torch’s programs,” said Amanda Johnston, founder and executive director of Torch. “Funding from the NEA will help pay Black women writers for creating and sharing their literary excellence with the Torch community.” Paying artists not only shows that we appreciate and value the work Black women writers do, but also provides our community with quality engagement, learning opportunities, and fellowship. From publishing and improv workshops to screenwriting panels and exclusive readings and demonstrations, 100% of Torch’s features are paid. “Projects like Torch’s exemplify the creativity and care with which communities are telling their stories, creating connection, and responding to challenges and opportunities in their communities—all through the arts,” said NEA Chair Maria Rosario Jackson, PhD. “So many aspects of our communities such as cultural vitality, health and wellbeing, infrastructure, and the economy are advanced and improved through investments in art and design, and the National Endowment for the Arts is committed to ensuring people across the country benefit.” This is Torch’s second year receiving funding from the National Endowment for the Arts. The organization is one of 50 grant recipients from Texas and one of 71 grant recipients from the literary arts category. For this funding round, there were over 2,000 eligible applicants for GAP, Our Town, and State and Regional Partnerships. GAP is one of the largest grant programs by the NEA and was started to strengthen the cultural ecosystem around the nation. Investments for GAP focus on public engagement with the arts, integration with the well-being of communities, and overall capacity improvement for the arts. This round of grants for GAP funding totaled over 1,100 applicants. You can read more about the NEA’s second round of grant funding 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 National Endowment for the Arts Established by Congress in 1965, the National Endowment for the Arts is an independent federal agency that is the largest funder of the arts and arts education in communities nationwide and a catalyst of public and private support for the arts. By advancing equitable opportunities for arts participation and practice, the NEA fosters and sustains an environment in which the arts benefit everyone in the United States. Visit Arts.gov to learn more. Media Contact Information: Brittany Heckard Communications Associate bheckard@torchliteraryarts.org (512) 641-9251 Previous Next

< Back Torch Feature Yael Valencia Aldana Receives Pushcart Prize May 31, 2024 For the second year in a row, a Torch Feature has received a Pushcart Prize for their amazing work published in Torch Magazine. AUSTIN, Tex., May 31, 2024 – Torch Literary Arts is thrilled to announce that Yael Valencia Aldana has been awarded the Pushcart Prize for “ Black Person Head Bob ” published June 9, 2023, as a Torch Friday Feature! Her poem will be published in Pushcart Prize XLIX , the 49th edition. Yael Valencia Aldana is a Caribbean Afro-Latinx writer and poet. She is a descendant of the indigenous people of modern-day Colombia. Her work has appeared or is upcoming in Typehouse, South Florida Poetry Journal, Cutbank Journal, and Slag Glass City, among others . She teaches creative writing in South Florida, where she lives with her son and too many pets. You can visit her website and follow her on Instagram and Twitter . This is the second year that a Torch Feature has received a Pushcart Prize. Torch considers all accepted features for external award nominations. We accept submissions of poetry, fiction, creative nonfiction, and script (plays and screenplays) by Black women writers on a rolling basis. You can learn more about our submission guidelines 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, workshops, an annual retreat, and special events. Help Torch continue to publish and promote Black women writers by donating today. 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 2025 Nominations for the O. Henry Prize Oct 15, 2025 Two Torch Features, Jennifer Coley and Jessica Araújo, 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: “ Nosey ” by Jennifer Coley “ Call More Dead ” by Jessica Araújo ### 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 co ntinue to publish and promote Black women writers by donating today. About Jennifer Coley Jennifer Coley is a writer from North Carolina. She is a graduate of East Carolina University, where she obtained a BA in Art History and an MA in Communication. She has self-published under the pseudonym Jaxon Z. Carroll on Amazon. Her work has also been published in midnight & indigo: Twenty-two Speculative Stories by Black Women Writers (Issue 4) . She has always had a love for storytelling, and when she is not writing, she is probably thinking about writing. About Jessica Araújo Jessica Araújo (she/her) is an Assistant Professor of English at the Community College of Rhode Island. She has her MA in Literature and MFA in Creative Writing from William Paterson University. Her works have been published in Sad Girl Diaries Literary Magazine, Wingless Dreamer, Cathexis Northwest Press, and Midnight & Indigo. Media Contact Information: Brittany Heckard Communications Associate bheckard@torchliteraryarts.org (512) 641-9251 Previous Next

< Back City of Austin Cultural Arts Division Awards Torch Literary Arts the Thrive Grant along with Other Cultural Arts Organizations in Austin Brittany Heckard Jan 3, 2025 The Cultural Arts Division awarded $13 million in funds to local arts and cultural organizations for a second year with Thrive and Elevate grants. AUSTIN, Tex., January 3, 2025 – Torch Literary Arts (Torch), a nonprofit organization dedicated to amplifying Black women writers, was recently granted the Thrive Grant from the City of Austin Cultural Arts Division of the Economic Development Department , a local initiative to support Torch’s 2025 programming. This is Torch’s second time being awarded the Thrive grant. The grant provides programmatic and organizational funding to help curate events that continue amplifying Black women writers and their supporters. Thrive grant awards range from $85,000-$150,000 and provide focused investment to sustain and grow arts organizations that are deeply rooted in and reflective of Austin’s diverse cultures. This year Torch was one of 35 arts and cultural nonprofits awarded. The organization was also an inaugural recipient in 2022. 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. City of Austin Cultural Arts Division The Economic Development Department's Cultural Arts Division manages the City’s cultural arts programs and provides leadership for the economic development of Austin's creative economy. Media Contact Information: Brittany Heckard Communications Associate bheckard@torchliteraryarts.org (512) 641-9251 Previous Next

< Back Celebrating Black History Month by Acknowledging Black Women Writers and Their Contributions to Literature Jan 31, 2025 Torch is using this year’s Black History Month theme “African Americans and Labor” to highlight the literary work we do to share our voices. At Torch, we don’t use one (short) month to acknowledge the centuries of work Black women have contributed to culture and history as storytellers. However, we’re especially elated to celebrate Black women writers and their work this month. This year, the theme for Black History Month is African Americans and Labor . To celebrate, we’re highlighting the importance of Black women writers and our labor across the literary landscape. Despite Black readers having a higher engagement in books , Black women writers aren’t paid nearly as much as their counterparts in the writing industry. #PublishingPaidMe , solidarity statements in 2020 , and other short-lived social media campaigns highlight these inequalities, yet there’s been little action to ensure Black women are paid for their work and contributions in publishing. “ Working in publishing has exposed me to both sides of the publishing sun. I see how grim and competitive it can be,” said Camari Carter- Hawkins, founder of Mama’s Kitchen Press. “ Knowing that not enough Black writers are being published and afforded opportunities makes me want to find ways to open doors for us.” Camari Carter-Hawkins decided to tell her experience as a Black woman by publishing independently. She founded Mama’s Kitchen Press in 2021 to encourage writers to tell their stories their way, creating doors for others. She realizes that, outside of monetary value, writing also pays her by increasing her well-being. To learn more about Mama's Kitchen Press, visit mamaskitchenpress.com . To learn more and keep up with Black women and their contributions to literature, be sure to follow our Instagram page ! 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 some really cool prizes. Join us for Solar Saturday at the Carver Museum : Torch community members, Marzetta and Shasparay will be sharing their work during the Torch Poetry Showcase. The event is free and open to all. Celebrate World Read Aloud Day with Torch x Kendra Scott : Kendra Scott is donating 20% of purchases when you use code GIVEBACK-IMGQX online or in-store at the Domain location on February 5th and 6th. Celebrate 30 Years of Waiting to Exhale at the Paramount: A movie night at the Paramount? Count us in! Join Torch and the Paramount Theatre for a special screening of an iconic masterpiece based on the book by Terry McMillan. Previous Next

< Back Torch Announces the 2025 Nominations for the Pushcart Prize Dec 1, 2025 Six Torch Features, Jordan E. Franklin, Joi' C Weathers, Imani Nikelle, Yolanda Kwadey, Jennifer Maritza McCauley, and Marchaé Grair are nominated for their respective works. For the fourth year in a row, Torch is excited to nominate six incredible 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 twice since our nominations began in 2022. “ Torch Magazine is both an archive and manifestation for Black women writers around the world daring to tell their stories,” said executive director Amanda Johnston. “Nominating these amazing writers for their work provides access to the publishing field, and more importantly, a community that continues fueling their literary journey.” You can learn more about the Pushcart Prize here . Our Amazing Torch Nominees Include: “ poet discusses how she inherited the new world ” by Jordan E. Franklin “ Redd Ain’t Never Been Just A Color ” by Joi' C Weathers “ American Quilt ” by Imani Nikelle “ The Museum of Fiction ” by Yolanda Kwadey “ Africa Hollers Back to Me ” by Jennifer Maritza McCauley “ She/Not Her ” by Marchaé Grair ### 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 Jordan E. Franklin Jordan E. Franklin (she/her) hails from Brooklyn, NY. She received her MFA from Stony Brook Southampton and is a doctoral candidate at Binghamton University. She is the author of the poetry collection, when the signals come home (Switchback Books), and the chapbook, boys in the electric age (Tolsun Books). Her work has appeared in Breadcrumbs, Frontier, Tinderbox Poetry Journal, the Southampton Review and elsewhere. She is the winner of the 2017 James Hearst Poetry Prize and the 2020 Gatewood Prize. About Joi' C Weathers Joi’ C. Weathers is an award-winning marketer turned writer and third-generation Chicago South Sider with over 14 years of experience leading creative campaigns for global brands like Microsoft and Meta. She’s been recognized with a Cannes Lion, multiple regional Emmys, Golden Trumpet Awards from the Publicity Club of Chicago (PCC), and ADC and AICP honors. She excels at blending cultural storytelling with business success, but her true passion lies in prose. Currently pursuing her MFA in Creative Writing at Temple University, Joi’ amplifies Black voices and celebrates the African Diaspora through her work. A 2025 Project Completion Grant recipient, she is currently finalizing her manuscript for her debut novel, which centers around themes of identity, community, autonomy, and the power of self-acceptance. In addition, she will join the 2025 ‘Black Philadelphia’ symposium as a panelist, hosted by The Library Company of Philadelphia, 1838 Black Metropolis, and UPenn, where she will discuss reclaiming the narrative of Black women. She is the host of the award-winning Obsidian Collection podcast while maintaining her brand Joi Has Questions , dedicated to sharing Black History. Through storytelling and advocacy, Joi’ continues to celebrate the Black Diaspora in all she does. Learn more about Joi’ on her website iamjoicweathers.com and follow her on social media: @Joihasquestions. About Imani Nikelle Imani Nikelle is a southern-born, East Coast dwelling poet & filmmaker. Her poetry is published or forthcoming in Callaloo , The Columbia Review , Poet Lore , and elsewhere. She is currently earning an MFA in Literary Arts from Brown University. About Yolanda Kwadey Yolanda Kwadey is a Ghanaian currently pursuing an MFA in Fiction at the University of Florida. Her writing typically centers African women and race. She also enjoys genre-bending and has worked on Subtropics as an assistant editor. Prior to the MFA, Yolanda has been published twice in the Samira Bawumia Literary Prize Anthology by Ghana's former Second Lady for her creative nonfiction pieces: “Mama Doesn’t Know” and “Life Is a Baptism.” She is also a recipient of the Rebecca Elizabeth Porter Creative Writing Fellowship by the University of Florida. About Jennifer Maritza McCauley Jennifer Maritza McCauley is the author of the cross-genre collection SCAR ON/SCAR OFF (Stalking Horse Press), When Trying to Return Home (Counterpoint Press), a short story collection, Kinds of Grace (Flowersong Press), a poetry collection, and the forthcoming speculative fiction collection Neon Steel (Cornerstone Press/University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point.) Her newest poetry collection VERSUS will be released by Texas Review Press in March 2027. She has received fellowships from the National Endowment for the Arts (prose), Kimbilio (fiction), CantoMundo (poetry), Sundress Academy for the Arts (hybrid). She earned her MFA in creative writing from Florida International University and PhD in literature and creative writing from the University of Missouri-Columbia. She is fiction editor at Pleiades and an assistant professor of English at the University of Missouri-Kansas City. About Marchaé Grair Marchaé Grair (they/she) is a storyteller, spiritual seeker, and facilitator making meaning of life’s liminal spaces. They are an alum of residencies and workshops presented by Tin House, Anaphora Arts, Voices of our Nations (VONA), the Hurston/Wright Foundation, and Roots. Wounds. Words, where they were also a writer-in-residence. Marchaé’s work embodies their Black, queer, nonbinary, disabled, and polyamorous experiences. They are working on a queer, young adult romance novel loosely based on their life and other essays about identity. When they are not writing, they are rewatching their favorite rom-coms, downloading the new Sims expansion pack, or laughing a little too loudly at their own jokes. 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. Previous Next

< Back Torch Literary Arts Announces 2025 Spring Season Brittany Heckard Jan 24, 2025 Torch’s 2025 Spring Season is full of community collaborations, readings, writing workshops, and more to empower and encourage Black women to continue telling their stories. This year, we are doubling down on the need for Black women to feel seen, heard, and supported through their writing journey. 2025 is our year of testament to show that despite changes, restrictions, or setbacks, we continue to thrive when love and support are the foundation of our community. This season, there is an exciting update to the Torch’s Writing Circle . Instead of meeting solely on Mondays, we will alternate the virtual event between Saturday mornings and Monday evenings, giving writers worldwide various options to meet. Our next Writing Circle will be this Saturday, January 25th at 11 a.m. CST. Our special events this season include: Carver Museum Solar Saturday on February 1 : Torch Poetry Showcase Featuring Marzetta and Shasparay. Torch Literary Arts is joining the Carver Museum’s Solar Saturday to kick off Black History Month this year. This free event invites Austin residents and beyond to a free afternoon of programming for all generations. As a full-site activation, we will have fun events in the conference room, the classroom, the dance studio, the theatre, and the drum - not to mention the gallery will be open! Vinyl records on long play will fill the halls, a vendor market will be poppin'! Light snacks and refreshments will be served, along with interactive arts and crafts programming to engage the brain. Torch’s showcase is scheduled for 2:30-3:30 p.m . You can RSVP here . World Read Aloud Day with Torch and Kendra Scott on February 5: A Virtual Fundraising Event For 48 hours, Feb. 5th to 6th, our friends at Kendra Scott Jewelry will donate 20% of purchases when you use the Torch code to help us celebrate and amplify Black women's voices. Visit Kendra Scott at the Domain or shop online . Enter the Torch Code: GIVEBACK-IMGQX to support Torch Literary Arts! Follow @TorchLiteraryArts on IG for readings by our beloved Torch community members. Wildfire Reading Series on February 26: Renée Watson Torch Literary Arts with Black Pearl Books presents the Wildfire Reading Series featuring #1 New York Times bestselling and Newbery Honor Renée Watson, author of All the Blues in the Sky . Join us for a free reading, conversation, Q&A, and book signing as Watson explores friendship, loss, and life with grief in this poignant new novel in verse and vignettes. Donations are appreciated, and you can find out more here . Inaugural Welcome Table Talk Series on March 11: Building Black Feminist Institutions in Uncertain Times Join us for a historical virtual event presented by the Wintergreen Women Writers Collective and Torch Literary Arts. Kicking off the first of many, the inaugural Welcome Table Talk will commence with Dr. Joanne Gabbin and Amanda Johnston. More details coming soon! Playwriting Workshop on March 13: Who all over there? Learning the Character of Your Characters with Florinda Bryant Compelling storytelling in playwriting is rooted in character development. In this virtual generative character development workshop, participants will dig deep into the characters in the worlds of their work using theatrical jazz performance practices. We will use text from Omi Osun/Dr. Joni L. Jones, Theatrical Jazz: Performance, Àse, and the Power of the Present Moment , as we contemplate the question, what does telling the "truth" have to do with theatre, and how does it inform my character development and archetypes? Participants will leave with prompts and activities designed to find the truth of the characters and figures that drive the plot forward. Find out more here . Songwriting Workshop on April 19: Megz of Magna Carda We’ll be hosting our first-ever virtual and free songwriting workshop taught by Megz of Magna Carda. The class will be capped at 10 participants once sign-up opens and a lottery will happen if we exceed 10 RSVPs. More details are coming soon! Stay updated by visiting here for more details . Wildfire Reading Series on February 26: Kendra Allen Torch Literary Arts presents the Wildfire Reading Series featuring Kendra Allen, author of the memoir Fruit Punch . Join us at the wonderful BookWoman for a free reading, conversation, Q&A, and book signing. Donations are appreciated, and you can find out more here . You can RSVP and check back for added Spring 2025 events by visiting torchliteraryarts.org/events . We can’t wait to see you! ### 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. About Kaitlyn “Marzetta” McClung Kaitlyn “Marzetta” McClung is an independent multidisciplinary artist, musician, and literary scholar based in Austin, Texas. Merging the creative and academic, Marzetta posits the human condition within the scope of queerness and womanhood across the Black African diaspora. With Southern roots informing her research and writing interests, Marzetta earned her M.A. in English from the University of Alabama, Tuscaloosa, and B.A. in English and communications media from Alabama A&M University. Marzetta has hosted and performed at the New York City Poetry Festival, Deep Vellum Books in Dallas, and was selected as an emerging literary artist with the Utah Literary Arts Festival. She is a published poet and essayist eager to explore various creative mediums and collaborate with local artists for impact storytelling. Her debut book The Garden: Poems can be found on Amazon and Barnes & Noble.” About Shasparay Shasparay (she/they) is a multi-hyphenate performing artist born and raised in Austin, TX. She is the Founder and Artistic Director of the annual Black Arts Matter Festival and is the 2024 Austin Poetry Slam Grandslam Champion. She was also the 2022 4th Ranked Woman Slam Poet in the World (W.OW.P.S). Shasparay completed a Master's in Arts Administration at the Wisconsin School of Business Bolz Center and holds a B.S. in Theatre from UW-Madison. She was a recipient of the First Wave Hip Hop and Urban Arts Full Tuition Scholarship, a speaker at the 2016 TEDxYouth Austin conference, and is a National NAACP ACT-SO Gold Medalist. Shasparay has been a finalist in national and regional slam competitions such as Women of the World Poetry Slam, Stone Wall International Poetry Slam, Southern Fried Poetry Slam, Texas Grand Slam, and is a two-time Lip Stick Wars Poetry Slam Champion. She has been featured on platforms such as the New York Times, Button Poetry, Huffington Post, Youth Speaks, and Buzzfeed. Lastly, she is an AudioVerse award-winning cast member of the highly acclaimed horror anthology podcast Old Gods of Appalachia. About Renée Watson Renée Watson is a # 1 New York Times bestselling author. Her novel, Piecing Me Together , received a Newbery Honor and Coretta Scott King Award. Her books include the Ryan Hart series, Some Places More Than Others , This Side of Home , What Momma Left Me , Betty Before X , cowritten with Ilyasah Shabazz, Watch Us Rise , co-written with Ellen Hagan, and Love Is a Revolution , as well as acclaimed picture books: Summer Is Here , Maya's Song , The 1619 Project: Born on the Water , written with Nikole Hannah-Jones, A Place Where Hurricanes Happen , and Harlem's Little Blackbird , which was nominated for an NAACP Image Award. Renée splits her time between Portland, Oregon, and New York City. About Florinda Bryant Florinda Bryant is an award-winning interdisciplinary artist, activist, and educator – a Texas gurl who calls Austin home. As a performer and director, she has worked with Salvage Vanguard Theater, the Rude Mechs, the Vortex, Paper Chairs, Theater en Bloc, Teatro Vivo in Austin, TX, and the Ensemble Theater in Houston, Texas. The regional premiere of her one-woman show "Black do Crack" at Ground Floor Theater in Austin, Texas was nominated for five B. Iden Payne Awards including Outstanding Production of a Drama, Original Script, Direction of a Drama, Dramaturgy, and Lead Actress in a Drama, which she won. Florinda has worked with at-risk communities, young men and women, and adults – using performance as a social justice tool for empowerment and change for over 18 years. About Megan “Megz” Trufant Megan “Megz” Trufant Tillman is a writer-musician-director multi-hyphenate with Southern roots – hailing from New Orleans, Louisiana. She is co-founder and one-half of Austin-based jazz/neosoul/hip hop outfit Magna Carda, and has played stages at ACL and SXSW, toured nationally, and has played with artists such as Black Pumas, Oddisee, Noname, GZA, Raekwon, Lizzo, BADBADNOTGOOD, and Raphael Saadiq. Her film works include her directorial debut, the award-winning New Orleans-set short film 'little trumpet' and her most recent short film – as co-director and co-writer – NEWBIES. She most recently served as a writer on the music video for the Oscar-winning song “Fight For You” by H.E.R., and Amazon’s H.E.R. Prime Day episode, as well as music supervisor for short films 'Prepared' and 'little trumpet'. She is also the founder and editor of WATER, a boutique bookshop and Black literary and arts magazine. Her creative work centers Black life and culture as well as the Black South. bymegz.com About Kendra Allen Kendra Allen was born and raised in Dallas, TX. She's the author of the memoir Fruit Punch , the poetry collection The Collection Plate , and the essay collection When You Learn the Alphabet, which won the Iowa Prize for Literary Nonfiction in 2018. You can find some of her other works on, or in, Oxford American, High Times, Repeller, Southwest Review, The Paris Review, The Rumpus , and more. In her spare time, she loves laughing, leaving, and contemplating what's the greatest rap verse of all time. Media Contact Information: Brittany Heckard Communications Associate bheckard@torchliteraryarts.org (512) 641-9251 Previous Next

< Back Torch Literary Arts Unveils 2024 Spring Season Brittany Heckard Jan 26, 2024 Torch’s 2024 Spring Season is full of workshops, panels, an interactive literary cooking event, and much more to help Black women writers share their unique stories. AUSTIN, Tex., Jan. 26, 2024 – Torch is now 18 years in operation and the quality (and quantity) of events supporting Black women writers is not stopping any time soon. This 2024 season, you can expect to work on perfecting your craft with panels and workshops and attend readings by Torch Features during our Wildfire Reading Series. You can RSVP to Torch’s Spring 2024 events by visiting torchliteraryarts.org/events . Our special events this season include: February 15 In Conversation: Room Swept Home with Remica Bingham-Risher , Lisa D. Cain , and Trapeta B. Mayson Torch Literary Arts is proud to present this special reading celebrating the launch of Remica Bingham-Risher’s latest poetry collection, Room Swept Home . Poet Laureate of Philadelphia, Trapeta B. Mayson will moderate the conversation between Bingham-Risher and Lisa B. Cain, the cover artist of Room Swept Home. The conversation is free and registration opens February 1. Learn more here . March 2 Workshop: Write. Publish. Thrive. with Camari Carter Hawkins This immersive event is tailored for aspiring authors and writers who want to learn strategies on how to self-publish and submit their work to literary journals, magazines, contests, and publishers. We will demystify the self-publishing processes by showing you how to independently bring your work to the world, exploring topics such as formatting, cover design, and distribution channels. The workshop is free and registration opens February 10. Learn more here . March 12 Panel: We Got Somthin’: A panel discussion with Charla Lauriston and Monique Moses Torch Literary Arts is proud to present We Got Somthin’: Black Women Writing from Inspiration to Creation featuring Monique Moses & Charla Lauriston. Panelists will discuss the road from ideation to creation, and all of the bumps in between, as Black women writers and creators working across film, television, and web. The panel will be hosted in person at Vuka (5540 N Lamar Blvd., Austin, TX 78756) with doors opening at 6:30pm and the panel starting at 7pm. Learn more here . April 2 Workshop: “Story First” | Writing Your First Screenplay with Bev Chukwu In this 4-week workshop, Bev Chukwu will first bring students into the core of their script ideas. The first week is all about owning your idea and seeing what resonates with others on an emotional level, followed by the second week where writers learn about formatting, structure, and general screenwriting lingo. The third and fourth weeks of this workshop are dedicated to executing what you’ve learned into a tangible outline and the first act of your very own screenplay. The workshop is free and registration opens March 12. Learn more here . April 3 Wildfire Reading Series: Kelis Rowe Torch Literary Arts joins Bookwoman for this special Wildfire Reading Series featuring Kelis Rowe, author of Finding Jupiter. A Q&A, reception, and book signing will follow the reading. The event is free and will be in person at Bookwoman (5501 N Lamar Blvd. #A -105, Austin, TX 78751) at 7pm. Learn more here . May 1 Interactive Event: Praisesong for the Kitchen Ghosts by Crystal Wilkinson Torch Literary Arts presents Praisesong for the Kitchen Ghosts: Stories and Recipes from Five Generations of Black Country Cooks by Crystal Wilkinson. Join us for a delicious evening of storytelling and a cooking demo from a recipe straight from the book. The event is free and will be in person at Wheatsville Food Co-Op (4001 S Lamar Blvd, Austin, TX 78704) at 7pm. Learn more here . May 16 Wildfire Reading Series: Andrea "Vocab" Sanderson Torch Literary Arts joins Black Pearl Books for this special Wildfire Reading Series featuring Andrea Vocab Sanderson, author of She Lives in Music . A Q&A and book signing will follow the reading. The event is free and will be in person at Black Pearl Books (7112 Burnet Rd., Austin, TX 78757) at 7pm. Learn more here . May 29 Workshop: Improv for Writers with Shannon Stott Improv is about working together to create worlds. In this workshop, we will use Improv techniques to challenge self-imposed, unwritten rules that may be constricting creativity, discover ways to invoke play with the sacred, and how to SHARE the work of creation with the very characters and worlds we are writing. The workshop is free and registration opens May 8. Learn more 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. 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. About Remica Bingham-Risher Remica Bingham-Risher, a native of Phoenix, Arizona, is a Cave Canem fellow and Affrilachian Poet. Her work has been published in The New York Times , The Writer’s Chronicle , Callaloo, and Essence . She is the author of Conversion (Lotus, 2006) winner of the Naomi Long Madgett Poetry Award, What We Ask of Flesh (Etruscan, 2013) shortlisted for the Hurston/Wright Legacy Award and Starlight & Error (Diode, 2017) winner of the Diode Editions Book Award and finalist for the Library of Virginia Book Award. Her next book of poems, Room Swept Home , is forthcoming from Wesleyan University Press in 2024. Her memoir, Soul Culture: Black Poets, Books and Questions That Grew Me Up , was published by Beacon Press. She is the Director of Quality Enhancement Plan Initiatives at Old Dominion University in Norfolk, VA, where she resides with her husband and children. About Trapeta B. Mayson A native of Liberia who grew up in Philadelphia, Trapeta B. Mayson was the 2020-2021 Philadelphia Poet Laureate and is the founder of the Healing Verse Poetry Line. She is a recipient of an Academy of American Poets Laureate fellow. Mayson is also a Pew and Cave Canem fellow and Leeway Transformation Awardee, among others. A widely published poet, educator, and teaching artist, Mayson facilitates workshops nationally in schools, institutions, and community venues. A licensed clinical social worker working in the mental health field, Mayson is a member of several local organizations where she uses the arts to mobilize, build community, and help create change. About Lisa D. Cain, Ph.D. Lisa D. Cain, Ph.D., is a self-taught artist and a memory painter. Her predominant painting style, traditional folk art, acrylic paint on canvas, provides a pictorial history of life in the rural South and in Canton, Mississippi. Her upbringing in Canton, Mississippi forms the basic foundations of her life. The vividly colored traditional acrylic folk art paintings depict the joy of growing up in her hometown community. These paintings contain figures of individuals involved in everyday activities reminiscent of traditional folk artists including Bernice Sims, Clementine Hunter, and Grandma Moses. About Camari Carter Hawkins Camari Carter Hawkins is a poet and writer from South Central, Los Angeles. She is the author of Death by Comb (2016, World Stage Press) and the guided journal Write Back to You . Camari’s works have appeared in Rise: An Anthology of Power and Unity (Vagabond Press), The Best of The Poetry Salon 2013-2018 , The Dillydoun Review , Obsidian , Poets Choice , GenreUrbanArts , and elsewhere. Camari founded Mama’s Kitchen Press ™ in 2021 while in her grandmother’s kitchen. Mama's Kitchen Press dropped into her heart while having a heartfelt conversation with her mother and grandmother. The mission of Mama’s Kitchen Press is to use storytelling to affirm our humanity. About Charla Lauriston Charla Lauriston is a Haitian-American, Vancouver-based comedian, writer, and director. She’s currently a writer for Grand Crew on NBC and has previously written for The Last OG, Ghosted, People of Earth, and Hoops. Her 2021 episodic short, Witchsters, is the official selection of the 2022 Slamdance Film Festival, New Filmmakers Los Angeles, and the 2021 Austin Film Festival and American Black Film Festival. Charla is also the Creator and Lead Mentor of The Werking Writer School, a career-focused online course and community for aspiring screenwriters. About Monique Moses Monique Moses is a Canadian-born writer, director, and actor based in New York and Los Angeles. She was co-Head Writer and a co-Executive Producer for Season 4 of HBO's Emmy-nominated A Black Lady Sketch Show. Additional writing credits include Teenage Euthanasia (Adult Swim / HBO Max), Big Mouth spin-off Human Resources (Netflix), The Kid’s Tonight Show (Peacock), and consulting on projects with Jimmy Fallon (That’s My Jam, NBC Universal), Mike Myers (The Pentaverate, Netflix) and John Mulaney (Sack Lunch Bunch, Netflix). As a member of the black comedy team Astronomy Club, she co-created and starred in 'Astronomy Club The Sketch Show', which premiered on Netflix in 2019 to stellar reviews from Variety , Vulture , and Rotten Tomatoes. About Bev Chukwu Beverly “Bev” Chukwu is a Nigerian American writer, director, and script consultant. Her producing projects have screened at the Women in Horror Film Festival, Cine Las Americas, AGLIFF, and more. Bev’s screenplay, PRINCE OF LAVENDALE STREET, was the feature winner in the 2021 BlueCat Screenplay Competition, and her video essay “Sometimes Black” is now used as educational material at the University of Texas at Austin. She has spent over seven years working in various mental health arenas and nearly a year providing behavior therapy to neurodivergent youth and adults. Bev has received fellowships from the Black List x WIF Episodic Lab, Google’s YouTube Originals Black Voices Creator Program, and the James A. Michener Center for Writers, where she also received an MFA in screenwriting and fiction. Bev continues to advocate for filmmakers as EA to the Head of Film and Creative Media at the Austin Film Society and through her relationships teaching for the Writers League of Texas, Austin Bat Cave, and other local non-profits. About Kelis Rowe Kelis Rowe is a stay-at-home mom and former homeschooler who writes sweeping, classic teen romance novels from the points of view of grounded, self-possessed Black girls and the Black teen boys who just gotta love ‘em. Her debut novel, Finding Jupiter , is a contemporary literary romance about a James Taylor and Beyoncé fan and a champion swimmer bonding through shared grief and falling in love one fateful summer. It incorporates journal pages of art and found poetry from the pages of classic novels including The Great Gatsby and Their Eyes Were Watching God . Kelis writes out of her suburban home near Austin, TX. About Crystal Wilkinson Crystal Wilkinson, a recent fellowship recipient of the Academy of American Poets, is the award-winning author of Praisesong for the Kitchen Ghosts , a culinary memoir, Perfect Black, a collection of poems , and three works of fiction— The Birds of Opulence, Water Street and Blackberries, Blackberries . She is the recipient of an NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Poetry, an O. Henry Prize, a USA Artists Fellowship, and an Ernest J. Gaines Prize for Literary Excellence. She has received recognition from the Yaddo Foundation, Hedgebrook, The Vermont Studio Center for the Arts, The Hermitage Foundation and others. Her short stories, poems and essays have appeared in numerous journals and anthologies including most recently in The Atlantic, The Kenyon Review , STORY , Agni Literary Journal, Emergence , Oxford American and Southern Cultures . She was Poet Laureate of Kentucky from 2021 to 2023. She currently teaches creative writing at the University of Kentucky where she is a Bush-Holbrook Endowed Professor. About Andrea “Vocab” Sanderson Andrea “Vocab Sanderson is the fifth Poet Laureate Emeritus of San Antonio. Her performance style is a soulful fusion of spoken word, hip-hop, and rhythm & blues. She’s the author of She Tastes Like Music ( FlowerSong Press 2020) and an Academy of American Poets Laureate Fellow. Vocab was voted Best Local Poet 2021 & 2023 by the SA Current and is the recipient of numerous awards including Dream Voice 2018, The Arts and Letters Award 2020, and Impact Award 2023. She enjoys facilitating creative writing workshops throughout the U.S. with her company, Tree of Life. She is an Artist-In-Residence specializing in artistic patient care with the non-profit organization Hearts Needs Art. About Shannon Stott Shannon Stott is the Creator and Director of Improv | On and Off the Stage, an Improv Production Company, producing live and virtual projects that help people connect to themselves and others through Improv. Shannon has been performing, directing, and teaching Improv for over 25 years in the U.S. and internationally. She uses Improv to highlight the importance of communication across cultures and with self. Shannon considers Improv a practice, encouraging people to engage with Improv as a way to discover more about themselves and others to bridge gaps in cultural understanding. Media Contact Information: Brittany Heckard Communications Associate bheckard@torchliteraryarts.org (512) 641-9251 Previous Next

< Back Celebrating National Book Month with Torch Literary Arts Oct 7, 2024 This October, Torch is celebrating National Book Month with Torch Day, an inaugural international program, and much more! This October, Torch Literary Arts (Torch) is celebrating National Book Month and wants you to join! We know that books are powerful pages bound together to express emotions, provide entertainment, and enrich our knowledge. We’re excited to celebrate our love for books with the Torch community all month. We started off celebrating National Book Month by celebrating Torch Day on October 5 at BookPeople. Supporters helped us celebrate by joining us in person at BookPeople, purchasing a book, or any other purchase online. 10% of all purchases made at BookPeople went directly to Torch! We also featured a panel of wonderful local literary leaders like J asmine Games, Kelis Rowe, Prudence Arceneaux, and our own Amanda Johnston, followed by Torch Karaoke. You can view the recap photos here . We’ll be hosting our inaugural Writers Across the Diaspora in collaboration with Texas State University, Culture Ireland, Consulate General of Ireland - Austin, and the Carver Museum, featuring Irish poets Nithy Kisa and FELISPEAKS . We’ll kick off the program with the English Department at Texas State University on October 9, followed by a reading at the Carver Museum on October 11, and two free workshops on October 12. You can find out more about the events here . You can also celebrate National Book Month by working on your own writing projects during the Writing Circle , hear from writers at our monthly Salon , or donate to our organization to continue supporting Black women writers. ### 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

In the Press

List of Torch Literary Arts' current in-person and virtual events. Upcoming Events Multiple Dates Torch Writing Cirlce Mon, Mar 09 Zoom Dedicated writing time for BIPOC womxn writers. Learn more Wildfire Reading Series featuring Chiagoziem Jideofor Sun, Apr 12 Torch Center Presented by Host Publications and Torch Literary Arts. Join us for the launch of local remedies! Learn more Colored People’s Time (CPT) is Real Time: Afrofuturism, the Speculative, the Surreal & the Fantastic Sat, Apr 18 Zoom A screenwriting workshop with Ashunda Norris. Learn more The Writer-as-Artisan: Writing as a Living Practice Sat, May 23 Zoom A fiction workshop with Idza Luhumyo. Learn more Carrying the Torch Sat, Jun 20 Torch Center The 4th Annual Juneteenth Remembrance and Reading for the Future Learn more Multiple Dates Torch at AWP Baltimore Sat, Mar 07 The Baltimore Convention Center Stop by the Torch Booth #1264 at the Associated Writers and Writing Programs Annual Conference! Learn more AWP Conference Panel & Reading Celebrating 20 Years of Torch Literary Arts Thu, Mar 05 The Baltimore Convention Center Join us for this special anniversary panel with features from across Torch's 20-year history. Learn more Multiple Dates Torch x AFS: Compensation Sat, Feb 28 AFS Cinema Join us for this signature screening at AFS Cinema. Learn more Writing as Oath: Personal Truth-Telling in Memoir and Essay Sat, Feb 28 Zoom A nonfiction workshop with Starr Davis. Learn more Multiple Dates Torch x AFS: Daughters of the Dust Sun, Feb 22 AFS Cinema Join us for this signature screening at AFS Cinema. Learn more Workshop - Mapping for Memories with Dr. Malika Booker Fri, Feb 20 ACC Highland Learn more Writers Across the Diaspora, Austin featuring Dr. Malika Booker Thu, Feb 19 George Washington Carver Museum Reading and conversation. Light refreshments provided. Learn more Writers Across the Diaspora, San Marcos featuring Dr. Malika Booker Wed, Feb 18 The Wittliff Collections Presented by Torch and Texas State University English Department Learn more 2025 CIM Webinar: Fueling Torch's Flame Thu, Dec 11 Virtual Webinar Join us for a recap of 2025 and hear about what's coming in 2026! Open to current Community Impact Members. Learn more Workshop - From the Lion’s Mouth: The Writer as Historical Witness with Sandra Jackson-Opoku Wed, Nov 19 Zoom Learn more Torch TBF Lit Crawl Showcase Sat, Nov 08 Cheer Up Charlies Join us for a celebration of Torch features and friends during the Texas Book Festival. Learn more Torch x Texas Book Festival featuring Tiana Clark and Donika Kelly Sat, Nov 08 Texas Capitol - Extension Room: E2.010 Join this Torch panel at the Texas Book Festival! Learn more An Evening with Tiana Clark and Donika Kelly Thu, Nov 06 Black Pearl Books Join us ahead of the Texas Book Festival for an incredible night of poetry. Learn more Load More