< Back Website Updates: New Transparency Documents, Including Three-Year Strategic Plan Brittany Heckard Mar 22, 2024 Torch Literary Arts updates website to include transparency documents including IRS Form 990s, Annual Reports, and the 2024-2026 Strategic Plan. Being a nonprofit requires securing funding to continue operating into the future. This means that building trust and transparency is necessary for foundational support, individual donors, partners, and friends. We feel that clear, accessible information about Torch’s plans, review of yearly programmatic impact, and financial reporting to the IRS are important ways to show our community that we are committed to amplifying Black women writers. As a nonprofit, tax-exempt organization, Torch wants to ensure all of our donors and friends know how much their contributions make an impact in the lives of the Black women writers we support. The easiest way is to remain transparent by making our financials and planning documents available to the public. You can now view Torch’s transparency documents by visiting torchliteraryarts.org/reports . How is Torch ensuring sustainable progress and setting measurable goals for the future? Starting last fall, Torch began a strategic planning process to envision detailed and measurable progress toward the mission to amplify Black women writers. The plan details priorities for the board, leadership and team, and community members. The three-year plan ends with the 20-year celebration of Torch in 2026 – a milestone for a community that will only continue to grow. View our strategic plan here . How is Torch keeping track of its impact? 2022 was Torch’s first year as a nonprofit organization. It’s also the first year of recording our programmatic impact – the many free workshops we’ve held, the amount of Friday Features we’ve published, and our financial statement. While annual reports aren’t required by law, we want to give you an inside look at Torch’s first year as a nonprofit. Celebrate the growth of Torch Literary Arts, our award-winning and globally recognized programs, and our partners and donors by viewing our 2022 annual report here . How is Torch keeping it really, real? We have the necessary Internal Revenue Service documentation to back it up. Our 2022 Form 990 is the necessary document all nonprofits must file to maintain their nonprofit status. If you want to take a deeper look into Torch’s financials including revenues, expenses, programmatic costs, etc. You can view our 2022 IRS Form 990 here . We hope that you review each of our documents and continue supporting Torch Literary Arts in the future. Be on the lookout for more transparency documents like our 2023 IRS Form 990 and 2023 annual report coming later this year! ### 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 20 Years of Highlighting Black Women in Poetry Apr 2, 2026 Torch is elated to celebrate National Poetry Month and the Black women poets in our community. 20 years ago, Torch was founded by poet Amanda Johnston to celebrate and foster an international community of Black women writers. Torch grew into an ecosystem for Black women across the diaspora to share their stories. For us, National Poetry Month is a full-circle moment celebrating Black women’s words. This April, we’re also celebrating poets like Dr. Malika Booker, who was this year’s visiting writer from our Writers Across the Diaspora series. Now in our third year, we’ve been fortunate to share stories from poets not only in Central Texas but from around the world. April is also International Black Women’s History Month , a time to celebrate Black women across the diaspora and to embrace our achievements, rich history, and bright futures. This year, celebrating International Black Women’s History Month is near and dear to our hearts as we embark on 20 years of consistently and intentionally amplifying Black women writers. You can celebrate National Poetry Month, perfect your craft, and join us on Torch’s journey to celebrate 20 years by attending our events and reading from some groundbreaking poetry below. Events April 6th - Writing Circle April 12th - Wildfire Reading Series with Chiagoziem Jideofor and Host Publications April 18th - Colored People’s Time (CPT) is Real Time: Afrofuturism, the Speculative, the Surreal & the Fantastic Torch Magazine Read our April Feature, Dr. Malika Booker Read poetry by our Friday Features Watch on YouTube Wildfire Reading Series with Ebony Stewart An Evening with Tiana Clark and Donika Kelly Throwback to Jasmine Games Reading for Torch Day at BookPeople! You can also support Torch’s mission to amplify Black women writers and the poets we feature by donating to our organization . Previous Next

< Back Torch Literary Arts Receives Burdine Johnson Foundation Grant Brittany Heckard Jun 28, 2024 This is Torch's third year receiving the grant that serves Central Texas arts, education, historical preservation, and environmental sustainability causes. AUSTIN, Tex., June 28, 2024 – Torch Literary Arts (Torch), a nonprofit organization dedicated to amplifying Black women writers, will receive funding from the Burdine Johnson Foundation. This is the nonprofit’s third year receiving funding from the foundation, contributing to Torch’s operations since becoming a nonprofit organization. “Continuous funding from The Burdine Johnson Foundation for our literary mission is affirming and speaks to Torch’s impact, especially here in Central Texas, where we started,” said Torch founder and executive director, Amanda Johnston. We are grateful for our long-standing relationship with the foundation and want to thank the foundation for their mission to support charitable causes.” Funding from the organization assists Torch’s programs in the Central Texas region and beyond. Thanks to this unrestricted grant from the Burdine Johnson Foundation, Torch is able to host free and low-cost in-person events for the community including the Wildfire Reading Series, our annual Juneteenth event “Carrying the Torch”, the annual Torch Retreat, engaging panels with Torch Features, and many more inclusive events. The Burdine Johnson Foundation has donated over $54 million to charitable causes in Central Texas since its inception in the 1960s. Outside of the geographic range, the foundation supports arts, education, health and human services, historic preservation, and the environment. You can read more about The Burdine Johnson Foundation here . About Torch Literary Arts Torch Literary Arts is a 501(c)3 nonprofit established with love and intention in 2006 to publish and promote creative writing by Black women. We publish contemporary writing by experienced and emerging writers alike. Torch has featured work by Toi Derricotte, Tayari Jones, Sharon Bridgforth, Crystal Wilkinson, Patricia Smith, Natasha Trethewey, Elizabeth Alexander, and others. Programs include the Wildfire Reading Series, writing workshops, and retreats. Help Torch continue to publish and promote Black women writers by donating today. About The Burdine Johnson Foundation In 1960, Burdine Clayton Johnson, a pianist, poet and lover of nature, along with her husband, J.M. Johnson, and several trustees, established The Burdine Johnson Foundation in Houston, Texas. The founding mission stated that the funds were to be used for the “purposes of public usefulness” and to administer and distribute the funds “exclusively for religious, charitable, scientific, literary or education purposes.” Media Contact Information: Brittany Heckard Communications Associate bheckard@torchliteraryarts.org (512) 641-9251 Previous Next

< Back Culture Ireland Awards Torch Literary Arts Funding to Host Irish Poets Brittany Heckard Jan 9, 2024 Torch will use the Culture Ireland funding to host Irish poets Nithy Kasa and FELISPEAKS for interactive writing workshops from October 1-7, 2024. AUSTIN, Tex., January 9, 2024 – Torch Literary Arts (Torch), a nonprofit organization dedicated to amplifying Black women writers, was recently granted funding from the Culture Ireland Grant Programme (Culture Ireland) to fund Torch’s programming hosting Irish poets, Nithy Kasa and FELISPEAKS . Over the week, the poets will present an in-person reading and two workshops. The events will be free and open to the public. “ I’m thrilled to be presenting my poetry and my art with Torch Literary Arts, it is an adventure I’m excited to go on; a platform centering Black femme voices, beautiful,” said Nigerian-Irish poet FELISPEAKS. The €2.95m in funding from the Department of Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media is for Culture Ireland to promote Irish arts globally. The organization selected 99 projects across the globe to coordinate international arts projects in circus, dance, film, literature, and other art categories. Torch is one of just 25 organizations from the United States, one of two recipients from Texas, and one of two from the United States in the literature category. “ The grant from Culture Ireland empowers Torch to continue hosting intentional programming for Black women writers,” said Amanda Johnston, founder and executive director of Torch. “As a nonprofit dedicated to amplifying Black women’s voices across the diaspora, Culture Ireland’s support of our mission and belief in our work affirms our global impact.” Following a wave of controversial book bans and the silencing of diverse experiences and perspectives, Torch Literary Arts remains true to its mission to amplify Black women writers across the diaspora. This year, Torch has hosted readings from Torch alumni like Rachel Eliza Griffiths, published work from writers across the globe, and partnered with the Texas Book Festival. For more information about Torch Literary Arts, please visit https://www.torchliteraryarts.org/ or follow @torchliteraryarts on Instagram. ### About Torch Literary Arts Torch Literary Arts (TORCH) is a 501(c)3 nonprofit established with love and intention in 2006 to publish and promote creative writing by Black women. We publish contemporary writing by experienced and emerging writers alike. Torch has featured work by Toi Derricotte, Tayari Jones, Sharon Bridgforth, Crystal Wilkinson, Patricia Smith, Natasha Trethewey, Elizabeth Alexander, and others. Programs include the Wildfire Reading Series, writing workshops, and retreats. Help Torch support Black women writers by donating today. About Culture Ireland Culture Ireland, a division of the Department of Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media is responsible for the promotion of Irish arts worldwide through specific grant programmes. We also create and support opportunities for Irish artists and art organisations to present and promote their work at strategic international festivals and venues. We develop platforms to present the richness and quality of Irish creativity to international audiences through showcase events in key arts markets including the Edinburgh Festivals and Venice Biennale, as well as various special initiatives. Media Contact Information: Brittany Heckard Communications Associate bheckard@torchliteraryarts.org (512) 641-9251 Previous Next

< Back Torch Announces the 2024 Retreat Fellows Brittany Heckard Apr 12, 2024 Eight fellows were selected to attend the second annual retreat for Black women writers at the Colton House in Austin, Texas from July 21-28, 2024. AUSTIN, Tex., April 12, 2024 – Torch Literary Arts is proud to announce the 2024 Torch Retreat Fellows! The eight fellows were selected by a committee from 216 applicants with works-in-progress across poetry, fiction, creative nonfiction, and script (plays, screenplays). Torch is honored to support these writers with a week-long stay at the Colton House Hotel from July 21-28, where they will work on their unfinished projects with check-ins and options to share their work in a nurturing environment. Every retreat fellow receives a $1,000 stipend to help with costs associated with travel, supplies, or other financial needs to support their attendance at the retreat. Introducing the 2024 Torch Retreat Fellows Sandra Jackson-Opoku is the author of an award-winning novel, The River Where Blood is Born and Hot Johnny and the Women Who Loved Him, an Essence Magazine Bestseller in Hardcover Fiction. Her fiction, nonfiction, poetry, and dramatic works are widely published and produced. They appear in Both Sides: Stories from the Border, story South, Another Chicago Magazine, New Daughters of Africa, Novus Literary Journal, Africa Risen: A New Era of Speculative Fiction , the Chicago Humanities Festival, Lifeline Theatre, and other outlets. She also coedited the multi-arts anthology, Revise the Psalm: Work Celebrating the Writing of Gwendolyn Brooks . Professional recognition includes a National Endowment for the Arts Fellowship, the American Library Association Black Caucus Award, the Chicago Esteemed Artist Award, a Lifeline Theatre BIPOC Adaptation Showcase, the Globe Soup Story Award, the Plentitudes Journal Prize for Fiction, an Institute for Writers First Pages Award, the Circle of Confusion Writers Discovery Fellowship, the Iceland Writers Retreat Alumni Award, a Pushcart Prize nomination, and other awards and honors. Sandra Jackson-Opoku has taught literature and writing at the University of Miami, Columbia College Chicago, the University of Chicago Writers Studio, and Chicago State University. She presents workshops, readings, and literary events in arts organizations worldwide. m. mick powell is a queer Black Cape Verdean femme, an artist, an Aries, and the author of the chapbook threesome in the last Toyota Celica (Host Publications, 2023). Their debut full-length collection, DEAD GIRL CAMEO , is forthcoming from One World Books/Random House in Summer 2025. An assistant professor of Gender and Sexuality Studies at the University of Connecticut and a 2023 Tin House Resident, mick enjoys chasing waterfalls and being in love. Keep up with them at www.mickpowellpoet.com or @ mickmakesmagic.art on IG. ESTHER IFESINACHI OKONKWO is a graduate of the Iowa Writers’ Workshop, and a third-year PhD candidate in Creative Writing at Florida State University. Her fiction has appeared in Isele Magazine , Guernica , and Catapult . She’s a recipient of the 2021 Elizabeth George Foundation Grant. Her debut novel, THE TINY THINGS ARE HEAVIER , is forthcoming with Bloomsbury in the Spring of 2025. Home for her is Lagos, Nigeria. Deborah D.E.E.P Mouton is an award-winning literary artist, director, performer, and the first Black Poet Laureate of Houston, TX. She authored Newsworthy ( Bloomsday Literary, 2019) and Black Chameleon (Henry Holt & Co., 2023), which won the Carr P. Collins Award for Best Nonfiction Book through the Texas Institute of Letters (2024). This recent memoir examines Black womanhood through afrofuturistic mythology. Stories that Mouton later adapted into a storybook opera (Lula, the Mighty Griot, HGO) and an independent short film (Headache & Heartthrob). She’s penned stage works including Marian's Song (Houston Grand Opera), Atlanta: 1906 (Atlanta Opera) & On My Mind (Opera Theater St. Louis). Serving as Playwright/Director, she produced The World's Intermission , commissioned by Performing Arts Houston (Jones Hall), and Plumshuga: The Rise of Lauren Anderson , a choreopoem (Stages Theater) which made the cover of the NYT Culture section. Mouton has contributed writings for Glamour , Texas Monthly, and ESPN's Andscape . A former Resident Artist with the American Lyric Theater, Rice University, and the Houston Museum of African American Culture, her upcoming projects will debut at The Kennedy Center and American Lyric Theater. She resides in Houston, TX. DW McKinney is a writer and editor based in Las Vegas, Nevada. A 2024 Virginia Center for the Creative Arts Fellow, she is the recipient of fellowships from the PERIPLUS Collective, Writing By Writers, and The Writer’s Colony at Dairy Hollow. Her work appears in Los Angeles Review of Books , Oxford American , Ecotone , TriQuarterly , and Narratively , among others. The founder and instructor for We Are The House: A Virtual Residency for Early-Career Writers at Raising Mothers , she also serves as the nonfiction editor at Shenandoah . Learn more at www.dwmckinney.com Elizabeth Brown is a screenwriter living in Richmond, Virginia. Her upcoming feature screenplay is, in some ways, a departure from her earlier unreleased work, which was heavily influenced by science fiction and steeped in humor. For her current feature, she instead uses realism to ground her characters and send them on dramatic yet tangible journeys. Meredith L. King (she/her) is a creative nonfiction writer, playwright, sound-smith, and poet. Her work engages Black kinship, uncomfortable truths, and the collision of place with identity. Meredith holds a B.A. from Stanford University with honors, and an M.B.A. from Yale University. She is a 2024 Anaphora Arts Fellow, a 2024 Tin House Scholar, received a 2022 Ohio Arts Council Individual Excellence Award for Playwriting, and was named Best Local Playwright of 2020 by Cleveland Scene Magazine. Additionally, her creative work has been supported by the Midwives Artist Collective, at Louis Place, Dobama Theatre Playwrights Gym, Cleveland Public Theatre, Nolose, Cuyahoga Arts & Culture, HBMG Foundation, and featured on NPR’s Here and Now. Meredith is based in Cleveland, OH, where she is a loving dog-mom to a sassy Bichon Frise. Find Meredith at www.meredithlking.com Destiny Hemphill is a chronically ill ritual worker and poet, living on the unceded territory of the Eno-Occaneechi band of the Saponi Nation (Durham, NC). A recipient of fellowships from Naropa University’s Summer Writing Program, Callaloo, Tin House, and Kenyon Review's Writers Workshop, she is the author of the poetry collection motherworld: a devotional for the alter-life (Action Books, 2023), which was a two-time finalist for the National Poetry Series. Her work has also been featured in Poetry Magazine , Southern Cultures , and the Academy of American Poets' Poem-a-Day series. She served as the 2022-2023 Kenan Visiting Writer in Poetry at the University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill and currently holds a Reading Fellowship at Tin House. The inaugural Torch Retreat convened in 2023 with six fellows writing across poetry, fiction, and script. Our 2023 retreat fellows included Ashley M. Coleman, Ajanaė Dawkins, Victoria Newton Ford, Ashunda Norris, Obinwanne Nwizu, and Keya Vance. You can watch a video of the 2023 Torch Retreat readings 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 Celebrating Black History Month by Acknowledging Black Women Writers and Their Contributions to Literature Jan 31, 2025 Torch is using this year’s Black History Month theme “African Americans and Labor” to highlight the literary work we do to share our voices. At Torch, we don’t use one (short) month to acknowledge the centuries of work Black women have contributed to culture and history as storytellers. However, we’re especially elated to celebrate Black women writers and their work this month. This year, the theme for Black History Month is African Americans and Labor . To celebrate, we’re highlighting the importance of Black women writers and our labor across the literary landscape. Despite Black readers having a higher engagement in books , Black women writers aren’t paid nearly as much as their counterparts in the writing industry. #PublishingPaidMe , solidarity statements in 2020 , and other short-lived social media campaigns highlight these inequalities, yet there’s been little action to ensure Black women are paid for their work and contributions in publishing. “ Working in publishing has exposed me to both sides of the publishing sun. I see how grim and competitive it can be,” said Camari Carter- Hawkins, founder of Mama’s Kitchen Press. “ Knowing that not enough Black writers are being published and afforded opportunities makes me want to find ways to open doors for us.” Camari Carter-Hawkins decided to tell her experience as a Black woman by publishing independently. She founded Mama’s Kitchen Press in 2021 to encourage writers to tell their stories their way, creating doors for others. She realizes that, outside of monetary value, writing also pays her by increasing her well-being. To learn more about Mama's Kitchen Press, visit mamaskitchenpress.com . To learn more and keep up with Black women and their contributions to literature, be sure to follow our Instagram page ! If you’re looking for some February fun or want to see how you can support Torch’s work this month, here are a few ways: Donate to our Amplify Austin campaign : We’re raising $10,000 this year for one of the biggest giving days in Austin. Your contribution automatically enters you to win some really cool prizes. Join us for Solar Saturday at the Carver Museum : Torch community members, Marzetta and Shasparay will be sharing their work during the Torch Poetry Showcase. The event is free and open to all. Celebrate World Read Aloud Day with Torch x Kendra Scott : Kendra Scott is donating 20% of purchases when you use code GIVEBACK-IMGQX online or in-store at the Domain location on February 5th and 6th. Celebrate 30 Years of Waiting to Exhale at the Paramount: A movie night at the Paramount? Count us in! Join Torch and the Paramount Theatre for a special screening of an iconic masterpiece based on the book by Terry McMillan. Previous Next

< Back Welcoming the New Year with Love and Community Brittany Heckard Jan 3, 2025 Taking the time to thank you all for your support in 2024 and share exciting news for 2025 Happy New Year! We made it to another year of celebrating Black women writers. Thanks to Torch community members like you, we surpassed our 2024 individual giving goal of $35,000 by raising $41,716. We’re excited to see how much more we can accomplish with our 2025 individual giving goal of $40,000 ! These unrestricted contributions help us with programming, sustaining the organization, paying Torch features, and much more. In 2024, we: Hosted over 80 events including free workshops, our Wildfire Reading Series, monthly open mics, virtual writing circles, and more. Paid over $80,000 to Torch Magazine Features, Retreat Fellows, authors, artists, and independent contractors. Hosted our inaugural Writers Across the Diaspora Program with support from Texas State University, Culture Ireland, and the Consul General of Ireland. Supported writers from Illinois; California; Texas; Nevada, Virginia, Ohio, North Carolina, and Lagos, Nigeria during our 2nd annual Torch Retreat. Received the Pushcart Prize Best of the Small Presses award for the second consecutive year. Interested in learning more about what we have in store for 2025? You can watch our “Fueling Torch’s Flame” Webinar online now! You’ll hear board members, staff, and community members talk about the importance of supporting Black women writers and Torch Literary Arts's impact on their lives (including some amazing readings by special guests Evie Shockley, avery r. young, and more!). You can watch the live webinar here using this passcode: EH+hXN8d . We’ll also start our Community Impact Member (CIM) program this year. When you donate to Torch, you’ll get exclusive access as a CIM. More information about CIM benefits and events will be coming soon! We can’t wait to see what we accomplish this year with you all! Previous Next

< Back Torch Surpasses Fundraising Goal for 2024 GivingTuesday Campaign Dec 4, 2024 Joining one of the largest international giving days, Torch surpassed its fundraising goal of $5,000. Thanks to generous support from the Torch Community, Torch raised $6,832 this GivingTuesday, surpassing their goal of $5,000. With support from community sponsor matches, board matches, and individual donations, Torch achieved many firsts this fundraising season. Community Sponsor Matches: Businesses were bold and undaunted in their support for Black women writers this year! Thanks to Mantis Massage , an inclusive massage studio with two locations in Austin, Texas, we received a $2,000 match for funds raised. In addition to the $2,000 match, we received a $500 match from Fanm Djanm , a sustainable headwrap collection and lifestyle brand rooted in empowering women. Local Small Business Support: We also want to thank the small businesses that supported Ignite the Night last night. So, here's a BIG shoutout to: Black Pearl Books , Alienated Majesty Books , BookPeople , BookWoman , Spokesman Coffee , Wheatsville Co-op , DAWA , and Paramount Theatre . Thanks to their support, we were able to gift door prizes to attendees at last night's event! Board Matches: Torch’s Executive and Advisory Boards also collectively matched $1,000 of raised donations this #GivingTuesday . Their contribution highlights the importance of board support and speaks to the communal magic that lives within Torch’s team and board. Their support, both in-kind and monetary, means the world to our small but mighty team. The Torch Community: Whether supporters bragged on social media, emailed colleagues, donated, or showed up to our end-of-year party, it was all appreciated. Torch cannot exist without the writers, readers, and lovers of Black women who consistently bring value and joy to our mission. THANK YOU! Still in the spirit of giving? We love it! Torch is still raising funds to meet our end-of-year individual fundraising goal of $35,000! If you’re interested in donating, or know someone who is, please visit torchliteraryarts.org/support . For more details about the GivingTuesday movement, visit givingtuesday.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 GivingTuesday GivingTuesday is a global generosity movement unleashing the power of radical generosity to transform communities and the world. GivingTuesday was created in 2012 as a simple idea: a day that encourages people to do good. Over the past eleven years, it has grown into a global movement that inspires hundreds of millions of people to give, collaborate, and celebrate generosity. Whether it’s making someone smile, helping a neighbor or stranger out, showing up for an issue or people we care about, or giving some of what we have to those who need our help, every act of generosity counts and everyone has something to give. GivingTuesday strives to build a world in which the catalytic power of generosity is at the heart of the society we build together, unlocking dignity, opportunity and equity around the globe. Previous Next

< Back Torch Announces the Nominations for the Best of the Net Sep 16, 2025 Eleven Torch Features were nominated for their works in creative nonfiction, fiction, poetry, and visual art in Torch Magazine. With its online literary publication, Torch champions Black women writers from around the world for their work published in Torch Magazine , intentionally curated and selected by Torch Associate Editor, Jae Nichelle, and Executive Director, Amanda Johnston. Every year, the two select Torch Features to nominate for the Best of the Net prize. Best of the Net is an awards-based anthology for diverse writers and the online literary magazines that publish them. They accept work in poetry, nonfiction, fiction, and art. The winners’ stories are collected and published in Sundress Publications. You can learn more about the prize here . Our amazing 2025 Torch Nominees include: Creative Nonfiction “ Notes on Conception ” by Tatiana Johnson-Boria “ He & I ” Jā R. Macki Fiction “ Ghost Waters ” by Sandra Jackson-Opoku “ At the End of Every Apocalypse is a New Apocalypse ” by Savannah Balmir Poetry “ When Your Bully Makes Your Bed ” by Natiesha Evans “ Dancing ” by Esther Kondo Heller “ Cataracts ” by Talicha J “ with three fingers, I point ” by Elisha Mykleti “ Girl Says a Prayer ” by Schyler Butler “ Job 1:1-2:10 ” by Courtney Conrad Visual Art Adriene Cruz ### 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 Important Transitions to Torch's Board of Directors Jan 29, 2026 This board transition includes the retirement of former board treasurer, Candace Lopez, election of new board treasurer, Dana Weekes, and the election of new board secretary, Rachel Winston. As a grassroots organization celebrating 20 years, becoming a nonprofit was a pivotal change institutionally, requiring a board that believes in Torch’s mission to amplify Black women writers by providing accessible resources and an opportunity to tell their stories. Every board member from the past to the present has embodied that goal wholeheartedly. In gratitude, we’re excited to announce transitions within the board and extend our immense gratitude to retiring board treasurer, Candace Lopez. Changing roles within our board are directors Dana Weekes and Rachel Winston. Dana Weekes, a public policy consultant, Torch Feature and Pushcart Prize nominee, will now serve as the board’s treasurer. In her new role, she will provide financial oversight to ensure Torch’s transparency and sustainability. Rachel Winston, an Austin-based archivist and curator, will now serve as the board’s secretary. In her new role, she will provide accountability through documented records to ensure Torch’s compliance and governance as a non-profit. Retiring after three years of support is Candace Lopez, a non-profit professional with over 18 years of experience in fundraising and development. She is a Development Generalist with a specialization in individual giving, program development, and operational efficiency. She is humbled to have raised money for organizations in Austin, San Antonio, Los Angeles, and the San Francisco Bay Area. Her fundraising portfolio is diverse and spans various causes, including civil liberties, the arts, higher education, domestic violence, and gender equity. She recently launched her consulting practice, Small Seeds Consulting. Candace grew up in the Texas panhandle, and her family moved to St. Anthony, Idaho, where she attended high school. She earned her Bachelor of Arts degree in Communication with a minor in Spanish from Pepperdine University and a Master of Arts degree in Latin American Studies with a certificate in Women’s and Gender Studies from The University of Texas at Austin. She currently resides in the San Francisco Bay Area. We are forever grateful to Candace for her service and excited to witness the growth of Torch Literary Arts under the leadership of our 2026 Board of Directors. For more information about Torch Literary Arts and our team, please visit https://www.torchliteraryarts.org/team . ### About Torch Literary Arts Torch Literary Arts (Torch) is a 501(c)3 nonprofit established with love and intention in 2006 to publish and promote creative writing by Black women. We publish contemporary writing by experienced and emerging writers alike. TORCH has featured work by Toi Derricotte, Tayari Jones, Sharon Bridgforth, Crystal Wilkinson, Patricia Smith, Natasha Trethewey, Elizabeth Alexander, and others. Programs include the Wildfire Reading Series, writing workshops, and retreats. Help Torch continue to publish and promote Black women writers by donating today. Media Contact Information: Brittany Heckard Communications Associate bheckard@torchliteraryarts.org (512) 641-9251 Previous Next

< Back Celebrating Black Women's Contributions to Poetry All Month Long Brittany Heckard Apr 1, 2025 Continuing on months of celebrating Black History Month and Women’s History Month, we’re keeping the acknowledgments alive with National Poetry Month Building on the accomplishments highlighted in February and March, we’re excited to amplify the creatives who effortlessly connect thought and feelings to produce the words many of us understand on an ethereal level – poets. From our first-ever Torch Feature in Torch Magazine to our most recent Torch Feature and poet, Elisha Mykelti , we want to thank each and every Black woman poet who is part of our thriving literary community. Your poetry is ignited with historical takes, generational proverbs, and collective snaps and praises. April is also very special for Torch because it is also International Black Women’s History Month . Created by Sha Battle in 2016, International Black Women’s History month exists to build awareness of the contributions of Black women around the world. At Torch, we’re making history as the first-ever literary organization to win AWP’s Literary Organization award , by collaborating to host a historical intergenerational series with the Wintergreen Women Writers Collective called Welcome Table Talks , and existing as an organization led by Texas’s first Black woman Poet Laureate, Amanda Johnston. We have so many reasons to celebrate this month! Torch will host lots of fun activities to help encourage writing and be in community with other poets. Check out how you can celebrate with Torch during National Poetry Month below! Events April 7th - Writing Circle April 17th - Give Praise: A Celebration of Texas Poet Laureate Amanda Johnston April 18th - National Poetry Month Open Mic at Fanm Djanm April 19th - Songwriting Workshop: Vision in Song with Megan “Megz Kelli” Tillman Torch Magazine Read our April 2025 Feature, Tanya Shirley Read poetry by our Friday Features Watch on YouTube Torch’s Solar Saturday Showcase featuring Marzetta and Shasparay Irvin Torch Feature Anastacia-Renee at the Texas Book Festival Lit Crawl A Poem for Sandra Brown by Lynn Thompson during the Texas Book Festival You can also support Torch’s mission to amplify Black women writers and the poets we feature by donating to our organization . Previous Next

< Back 'Tis the Season for Gifts & Giving Brittany Heckard Dec 12, 2024 Find out how to support Torch and our community sponsors and supporters this holiday season! December is here and we’re in the season of giving! Knowing that holidays are approaching, we understand the stress of picking gifts! If you're stuck on what to get your friends and family, we have a few ideas for the literature lovers in your life. We’ve put together a list of gifts that also give back to the community and/or are supporters of Torch! Torch’s BookShop: Did you know Torch has a Bookshop page dedicated to our Torch Features? There’s nothing better than knowing that when you shop our Bookshop page, you’re supporting Black women writers, Torch Features, and our organization with every purchase. 10% of sales made from our Bookshop page directly support Torch. You can find our page by visiting bookshop.org/shop/torchliteraryarts . Give the Gift of Rest: Do you know someone who could really use an hour or two to relax? If you’re in the Austin area, one of Torch’s community match sponsors, Mantis Massage, offers gift cards and massage packages for those needing to release the stress we build up from busy work weeks, and always being on the go. Protect Someone’s Crown: Fanm Djanm, another Torch community sponsor match, is a Haitian woman-owned small business specializing in headwraps and other lifestyle products. They have a curated selection of gifts under $50, $30, and $20 including headwraps, shirts, waist beads, and more! Support Small Bookstores: Looking for a book that may not be by a Torch Feature? There are so many local bookstores carrying all of your favorite books! A few of our favorites include community bookstore partners Black Pearl Books , BookWoman , BookPeople , Resistencia , and Alienated Majesty . Giving the Gift of Support: If you’ve already purchased gifts but still have a giving heart, donating to Torch is another great way to give a gift that will have a lasting impact. We’re still raising money for our end-of-year campaign goal of $35,000 and every bit counts. You can donate to Torch here. No matter what you give or receive, we hope that you enjoy the time spent with loved ones this holiday season! Previous Next