List of current employment and intern opportunities at Torch Literary Arts. Employment There are no openings at this time. Thank you for your interest in Torch Literary Arts.

< Back Thanking Our Funders for their Support for Black Women Writers Jun 28, 2026 In our 20th Anniversary year, seven major funders are stepping up to support Torch’s mission to amplify Black women writers. With major funding deficits affecting nonprofits, especially Black-led and Black-serving nonprofits like Torch, we want to thank our funders for their unwavering support for our mission. While funding for Torch has been affected, we have gained new partners and sustained previous funders to help fuel our flame. We want to thank the Poetry Foundation , City of Austin , The Burdine Johnson Foundation , Art Power , Austin Community Foundation , Literary Arts Fund , and Texas Commission on the Arts for their continued support of Black women writers and a diverse and inclusive literary landscape. These major funders have helped us prepare to open our first physical location in Austin. The Torch Center, opening this summer, will be a literary anchor in the Austin community, and a permanent resource and destination for Black women writers around the world. Unrestricted donations from these funders ensure that Torch leadership is trusted with our mission and decision-making for the long-term success of our nonprofit. Despite our loss of over $45,000 in funding, we are unwavering in our commitment to serving our community. We are especially grateful to our Community Impact Members (CIMs): a consistent group of recurring donors who give $100 annually or more to sustain Torch’s work and impact. As we enter 2026, we look forward to continued relationships with our major funding partners and individual donors, and can’t wait to celebrate the impact from that support at our 20th Anniversary Gathering of Flames Conference in September. Looking ahead, we anticipate more fruitful opportunities to continue growing and amplifying Black women storytellers around the world. If you are interested in becoming a CIM and learning more about the benefits, including your name at the Torch Center, visit torchliteraryarts.org/donate . ### 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. Previous Next

< Back Austin Film Society Joins Torch Literary Arts as New Community Partners Feb 5, 2026 The two organizations will amplify a series of film screenings showcasing Black women screenwriters, directors, and films that reflect Black culture. Austin Film Society (AFS) and Torch Literary Arts (Torch) are partnering to amplify diversity in film at AFS Cinema. These film screenings will be mission-aligned with both organizations and start this month with screenings of Daughters of the Dust and Compensation . Daughters of the Dust (1991), written and directed by Julie Dash, is an intergenerational film about three Gullah women and their lives in the South Carolina islands in 1902. The film won Best Cinematography at Sundance in 1991, Grand Jury Prize Nominee at Sundance in 1991, and was featured at many film festivals, including Mill Valley, BFI London, New Orleans, and Chicago. The first screening is on February 17th. You can purchase tickets for a screening here . Compensation (1999), directed by Zeinabu irene Davis, is a film highlighting the lives of two deaf women living almost a century apart from each other, one living in 1900 and the other in 1990. The film will have ASL interpretation. The film won the Gordon Parks Directing Award from the Independent Feature Project. The first screening is on February 24th. You can purchase tickets for a screening here . “This partnership highlights screenwriters and filmmakers we love to support,” said Amanda Johnston, founder and executive director of Torch Literary Arts. “Producing events that amplify voices of Black women while also enjoying their work on screen is the type of intentional community building we strive for.” AFS and Torch are just steps away from each other at The LINC in the historic St. Johns area, allowing a collaborative partnership that is accessible and convenient for attendees. The partnership highlights the need for representation of Black women writers in cinema and an in-depth look at powerful stories that resonate with any audience. If you are a Torch Feature, Fellow, or CIM Member, please email us for a discount code for these two screenings before you purchase your ticket. You can learn more about Austin Film Society by visiting their website at austinfilmsociety.org . ### About Torch Literary Arts Torch Literary Arts is a 501(c)3 nonprofit established with love and intention in 2006 to publish and promote creative writing by Black women. We publish contemporary writing by experienced and emerging writers alike. Torch Magazine has featured work by Toi Derricotte, Tayari Jones, Sharon Bridgforth, Crystal Wilkinson, Patricia Smith, Natasha Trethewey, and others. Programs include the Wildfire Reading Series, writing workshops, and retreats. About Austin Film Society Founded in 1985 by filmmaker Richard Linklater, AFS creates life-changing opportunities for filmmakers, catalyzes Austin and Texas as a creative hub, and brings the community together around great film. AFS supports filmmakers towards career leaps, encouraging exceptional artistic projects with grants and support services. AFS operates Austin Studios, a 20-acre production facility, to attract and grow the creative media ecosystem. Austin Public, a space for our city’s diverse mediamakers to train and collaborate, provides many points of access to filmmaking and film careers. The AFS Cinema is an ambitiously programmed repertory and first run arthouse with broad community engagement. By hosting premieres, local and international industry events, and the Texas Film Awards, AFS shines the national spotlight on Texas filmmakers while connecting Austin and Texas to the wider film community. AFS is a registered 501(c)(3) non-profit organization. Media Contact Information: Brittany Heckard Communications Associate bheckard@torchliteraryarts.org (512) 641-9251 Previous Next

< Back Celebrate Torch’s 20th Birthday & Our Mission to Amplify Black Women Writers Aug 25, 2026 Our wish this August is to gain 20 new Community Impact Members & more! Find out how to celebrate our birthday with events, well wishes, and donations. It’s no surprise that Torch’s 20th year is here because we’ve been celebrating this significant milestone since January. However, August is a very special month. It’s Torch’s 20th birthday month! Every year, we reflect on how an organization for Black women writers started as a spark and ignited into the unavoidable flame that is Torch Literary Arts. From our day-one supporters to our newest Friday Features, we’ve been cultivating a community that proudly tells Black women that their stories are not only important, but life-changing. Black women writers are America’s archivists. We are the culture markers of the past, current, and the future. Our stories are dreams of unimaginable worlds that people are lucky to experience. This Birthday Month, we’re a living testament to a dream from 2006. Our 2007 archive magazine is award-winning and now features Black women writers from across the diaspora. Our programs now expand to include university, media, and international partnerships. We officially have a physical space in Austin, Texas: the Torch Center! In a time where Black-led and serving nonprofits face defunding, inconsistent performative support, and lack of acknowledgment, we have persisted. So, won’t you celebrate this moment with us? After all, your support is what fuels our flame . This month, we want to thank our community for their unwavering support, and ask for one birthday wish: continued support into the next 20 years. Here are a few ways you can support Torch this month: Become 1 of our 20 new Community Impact Members (CIMs) by donating just $10 monthly or $100 annually. Become a sponsor for or attend Torch’s “A Gathering of Flames” Give a one-time donation of $20 or more Attend our upcoming events: August 25th – Wildfire Reading Series featuring LaToya Watkins August 26th – 4th Annual Carrying the Torch August 29th – Celebrate Black Bookstore Day at the Torch Center August is also Black Philanthropy Month , an international giving month supporting Black-led nonprofits. Torch is proud to be a Black-led and serving organization with countless other nonprofits dedicated to uplifting our community. Between our birthday and celebrating the network of other Black-led nonprofits, there’s so much to celebrate! ### 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 Black Philanthropy Month Dr. Jacqueline Bouvier Copeland of Pan-African Women's Philanthropy Network and The WISE Fund established the month of August as Black Philanthropy Month in 2011, with recognition by the United Nations as part of its 2011 Declaration of the International Year for People of African Descent and its 2015-2024 Declaration of the International Decade for People of African Descent. The month-long observance invites all people of African ancestry and allied brothers and sisters to take August and beyond to promote the power of giving to transform lives. Learn more here . Previous Next

< Back Celebrating the Second Annual Donor-Advised Funds Day Oct 9, 2025 Torch Literary Arts encourages families and individuals with donor-advised funds to consider supporting Black women writers and the programs we offer. Today marks the second annual Donor-Advised Funds (DAF) Day! Aside from Giving Tuesday, this day is a new national giving day celebrating the contributions of DAFs to nonprofits across the nation. Torch is celebrating by encouraging our community to consider using their DAF to support Black women writers or to create a DAF with like-minded individuals for causes near and dear to you. DAFs are the fastest growing form of philanthropy and now have their very own day of giving! Started in 2024, DAF Day arose to address the growth of DAFs in the U.S. DAFs can donate to nonprofits, no matter the size! In fact, 69% of DAFs were under $1,000 . With nearly 2 million DAF accounts in the U.S. , these funds allow simple ways to donate to charities and nonprofit organizations they favor while also receiving immediate tax benefits. Donor-advised funds can recommend grants to mission-aligned organizations. You can also remain 100% anonymous and allow for successors, a great benefit for families, friends, or groups with aligned values and interests. Have you heard of DAFs, or are you considering starting one? Don’t forget to support Torch and our impact and efforts to support Black women writers when considering your DAF giving! ### 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 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 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 Announces 2026 Dates for 20th Anniversary Celebration Aug 20, 2025 “A Gathering of Flames” will take place in Austin, Texas, from September 25 to 27, 2026, celebrating Black women writers and 20 years of Torch’s growing community. AUSTIN, Tex., Aug. 20, 2024 – Torch Literary Arts is announcing their 20th Anniversary celebration, “A Gathering of Flames,” occurring September 25-27, 2026, at the Austin Central Branch Library Special Event Center to celebrate Torch’s 20-year legacy of supporting and creating community for Black women writers across the diaspora. For three days, Black women writers and supporters from around the world will convene in Austin to attend the inaugural Torch Awards Gala, an all-day conference, and Collective Brunch. This momentous weekend will include readings by notable authors, guest speakers, writing workshops, networking opportunities, and more. “Bringing a literary celebration for Black women writers from around the world to Austin has always been a part of Torch's vision,” said executive director Amanda Johnston. “It is a testament to the community Torch is building around the world, and I cannot wait to see our community come together in celebration of literary arts in our hometown next year.” Torch started in 2006 when Amanda Johnston realized she was constantly traveling out of state to propel her career as a poet due to the minimal opportunities in Central Texas for writers of color. What started as a literary magazine and grassroots community transformed into a Black-led and serving nonprofit. Torch’s mission is to promote the work of Black women by publishing contemporary creative writing by emerging and experienced writers, to archive contributors' literary work for posterity and educational purposes, and to provide resources and opportunities for the advancement of Black women through literary arts. Torch has grown to support thousands of Black women on their literary journeys, pays professional rates for featured authors, has received the Pushcart Prize and the inaugural Association of Writers and Writing Programs’ Writing Organization Award, has hosted 22 Torch Retreat Fellows in Austin, and has produced free workshops and events that amplify diverse voices across the literary landscape. To find out more information and save the date for the 20th Anniversary, please visit torchliteraryarts.org/agatheringofflames2026 . To donate to Torch and help fuel our mission, please visit https://www.torchliteraryarts.org/donate . ### 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 Wintergreen Women Writers Collective and Torch Literary Arts Partner to Host Welcome Table Talks Series featuring Black Women Writers Feb 10, 2025 The two literary organizations dedicated to creating community for Black women writers will host a series of talks over the next three years thanks to funding from the Mellon Foundation. Wintergreen Women Writers Collective (Wintergreen) and Torch Literary Arts (Torch) are embarking on an intergenerational three-year project for Black women writers called Welcome Table Talks. The virtual discussions will cover various topics related to organization building, literary freedom, legacy, and more. The virtual discussions are free and open to all. The first Welcome Table Talks event will be held on Tuesday, March 11, at 7 p.m. EST. Executive directors from both literary organizations will discuss the journey of building their respective institutions and the changing needs of leadership. Whether you’re a grassroots organizer or starting a nonprofit, this inaugural talk is perfect for self-starters looking for insight. You can RSVP to the first discussion here . “ Wintergreen has been providing a sacred space for women writers since 1987 when I invited Nikki Giovanni to meet other Black women writers in Virginia. In what was still an unwelcoming academic atmosphere, we came together to affirm the vibrancy of Black literary culture and our vital place in it, ” said Dr. Joanne Gabbin, executive director of Wintergreen. In 1987, renowned author and activist Nikki Giovanni moved to Virginia as a Commonwealth Visiting Professor at Virginia Tech. In her honor, Dr Joanne Gabbin organized a small gathering of Black women writers at Wintergreen Resort. What began that day as a simple celebration of sisterhood and life blossomed into something much more. Now, almost four decades later, the Wintergreen Women Writers Collective offers workshops, retreats, and opportunities for Black women writers to connect, hone their craft, and gain exposure. By doing this, the Collective sustains a literary sisterhood focused on "Sacred Work"—creating in a safe, welcoming space that centers the encouragement and support of Black writing and culture, by nurturing each of the women as writers, scholars, and artists. At this literary site, members have workshopped and critiqued each other's work, offering guidance not only on pedagogy but even on publishing, promoting, and naming books. Annual retreats have served as nourishing spaces for seeds of ideas that resulted in programs, conferences, centers, and organizations. The Collective's range of public and private work has produced a supportive environment for the formation of mission-aligned institutions and organizations like Furious Flower, History of Black Writing, and Cave Canem. The Collective provides a haven for generational perspectives where emerging writers learn from senior writers and in turn spark new ideas. It is a place where the women go to heal, transform, and renew themselves. It provides a way to support systemic change in our communities while bringing about personal transformation. This work contributes to the Mellon-funded implementation project by Wintergreen entitled “The Women Gather.” One area of key development the funding supports is building strategic partnerships with mission-aligned organizations like Torch. “I’m excited to witness the magic this event produces,” said Amanda Johnston, founder and executive director of Torch Literary Arts. “When we provide space to learn from each other while simultaneously encouraging emerging writers and future leaders, we are creating invaluable resources and inspiring unimaginable work.” You can find out more about Wintergreen by visiting their website at wintergreenwomenwriterscollective.com , and more about their pilot partnership, Torch, at torchliteraryarts.org . ### About Wintergreen Writers Collective The Wintergreen Women Writers Collective is a 501(c)3 organization that gathers Black women writers in a literary community that seeks to publish, document, preserve, and celebrate their creative work. More than 70 women from all over the country have taken part in one or more of the Wintergreen retreats or programs over the last 38 years, coming to a place where they can do the sacred work of literary and cultural production. Wintergreen Women are prefiguring a world where the history and legacy of Black women writers are honored and preserved — a world where Black women writers have access to intergenerational spaces where, in community and mutuality, they can nurture one another and locate resources to support their creative practice. Members of the Collective share their knowledge and creativity as a way of encouraging and engaging one another and their extended literary and scholarly communities. About Torch Literary Arts Torch Literary Arts is a 501(c)3 nonprofit established with love and intention in 2006 to publish and promote creative writing by Black women. We publish contemporary writing by experienced and emerging writers alike. Torch Magazine has featured work by Toi Derricotte, Tayari Jones, Sharon Bridgforth, Crystal Wilkinson, Patricia Smith, Natasha Trethewey, and others. Programs include the Wildfire Reading Series, writing workshops, and retreats. Media Contact Information: Brittany Heckard Communications Associate bheckard@torchliteraryarts.org (512) 641-9251 Previous Next

< Back Torch Literary Arts to Open Registration for “A Gathering of Flames: Celebrating 20 Years of Torch Literary Arts” on March 16th Mar 12, 2026 The inaugural gala and conference will feature Rachel Eliza Griffiths, Sharon Bridgforth, Patricia Smith, and Crystal Wilkinson from September 25-27, 2026, in Austin, Texas. AUSTIN, Tex., March 13, 2025 – Torch Literary Arts will open registration for the 20th Anniversary “Gathering of Flames” Conference on March 16th, celebrating two decades of providing community, opportunities, and a platform for Black women writers. The conference will convene on September 25-27, 2026, at the Austin Central Public Library and the George Washington Carver Museum in Austin, Texas. “This celebration is a testament to 20 years of community building and letting Black women writers know that a space already exists for them, no matter where they are in their writing journey,” said executive director Amanda Johnston. “This inaugural event is the foundation for the decades to come.” This is the first time there will be an official gathering for the over 300 Torch Features and Fellows, donors, and supporters of Black women writers. On Friday, the conference will feature notable authors like National Book Award winner Patricia Smith; Yale Windham Campbell Prize winner Sharon Bridgforth; Hurston/Wright Foundation Legacy Award winner Rachel Eliza Griffiths; and NAACP Image Award winner, Crystal Wilkinson. On Saturday, attendees will connect during a day of readings, panels, and writing sessions. On Sunday, the conference will close with a community brunch and open mic. Torch was established in 2006 by the 61st Texas Poet Laureate, Amanda Johnston, who wanted to create a space for Black women writers to feel seen and supported. In 20 years, the organization has transformed into an internationally recognized organization with an unchanged mission to amplify Black women writers. You can find out more about the 20th Anniversary “Gathering of Flames” by visiting torchliteraryarts.org/agatheringofflames2026 , and you can find out more about Torch by visiting torchliteraryarts.org/ . ### 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 to Raise $10,000 during one of Austin’s Largest Giving Days Jan 28, 2026 Torch joins over 700 nonprofits during Amplify Austin to raise funds for Black women writers. This year, Torch is joining the Austin nonprofit community to raise $10,000 during Amplify Austin, for the fourth year in a row. Amplify Austin’s official 24-hour giving day starts on March 4 at 6 p.m. CST and ends on March 5 at 6 p.m CST. Our fundraising page is open for early giving for supporters to donate starting today by visiting this link . Here are a few ways you can show your support during Amplify Austin: Donate directly to our Amplify Austin Campaign. Our Amplify Austin campaign is live now! You can donate to show your support for Black women writers by visiting our Amplify Austin fundraising page . All donors will be entered into a raffle for prizes from our generous community partners listed on our fundraising page. Create a fundraising page to support Torch. Are you interested in sharing how Torch has impacted your life? You can become a fundraiser for Torch’s Amplify Austin campaign and help raise money by sharing it with your network. You can sign up to become a fundraiser here or create a fundraising page here. All fundraisers can use our fundraising toolkit to assist in reaching out to their extended community. For more details about Amplify Austin, visit amplifyatx.org . 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, retreats, and other special events. Help Torch continue to publish and promote Black women writers by donating today. About Amplify Austin Amplify Austin Day is the biggest day of giving in Central Texas, raising $122.4 Million dollars for the local community since 2013. During a single 24-hour period, from 6:00 PM on March 4 to 6:00 PM on March 5, 2026, residents across a 7-county region will come together to support more than 700 nonprofits by making a donation through the platform, AmplifyATX.org . Previous Next

< Back Kicking Off 20 Years with the Spring 2026 Season Jan 29, 2026 Torch’s Spring 2026 Season builds on the history we've made in our 20 years of strengthening the literary community of Black women writers. To celebrate 20 years of literary excellence and community, we’re building on our programmatic foundation and adding more exciting collaborations. With the opening of the Torch Center, our space will be a literary paradise for new and long-time community members to gather and support each other. Our recurring events include the Writing Circle, which occurs twice a month on Monday evenings and Saturday mornings. You can sign up to write virtually with the global Torch community here . Our annual Torch Retreat will return in 2027 so that we can all gather in celebration at the 20th Anniversary event “ A Gathering of Flames . ” This three-day event celebrates Black women writers, supporters, features, fellows, and distinguished guests. Our special events this season include: Torch x AFS: Daughters of the Dust on February 17, 21, 22 Torch Literary Arts is a proud promotional partner of Austin Film Society (AFS). Join us for this special screening of Daughters of the Dust , written and directed by Julie Dash! Writers Across the Diaspora, San Marcos featuring Dr. Malika Booker on February 18 Join Torch Literary Arts, in partnership with the Texas State University English Department, and The Wittliff Collections, for Writers Across the Diaspora featuring award-winning British poet, Dr. Malika Booker! This is part of an annual partnership with Texas State, and the event is free and open to the public. Writers Across the Diaspora, Austin featuring Dr. Malika Booker on February 19 Returning to the George Washington Carver Museum in Austin, Torch is proud to present British poet Dr. Malika Booker for a reading and conversation with doors opening at 6:30 p.m. and the reading and conversation starting at 7:00 p.m. This event is free and open to the public. Torch x AFS: Compensation on February 24, 28 Torch Literary Arts is a proud promotional partner of Austin Film Society (AFS). Join us for this special screening of Compensation , written by Marc Arthur Chéry, directed by Zeinabu irene Davis! Writing as Oath: Personal Truth-Telling in Memoir and Essay on February 28 This workshop comes directly from Torch Fellow, Star Davis’s own practice as a memoirist. Attendees will focus on personal truth-telling in memoir and personal essays. Participants are invited to bring a short excerpt from a current personal essay or memoir in progress for guided discussion and optional workshopping. The emphasis will be on craft, precision, and sustaining yourself as a writer while telling the truth of your life. AWP Conference Panel & Reading Celebrating 20 Years of Torch Literary Arts on March 5 This year, Torch Literary Arts will celebrate 20 years of publishing, promoting, and supporting Black women writers across the diaspora. Join us for this special anniversary panel and reading at the 2026 AWP Conference in Baltimore with Torch features Saida Agostini, Teri Ellen Cross Davis, Mecca Jamilah Sullivan, Ph.D., and executive director Amanda Johnston. Welcome Table Talk on March 31 Wintergreen Women Writers Collective and Torch Literary Arts are returning March 31 for the intergenerational three-year project for Black women writers called Welcome Table Talks . The virtual discussions will cover various topics related to organization building, literary freedom, legacy, and more. The virtual discussions are free and open to all. More details to come! Wildfire Reading Series featuring Chiagoziem Jideofor on April 12 This is the first collaboration event presented by Host Publications and Torch Literary Arts. Join us for the launch of local remedies ! The event will include a reading and conversation with Jideofor, followed by a book signing. Light refreshments provided. Colored People’s Time (CPT) is Real Time is Real: Afrofuturism, the Speculative, the Surreal & the Fantastic on April 18 Afrofuturist theorist Rasheedah Phillips asserts that Colored People’s Time (CPT) is “a temporal technology, survival mechanism and harkening back to ancestral ways of observing and experiencing space-time.” How can we use time to explore the possibilities of Afrofuturism and surrealism in screenwriting? Writing exercises will foster experimentation across genres as we explore what makes an afro-futuristic, speculative, sci-fi story come to life. The Writer-as-Artisan: Writing as a Living Practice on May 23 It’s not unusual for a writer to feel a deep urge to write, yet lack a clear subject. So we sit around paralyzed, waiting for a ‘big idea’ to strike. But what if writing is not an arrival but a series of ongoings? In this workshop, we adopt the figure of the writer-as-artisan: someone for whom writing is a functional craft, a sustained practice, something not performed in the isolation of a room, but an attentive and communal posture towards the world. Carrying the Torch on June 20 Join Torch Literary Arts for the 4th Annual Carrying the Torch: A Reading and Remembrance for the Future . This special event acknowledges the historical significance of Juneteenth and celebrates the accomplishments of the African American community. Poets, writers, and guest speakers will share original work to acknowledge the federal holiday and celebrate the future of African Americans in Texas. Check out more details for specific 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 Austin Film Society (AFS) Founded in 1985 by filmmaker Richard Linklater, AFS creates life-changing opportunities for filmmakers, catalyzes Austin and Texas as a creative hub, and brings the community together around great film. AFS supports filmmakers towards career leaps, encouraging exceptional artistic projects with grants and support services. AFS operates Austin Studios, a 20-acre production facility, to attract and grow the creative media ecosystem. Austin Public, a space for our city’s diverse mediamakers to train and collaborate, provides many points of access to filmmaking and film careers. The AFS Cinema is an ambitiously programmed repertory and first run arthouse with broad community engagement. By hosting premieres, local and international industry events, and the Texas Film Awards, AFS shines the national spotlight on Texas filmmakers while connecting Austin and Texas to the wider film community. AFS is a registered 501(c)(3) non-profit organization. About Malika Booker Malika Booker is a lecturer at Manchester Metropolitan University, a British poet of Guyanese and Grenadian Parentage, and co-founder of Malika’s Poetry Kitchen (A writer’s collective). The Anthology - Two Young, Two Black, Too Different, Poems from Malika’s Poetry Kitchen was recently published to celebrate Malika Poetry Kitchen’s twenty-year anniversary . Her pamphlet Breadfruit , (flippedeye, 2007) received a Poetry Society recommendation, and her poetry collection Pepper Seed (Peepal Tree Press, 2013) was shortlisted for the OCM Bocas prize and the Seamus Heaney Centre 2014 prize for first full collection. She is published with the Poets Sharon Olds and Warsan Shire in The Penguin Modern Poet Series 3: Your Family: Your Body (2017 ). Booker and Shara McCallum recently co-edited the issue of Stand Journal curating an anthology of poems by African American, Black British, & Caribbean Women & Identifying Writers. Booker currently hosts and curates Peepal Tree Press’s Literary podcast, New Caribbean Voices. A Cave Canem Fellow, and inaugural Poet in Residence at The Royal Shakespeare Company, Malika was awarded the Cholmondeley Award (2019) for outstanding contribution to poetry and elected a Royal Society of Literature Fellow (2022). Her poem The Little Miracles, commissioned by and published in Magma 75(autumn 2019) won The Forward Prize for Best Single Poem (2020). Her poem Libation, published in Poetry Review (winter 2022) won The Forward Prize for Best Single Poem (2023). About Starr Davis Starr Davis is the author of the forthcoming poetry collection Affidavit (Hanging Loose Press, 2025), winner of the Founders Prize, and the memoir I Am Mostly Bad Blood (Autumn House, 2026), winner of the 2024 Autumn House Nonfiction Prize. Her writing has appeared in The Kenyon Review , Poem-a-Day from the Academy of American Poets, and Palette Poetry , where she was a third-place winner of the 2023 Sappho Prize for Women Poets. She serves as Creative Nonfiction Editor at TriQuarterly , teaches with Brooklyn Poets, and is a Visions After Violence Fellow with the After Violence Project. Originally from Columbus, Ohio, and currently based in Houston, Texas, she holds an MFA from the City College of New York and a BA from the University of Akron, and her work lives at the intersections of motherhood, justice, and survival. About AWP The Associated Writing Programs was established as a nonprofit organization in 1967 by fifteen writers representing thirteen creative writing programs. The new association sought to support the growing presence of literary writers in higher education. At that time, English departments were mainly conservatories of the great literature of the past, and scholars fiercely resisted the establishment of creative writing programs. AWP was created to overcome this resistance, to advocate for new programs, and to provide publishing opportunities for young writers. Today, AWP, now the Association of Writers & Writing Programs, supports colleges and universities as well as individual writers as members. To this day, AWP continues to expand, offering new programs and services to support members. About Wintergreen Writers Collective The Wintergreen Women Writers Collective is a 501(c)3 organization that gathers Black women writers in a literary community that seeks to publish, document, preserve, and celebrate their creative work. More than 70 women from all over the country have taken part in one or more of the Wintergreen retreats or programs over the last 38 years, coming to a place where they can do the sacred work of literary and cultural production. Wintergreen Women are prefiguring a world where the history and legacy of Black women writers are honored and preserved—a world where Black women writers have access to intergenerational spaces where, in community and mutuality, they can nurture one another and locate resources to support their creative practice. Members of the Collective share their knowledge and creativity as a way of encouraging and engaging one another and their extended literary and scholarly communities. About 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 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. About Chiagoziem Jideofor Chiagoziem Jideofor is Queer and Igbo. Her work has appeared in Poetry , Michigan Quarterly Review , South Carolina Review , berlin lit , The Lincoln Review , Passages North , Commonwealth’s ADDA , the Minnesota Review , Sho Poetry Journal , MAYDAY , and elsewhere. She earned an MFA from the University of Alabama, Tuscaloosa, and is currently a PhD student at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville. About Ashunda Ashunda is Black feminist filmmaker, poet, and photographer whose art centers the complexities of Black {Southern} womxnhood, magical spiritual traditions of Southern Black folk, futuristic maroon expressions, and Black fugitivity. Her art places a critical lens on society’s treatment of the Black female frame and explores the vulnerability of Black womxn and femmes. She has written, directed, and produced several short films, including her most recent multi-award-winning cinematic gesture, MINO: A Diasporic Myth ; now streaming on kweliTV and housed in Indiana University’s Black Film Center Archive. As an inaugural Torch Literary Arts Screenwriting fellow, Ashunda led a table read of her debut feature script Crossed Kalunga By The Stars . A 2021 ARRAY Liberated Territory fellow, Ashunda’s films have screened at festivals across the globe including Kampala, Uganda; Nairobi, Kenya; London, England; Berlin, Germany, and Amsterdam. Her honors include fellowships from Cave Canem, the California Arts Council, Torch Literary Arts, Hurston/Wright Foundation, Brooklyn Poets and Storyknife. Ashunda is the founder of Sibyls Palace; a Black womxn centered art house that produces oppositional cinema & photography. Her art has exhibited in the TRYST Art Fair, OUTMusem and Red Spring’s Afrofuturism Curating the End of the World. Ashunda curates and hosts Sibyls Salon, a monthly writing vanguard & script reading series for Black womxn artists to commune, fellowship & support each other’s work. A proud alumna of Howard University and Paine College, the artist holds MFAs in both Poetry and Screenwriting. Born and raised in the backwoods of Georgia, Ashunda is now a bonafide, citified bitch living and dreaming in Los Angeles. About Idza Luhumyo Idza Luhumyo was born in Mombasa, Kenya. She studied law at the University of Nairobi, earned an MA in Comparative Literature at SOAS—University of London, and an MFA in Creative Writing from Texas State University. Her writing has appeared in various publications, including Transition Magazine , African Arguments , the Masters Review , and the Porter House Review . Her short story, "Five Years Next Sunday," was awarded the 2021 Short Story Day Africa Prize and the 2022 Caine Prize for African Writing. Other awards include the Margaret Busby New Daughters of Africa Award and the Civitella Ranieri Writing Fellowship. She currently lives and works in Austin, TX. Media Contact Information: Brittany Heckard Communications Associate bheckard@torchliteraryarts.org (512) 641-9251 Previous Next