< Back Torch Literary Arts Announces the Torch Center Coming Fall 2025 Sep 2, 2025 The local Austin nonprofit organization dedicated to building community for Black women writers will now have a physical location at the LINC of Austin. AUSTIN, Tex., Sep. 2, 2024 – Torch Literary Arts is proud to announce that a physical location for the nonprofit will open in Fall 2025. The nonprofit that has been running for nineteen years will now have a physical location at the LINC of Austin in North-Central Austin, TX. “Watching Torch grow to having a physical location is a dream come true,” executive director of Torch, Amanda Johnston. “Establishing the Torch Center grounds us in our mission and offers more community-building activities for Black women writers and all lovers of literature here in the city where Torch was founded.” The physical location will allow the nonprofit to host more in-person events in the greater Austin area. Torch hosts recurring events, including the Wildfire Reading Series that features notable authors from across the country, open mic events, free creative writing and professional development workshops, an annual retreat, and more. “ This is more than a building; this is a victory for our voices, our stories, and our legacy. I am overjoyed to be a small part of the team that continues to cultivate victories for Black women. Torch is lighting the way,” said board chair Sequoia Maner, PhD. According to Magnitude & Bond , a study on Black Literary organizations, Black-led and other culturally specific literary organizations are some of the most underresourced arts organizations. This physical location allows Torch to expand beyond its already growing diasporic presence and anchors itself in Austin’s arts community. Torch was established in 2006 as a grassroots community project by Amanda Johnston, 2024 Texas Poet Laureate. In nineteen years, the organization has published the award-winning Torch Magazine , hosted an annual paid retreat with a national reach, and developed partnerships with the Texas Book Festival, Texas State University, and the Consulate General of Ireland in Austin, among others. Many thanks to Art Power for fueling Torch's flame as the first corporate sponsor of the Torch Center. Interested in supporting Torch Literary Arts as a sponsor or partner? Email us at contact@torchliteraryarts.org to learn how. You can keep up with Torch’s progress and upcoming events by visiting their website at torchliteraryarts.org , signing up for the weekly newsletter, or following on Instagram. ### 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 National Poetry Month with an Ode to Poets Brittany Heckard Apr 5, 2024 Every April, Torch is elated to celebrate the Black women who put words to feelings by celebrating National Poetry Month April is a month of renewal and rebirth — with showers watering what springs in May. It’s also National Poetry Month — a time to celebrate those who can turn feelings into words that cause us to reflect. This month, Torch is celebrating National Poetry Month by pouring into our community. Just like the April showers, we know that watering others with resources and support brings the growth and representation that marginalized voices need to thrive. We’re starting off celebrating National Poetry Month by highlighting our April Feature, Yona Harvey. Yona Harvey is an acclaimed poet and professor. Winner of the 2014 Kate Tufts Discovery Award, her poetry collections include Hemming the Water and You Don’t Have to Go to Mars for Love. She is also an author of Marvel Comics' World of Wakanda , becoming one of the first two black women to write for Marvel. You can check out her poems and interview with our editor, Jae Nichelle, here . April is also very special for Torch because we are celebrating the fact that our own executive director, Amanda Johnston, is the 2024 Texas Poet Laureate. She is making Texas and poetry history as the first Black woman to be the state’s laureate. Torch celebrates her accomplishments all year, but especially this month. You can celebrate National Poetry Month with Torch and join us in watering our community by attending our events , sharing our work on social media, and donating to our organization . Check out a few of our events this Poetry Month: Events April 15th - Writing Circle April 24th - The Salon Torch Magazine Read our April 2024 Feature, Yona Harvey Read the poetry Friday Features by Isha Camara and Lor Clincy ### 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 and a Sustainable Future with Torch Mar 6, 2026 This year’s Women’s History Month Theme urges us to celebrate women who are taking charge in regard to sustainability, and this International Women’s Day urges us to give to gain. March is Women’s History Month, and March 8th is International Women’s Day. Originally, Women’s History Week celebrated the week of March 8th. Now, Women’s History Month exists to recognize women’s many accomplishments throughout history. International Women’s Day came soon after as a global recognition day of women’s accomplishments. This year’s theme for Women’s History Month is “Leading the Change: Women Shaping a Sustainable Future”, designated by the National Women's History Alliance . This theme empowers the world to recognize and celebrate women leading in sustainability outside of pure environmental challenges, but also financial sustainability, community resilience, leadership succession, and intergenerational equity. For International Women’s Day on March 8th, we’re celebrating the theme “Give to Gain,” encouraging generosity and collaboration. This worldwide call to donate and share knowledge and resources not only empowers women but also provides more opportunities for women to thrive. In line with both themes, Torch is not only a sustainable online magazine but also addresses intergenerational equity by featuring Black women writers and provides financial sustainability by paying Black women professional rates for publication in Torch Magazine and for readings and workshop facilitation. We also hope you celebrate International Women’s Day by supporting Torch and Black women writers. Below are a few ways you can continue inspiring inclusion during Women’s History Month and International Women’s Day with Torch. Events March 4-7th – Meet us at AWP ! March 9th - Writing Circle Torch Magazine Read our March 2026 Feature: Bettina Judd Read our March Friday Features Support Torch In celebrating women, we also want to thank each and every person who donated to our 2026 Amplify Austin campaign. With your help, we raised $2,875! You can still support Torch by donating 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. Media Contact Information: Brittany Heckard Communications Associate bheckard@torchliteraryarts.org (512) 641-9251 Previous Next

< Back Torch Announces the Nominations for the Pushcart Prize Brittany Heckard Nov 22, 2024 Six Torch Features, Erica Frederick, A. E. Wynter, Sydney Mayes, Chidima Anekwe, Chyann Hector, and Mon Misir, are nominated for their respective works. For the third year in a row, Torch is elated to nominate six Torch Features for The Pushcart Prize. The Pushcart Prize has been published every year since 1976 and showcases small presses from all over America. Torch Magazine has been featured in the publication every year since our nominations began in 2022. It is a true testament to the work that Black women produce and the importance of amplifying their work through our online magazine. You can learn more about the prize here . Our Amazing Torch Nominees Include: “ Banana Trees/Sunflower Seeds ” by Erica Frederick “ Track One (Kick, Push III) ” by A.E. Wynter “ Exhaustion Whispers Tough Luck to The July Child ” by Sydney Mayes “ Biafra Song ” by Chidima Anekwe “ Black Girlhood ” by Chyann Hector “ Excise ” by Mon Misir ### About Torch Literary Arts Torch Literary Arts is a 501(c)3 nonprofit established with love and intention in 2006 to publish and promote creative writing by Black women. We publish contemporary writing by experienced and emerging writers alike. Torch has featured work by Toi Derricotte, Tayari Jones, Sharon Bridgforth, Crystal Wilkinson, Patricia Smith, Natasha Trethewey, Elizabeth Alexander, and others. Programs include the Wildfire Reading Series, workshops, an annual retreat, and special events. Help Torch continue to publish and promote Black women writers by donating today. About Erica Frederick Erica Frederick is a queer, Haitian American writer from Orlando, Florida currently living in Brooklyn, New York. She received her MFA in fiction from Syracuse University and writes about being big in all the ways there are to be big—in body, in spirit, in Blackness, in Florida suburbia. She has received fellowships from MacDowell, Tin House, The Rona Jaffe Foundation, VIDA, Lambda Literary, and the Hurston/Wright Foundation. She is well at work on her first novel, Fight in the Night. About A.E. Wynter A. E. Wynter is a Black, Jamaican-descended writer and editor from New York. She is also a community organizer and currently lives in Saint Paul, MN where she has curated multimedia art exhibits, writing workshops, and readings, among other events. Wynter has received multiple grants from the Minnesota State Arts Board and was a fiction fellow in the 2021-2022 Loft Mentor Series. Winner of the 53rd New Millennium Award for Poetry and The Florida Review 2024 Editors' Award in Poetry, her poems have also appeared or are forthcoming in West Trade Review and Water~Stone Review . Wynter was a 2023 resident at the Carolyn Moore Writers Residency. About Sydney Mayes Sydney Mayes is a poet from Denver, Colorado. Her poems have been published or are forthcoming in The Atlantic, Poets.org , The Iowa Review Blog, Gulf Coast Journal, Obsidian, Denver Quarterly, Booth, and Prairie Schooner . Mayes won the 2021 Iowa Chapbook Prize for her chapbook You Look Just Like Your Mama . She was selected by Roger Reeves as a finalist for the 2024 Furious Flower Poetry Prize. Executive Editor of Nashville Review , Mayes is an MFA Candidate in Poetry at Vanderbilt University. Follow Sydney on Instagram . About Chidima Anekwe Chidima Anekwe is an emerging writer hailing from the old coastal town of Stratford, CT. She is a recent graduate from Yale University with a B.A. in English Language & Literature and a concentration in Creative Writing. For her work, she has received support from the SAEF Grant and the DuPuy Prize, and has been nominated for a MacNelly Award for Literary Arts. She writes to explore new postcolonial poetics and Black feminist existentialisms within contemporary American girlhood, usually with a satirical bent. She has read for The Yale Review and edited for DOWN , a BIPOC-centered webzine, among others. She is currently based in CT and gaining experience in NY. About Chyann Hector Chyann Hector is a Black Jamaican-American writer and educator based in the DMV. She has been writing ever since she could remember and wrote her first novel in a spiral notebook in the 5th grade. In her work, Chyann prioritizes the voices of Black women who are immigrants and descendants of immigrants. She also explores multi-generational relationships, mental health, and culture in her writing. You can find her on Instagram and TikTok: @chyiswriting. About Mon Misir Mon Misir (she/they) is a queer Black British writer and recovering lawyer based in London, UK. They use their writing to explore facets of their experience as a black woman, with a speculative bent. When not writing or editing others’ work in various writers groups, they enjoy reading, theatre (musical and otherwise), and learning how to wield a longsword. They have work published in or forthcoming with the Decolonial Passage and Midnight & Indigo . You can find their links here: https://bio.site/Nomonbooks or follow them on Instagram . About The Pushcart Prize The Pushcart Prize: Best of the Small Presses series, published every year since 1976, is the most honored literary project in America - including Highest Honors from the American Academy of Arts and Letters . Since 1976, hundreds of presses and thousands of writers of short stories, poetry and essays have been represented in our annual collections. Each year most of the writers and many of the presses are new to the series. Every volume contains an index of past selections, plus lists of outstanding presses with addresses. Media Contact Information: Brittany Heckard Communications Associate bheckard@torchliteraryarts.org (512) 641-9251 Previous Next

< Back Torch Literary Arts Welcomes New Team Member Feb 27, 2026 Torch adds a new position, Administrative Associate, to help with daily operations and support the needs of Torch Center. As we prepare to open the Torch Center, we’re proud to announce a new team member and a position critical to The Center’s operations. We’re excited to announce the hiring of Sierra Lewis, our Administrative Associate, and welcome her to the Torch team. As the Administrative Associate, Sierra will ensure quality customer service, smooth daily operations, maintain efficient office procedures, and act as a key liaison between team members and the general public. She will also help curate an intentional shop at the Torch Center featuring works by our featured authors, Torch merch, and lifestyle products that celebrate the culture. “Sierra’s expertise and energy complement our mission. We can’t wait for our community members to see her smiling face at the Torch Center once we open!” said Amanda Johnson, executive director. Sierra Lewis is an administrator, creative entrepreneur, and cultural curator whose work centers on supporting Black, women, and value-driven communities. Born in Baltimore and based in Austin, she brings experience across nonprofit, arts, education, social service, and entrepreneurship, with a deep commitment to building systems that sustain creative work and community. She is the founder and former brick-and-mortar owner of New Origin Shop , a curated retail platform uplifting independent makers, many of them Black women. Sierra brings a background in marketing, digital storytelling, and e-commerce, with experience building community and operations across both physical and digital spaces. She is a BeyGOOD Foundation grant recipient and a Goldman Sachs Black in Business scholar, and her work has been featured on Texas Today NBC 5. Sierra is honored to support Torch Literary Arts in amplifying the voices of Black women writers and strengthening the infrastructure that sustains their work. You can see the full list of our employees and board members here . ### About Torch Literary Arts Torch Literary Arts (Torch) is a 501(c)3 nonprofit established with love and intention in 2006 to publish and promote creative writing by Black women. We publish contemporary writing by experienced and emerging writers alike. Torch has featured work by Toi Derricotte, Tayari Jones, Sharon Bridgforth, Crystal Wilkinson, Patricia Smith, Natasha Trethewey, Elizabeth Alexander, and others. Programs include the Wildfire Reading Series, writing workshops, and retreats. Help Torch continue to publish and promote Black women writers by donating today. Media Contact Information: Brittany Heckard Communications Associate bheckard@torchliteraryarts.org (512) 641-9251 Previous Next

< Back Torch Literary Arts Announces Retirement of Board Member Dr. Omi Osun Joni L. Jones Jan 3, 2025 Dr. Omi Osun Joni L. Jones joined the board in 2023 bringing her expertise as an artist, performer, author, and scholar to help support Black women writers. AUSTIN, Tex., January 3, 2025 – Torch Literary Arts (Torch), a nonprofit organization dedicated to amplifying Black women writers, is announcing the retirement of Dr. Omi Osun Joni L. Jones. Dr. Jones joined the Torch board in January 2023, serving two years and contributing a timeless amount of support, dedication, and insight. “ Omi has been a wonderful colleague and collaborator,” said board chair, Dr. Sequoia Maner. “We give special thanks for Omi's contribution to the Torch retreat—her expertise in screenwriting and performance not only helped to identify and secure amazing writers but also to refine processes for application and evaluation regarding the retreat. Moreover, we give thanks for Omi's grounding presence and thoughtful approach to all endeavors. She has been such a joy to work with and I, for one, will miss her smile!” Dr. Jones is the founder of the Austin Project—a collective of Global Majority women and allies who use art for personal and social transformation, and Professor Emerita from the African and African Diaspora Studies Department at the University of Texas at Austin where she brings Black Feminist praxis and theatrical jazz principles to her artmaking, scholarship, and facilitation. Her original performances include sista docta , a critique of academic life, and Searching for Ọ̀ṣun, an ethnographic performance installation around the Divinity of the River. Her dramaturgical work includes August Wilson’s Gem of the Ocean and Shay Youngblood’s Shakin’ the Mess Outta Misery —both under the direction of Daniel Alexander Jones, as well as Sharon Bridgforth’s con flama under the direction of Laurie Carlos. Her most recent book is Theatrical Jazz: Performance, Àṣẹ, and the Power for the Present Moment . ### About Torch Literary Arts Torch Literary Arts (TORCH) is a 501(c)3 nonprofit established with love and intention in 2006 to publish and promote creative writing by Black women. We publish contemporary writing by experienced and emerging writers alike. TORCH has featured work by Toi Derricotte, Tayari Jones, Sharon Bridgforth, Crystal Wilkinson, Patricia Smith, Natasha Trethewey, Elizabeth Alexander, and others. Programs include the Wildfire Reading Series, writing workshops, and retreats. Help TORCH continue to publish and promote Black women writers by donating today. Media Contact Information: Brittany Heckard Communications Associate bheckard@torchliteraryarts.org (512) 641-9251 Previous Next

< Back 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 Jae Nichelle Associate Editor Louisiana-born Jae Nichelle is the author of God Themselves (Andrews McMeel, 2023) and the chapbook The Porch (As Sanctuary) (YesYes Books, 2019). She is a finalist for a 2023 Ruth Lilly and Dorothy Sargent Rosenberg Fellowship and won the inaugural John Lewis Writing Award in poetry from the Georgia Writers Association. Her poetry has appeared in Best New Poets 2020 (University of Virginia Press, 2020), the Washington Square Review , The Offing , Muzzle Magazine , and elsewhere. Nichelle is a slam poetry champion, and her spoken word poems have been featured by Write About Now, Speak Up Poetry Series, and Button Poetry. She has a passion for language, linguistics, and mental health and has published articles on these subjects in AFROPUNK, An Injustice!, and the Black Youth Project.

< Back Raina Fields Advisory Board Member Raina Fields is a communications strategist, educator, and writer with experience in the private sector, higher education institutions, and nonprofit organizations. She is accredited in public relations (APR) and has degrees from Virginia Commonwealth University, Virginia Tech, and Loyola University Maryland. Raina is passionate about community outreach and the arts. She is a Cave Canem fellow and has published poetry in Blackbird , Callaloo , The Collagist, and Fjords Review , among others. She lives in Richmond, VA.

< Back Torch Announces the Nominations for the O. Henry Prize Aug 30, 2024 Two Torch Features, Felicia A. Rivers and Lydia Mathis, are nominated for their respective short fiction stories. The O. Henry Prize is the oldest major prize for short fiction in America. Awarded since 1919, the prize seeks to provide a prominent platform for short story writers from all around the world and at all points in their careers. The winners’ stories are collected and published annually by Anchor Books. Learn more about the prize here . Our Amazing Torch Nominees Include: “Maestro” by Felicia A. Rivers “A Body Walks into Public Safety” by Lydia Mathis ### About Torch Literary Arts Torch Literary Arts is a 501(c)3 nonprofit established with love and intention in 2006 to publish and promote creative writing by Black women. We publish contemporary writing by experienced and emerging writers alike. Torch has featured work by Toi Derricotte, Tayari Jones, Sharon Bridgforth, Crystal Wilkinson, Patricia Smith, Natasha Trethewey, Elizabeth Alexander, and others. Programs include the Wildfire Reading Series, workshops, an annual retreat, and special events. Help Torch continue to publish and promote Black women writers by donating today. About Felicia A. Rivers Felicia A. Rivers lives in the Greene Townes west of Philadelphia, PA, USA where she escaped the corporate majority and joined the artistic minority. She earned her MFA from the Bennington Writing Seminars, has showcased plays in Philly and New York, and her work has appeared in various publications, including Menagerie Magazine, The Ampersand, and a tiny Philadelphian street sheet that had a short, but happy life. Also, she daydreams. A lot. About Lydia Mathis Lydia Mathis has an MFA in fiction from New York University. She earned her BA in English literature with a minor in classical civilizations from Agnes Scott College. She has worked as a teacher for Teach for America in Memphis and as a teaching fellow at Coler-Goldwater Hospital in New York City. She is the recipient of A Public Space’s 2023 Editorial Fellowship and is currently an assistant editor at A Public Space. She has stories published in or forthcoming from Stanchion , Southeast Review , Five on the Fifth , oranges journal , and North American Review . Media Contact Information: Brittany Heckard Communications Associate bheckard@torchliteraryarts.org (512) 641-9251 Previous Next

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

< Back Torch Literary Arts Returns as a Partnering Organization for the 2025 Texas Book Festival Nov 5, 2025 Over two days, Torch will host poets Tiana Clark and Donika Kelly in Austin for a series of inspiring readings and conversations. Austin is a city of festivals and events that draw visitors from around the world. One of our favorite festivals at Torch is the Texas Book Festival. Joining as a partnering organization for the fourth year in a row, we’re proud to bring in Tiana Clark and Donika Kelly for readings and conversations, and host a powerful lit crawl full of Torch Features and friends. Poet, professor, and essayist, Tiana Clark, will join us to read from Scorched Earth , a 2025 National Book Award finalist. Her work touches on her life-changing experiences with divorce, self-love, queer discovery, and bliss. Donika Kelly is a poet and professor at the University of Iowa, and author of The Natural Order of Things . Her work touches on radical love and attention to the happenings in the world around us. You can catch Torch’s amazing events at Black Pearl Books, the Texas Capitol, or Cheer Up Charlies in community with other renowned Black women writers sharing their work. Check out our three events below: Thursday, November 6, at Black Pearl Books: Join us for a free kickoff reception and reading featuring our two Texas Book Festival features, Donika Kelly and Tiana Clark, as they read from their official Texas Book Festival-selected books in Austin’s Black-owned bookstore, Black Pearl Books. Learn more and RSVP here . Saturday, November 8, at the Texas Capitol: In partnership with Texas Book Festival, join Tiana Clark and Donika Kelly at the Texas Capitol as they discuss their literary works. We’ll delve into their backgrounds, the inspiration behind their writing, and much more. Learn more about the conversation online here . Saturday, November 8, at Cheer Up Charlies: In partnership with Texas Book Festival, join us at 7:45 p.m. for an electric evening of poetry and fiction by award-winning authors C. Prudence Arceneaux, Ebony LaDelle, Carrie R. Moore, Esther Ifesinachi Okonkwo, Fabienne Josaphat, and Amanda Johnston (host). Learn more about the Lit Crawl online here . Texas Book Festival is a nonprofit organization dedicated to celebrating the culture of literacy and ideas. This is the Texas Book Festival’s 30th year hosting the festival and is one of the largest book festivals in the nation. The festival features over 250 authors at events in and around the Texas Capitol and neighboring streets and venues, attracting 40,000 to the Texas capital city. For more information about Torch Literary Arts, please visit https://www.torchliteraryarts.org/ or follow @torchliteraryarts on Instagram. For more information about the Texas Book Festival, including the free event schedule, please visit www.texasbookfestival.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, and retreats. Help TORCH continue to publish and promote Black women writers by donating today. About Tiana Clark Tiana Clark is the author of the poetry collections Scorched Earth ; I Can’t Talk About the Trees Without the Blood , which won the 2017 Agnes Lynch Starrett Prize; and Equilibrium , which won the 2016 Frost Place Chapbook Competition. Clark’s other honors include a Pushcart Prize, a Kate Tufts Discovery Award, and fellowships from the National Endowment for the Arts and the Bread Loaf Writers’ Conference. She is a graduate of Vanderbilt University and Tennessee State University, where she studied Africana and women’s studies. She is the Grace Hazard Conkling Writer-in-Residence at Smith College. Find out more at TianaClark.com . About Donika Kelly Donika Kelly is the author of The Natural Order of Things , The Renunciations , winner of the Anisfield-Wolf book award in poetry, and Bestiary , the winner of the 2015 Cave Canem Poetry Prize, a Hurston/Wright Legacy Award, and a Kate Tufts Discovery Award. A recipient of a fellowship from the National Endowment for the Arts, she is a Cave Canem graduate fellow and Pushcart Prize winner. Her poems have been published in The New Yorker, The Atlantic, The Paris Review, and elsewhere. She is an associate professor in the English Department at the University of Iowa, where she teaches creative writing. About the Texas Book Festival The Texas Book Festival, the largest book event in Texas and one of the premier literary Festivals in the nation, returns for its 29th year on November 16–17 in downtown Austin! Free and open to all, attendees can look forward to a star-studded lineup of more than 250 authors, engaging programming for all ages, book signings, food trucks, cooking demonstrations, and a Saturday night Lit Crawl in East Austin. Learn more at www.texasbookfestival.org . Media Contact Information: Brittany Heckard Communications Associate bheckard@torchliteraryarts.org (512) 641-9251 Previous Next