< 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 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 Erin Waelder Board Member Erin Waelder is a nonprofit arts professional in Austin, TX. As a member of the Development and Marketing teams at the Paramount & State Theatres, she helps manage annual fund campaigns, donor communications, and special content across the organization’s platforms. Erin has over a decade of experience in fundraising and patron services through her previous positions at Ballet Austin, the Paramount & State Theatres, and the Bullock Texas State History Museum. She is the immediate past Chair of the Community Advisor Board at Austin PBS and volunteers with Preservation Austin. Erin graduated Magna Cum Laude with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Communication from St. Edward’s University. She is dedicated to creating meaningful connections to the community through storytelling and the arts.

In the Press

< 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

Torch Magazine Torch Magazine is the online publication of Torch Literary Arts. Established in 2006 to celebrate creative writing by Black women writers across the diaspora, Torch publishes poetry, fiction, creative nonfiction, and scripts (plays and screenplays) by emerging and experienced writers. Accepted features are paid for publication. See the submission guidelines for details. Editor: Amanda Johnston Associate Editor: Jae Nichelle Monthly Feature Friday Features Visual Artist Explore All Features Archive Submit Artwork by 2025 Torch Visual Artist, Nitashia Johnson Monthly Feature Friday Features POETRY Friday Feature: Jordan Bolden Majewski Jordan Bolden Majewski (she/they) is a Black queer poet and essayist living in the Bay Area. Her work explores the embodied experience of Black motherhood in its full spectrum– the many dangers, surprises, and joys. Bolden Majewski’s work has always been grounded in the body– the places we touch and pull away, the ways we hurt and are healed, the things we carry inside ourselves that we hold apart from others. They write about the systems we must carry our bodies through– the FICTION Friday Feature: Aline-Mwezi Niyonsenga Aline-Mwezi Niyonsenga is a third culture kid who’s allergic to place. She writes about migrant experiences with the help of a tornado auntie, lion goddess, immortal witch, the occasional ghost, etc. Her work has recently been published in Uncanny Magazine, Augur Magazine, Andromeda Spaceways, GigaNotoSaurus, Fantasy Magazine, and FIYAH Literary Magazine. It has also appeared in anthologies such as As the Earth Dreams: Black Canadian Speculative Stories and Africa Risen. You CREATIVE NONFICTION Friday Feature: Amanda Borquaye Amanda Borquaye is a Ghanaian-American creative nonfiction writer from the American South. She writes from the interior of a youngest daughter in an immigrant family, using the lyrical essay as a way to wade through the fragility of belonging in a decaying empire. Her work embodies the necropolitical, exploring who is allowed to live and who must die in the context of immigrant identity. By day, she works in humanitarian response and international development. She is an alum SCRIPT Friday Feature: JUSTICE Born in Jackson, Tennessee, JUSTICE is a rising film director, screenwriter, and producer. After attending film school at Belmont University, JUSTICE began her career in film and television by crewing on various local productions. While gaining insight into the inner workings of the industry, she simultaneously tends to the hunger of telling her own stories. JUSTICE believes the world lacks perspectives in Black stories rooted in societal abnormality, social commentary, and 2025 Torch Visual Artist: Nitashia Johnson Nitashia Johnson is a multimedia visual artist and educator from Dallas, Texas whose work has been exhibited across Texas and internationally. To care about stories is to care about the world, and understanding our own gives us purpose. For as long as she can remember, storytelling through art has been Nitashia Johnson’s way of understanding the world around her and her place within it. As a multidisciplinary artist and educator from Dallas, Texas, her journey since life st ARCHIVE Explore Torch Magazine's archive featuring Toi Derricotte, Tayari Jones, Sharon Bridgforth, Crystal Wilkinson, Patricia Smith, Natasha Trethewey, Elizabeth Alexander, Sapphire, and others. View archived artwork by featured visual artists Toyin Odutola, Wura-Natasha Ogunji, Dawn Okoro, and more. Enter Submit to Torch Magazine Black women writers from across the diaspora are invited to submit to Torch Magazine to be considered for a Friday Feature. There is no fee to submit and all accepted features are paid for publication. See our submission guidelines on Submittable for details. Submit

Photos, video, and audio captured at Torch events. Go to link 1/1

< Back Celebrate Pride Month by Amplifying Queer Black Voices Brittany Heckard Jun 5, 2024 At Torch, we recognize the many impactful contributions that queer Black women writers have given us and wish a Happy Pride to all those celebrating! Every June, we’re proud to say we’re an inclusive organization that welcomes and champions the voices of queer Black women and nonbinary writers across the diaspora. Self-expression is one of the freest ways to love yourself, and we want to thank every queer writer who has submitted to Torch and shared their work. This Pride Month, we want to acknowledge and amplify the journeys and queer experiences of our writers. Whether their work explicitly discusses being Black and queer or not, we want everyone to know their voice is celebrated at Torch. In celebrating queer voices, we want to challenge all of our readers to explore and read works from queer writers this and every month. Some of the most revolutionary creative non-fiction, heartfelt poems, and catchiest songs are written by queer Black voices! Torch is always dedicated to creating a welcoming space for queer folk, but this month we want you to join in! Below are a couple of different ways you can continue inspiring inclusion during Pride Month with Torch. Events Amplifying Queer Voices June 18th - The Salon June 28th - Say Word Read Work from Some of Torch Magazine’s Queer Features NitaJade Arisa White DeShara Suggs-Joe Ariana Brown Cindy Elizabeth ### 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 June is a Celebratory Time for Black Women Writers Jun 1, 2026 This June, we’re celebrating queerness, Black Texans, Caribbean heritage, and lyricists who bring their magic and impact to the Torch community. Every June, Torch is elated to celebrate the intersectionalities of the Black women writers in our community. Every word written and shared by our community members honors parts of their identity that make their unique work so memorable. This June, we’re celebrating Juneteenth, Pride Month, Caribbean Heritage Month, and Black Music Month at Torch. As a Black-led and serving nonprofit organization based in Texas, our celebration of Juneteenth is nothing new. Before Juneteenth was a federal holiday, it was a celebration of freedom, community, and strength for Black Texans everywhere. While we recognize how monumental and important Juneteenth is, we also acknowledge the work we must do together to continue freeing ourselves. Pride Month is also celebrated every June at Torch. We love celebrating our staff, writers, and community members who live their lives fully and proudly, providing readers and supporters a safe space to learn, exist, and expand. Queer Black women and nonbinary writers are critical to challenging us to truly understand radical existence outside of the constructs of gender, love, power, and sexuality. As a nonprofit committed to amplifying work across the Black diaspora, we’re proud to wish a Happy Caribbean Heritage Month to our Caribbean community. Amplifying their voices through our magazine and events highlights the need to learn from each other. Each definitive experience reminds us of how connected and dynamic we are. In celebration of Black Music Month, we want to thank the Black women lyricists who merge their writing with melody and music. Without Black music, and music from Black women in particular, the art form wouldn’t have the full depth and soulfulness that moves us today. Want to celebrate the work we’re doing to amplify Black women writers? Consider becoming a Community Impact Member (CIM) by donating at least $10 a month or $100 annually . Below are a few ways you can celebrate each month with us. Celebrate Juneteenth: Attend These Torch Events June 8th – Torch Writing Circle June 17th – In Conversation with Jacqueline Glover June 19th – Torch x AFS Screening: NATCHEZ Celebrate Pride Month: Read Work from Some of Torch Magazine’s Queer Features May 2026 Torch 20th Anniversary Special Feature Sharon Bridgforth February 2026 Feature Unoma Azuah Chiagoziem Jideofor Joy tabernacle KMT-Battle Mecca M. Miles Celebrate Caribbean American Heritage Month: Read Work from Some of Torch Magazine’s Caribbean Features April 2026 Feature Malika Booker November 2025 Feature Myriam J. A. Chancy Puschart Prize Winner Yael Valencia Aldana Chennelle Channer Alana Benoit Celebrate Black Music Month: Read Work from Some of Torch Magazine’s Songwriters August 2024 Feature Andrea Vocab Sanderson January 2022 Feature Shayla Lawson Jae Broderick Alexa Patrick ### 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

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 '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

< Back A Big Thank You to Our Major Funders Dec 9, 2025 In 2025, seven major funders supported Torch’s mission to amplify Black women writers. At the beginning of 2025, Torch Literary Arts entered the year with a funding deficit. Many foundations, grantors, and other major funders paused, halted, or discontinued funding completely as priorities shifted. While our funding was personally affected, we also gained new partners and sustained our previous trusted funders. We want to thank the Poetry Foundation , City of Austin , The Burdine Johnson Foundation , Art Power , Austin Community Foundation , Amazon Literary Partnership , and Texas Commission on the Arts for their continued support of Black women writers and a diverse and inclusive literary landscape. With the help of these seven major funders, Torch reached new heights despite adjusting to a projected loss of $95,000 in previous funding . Studies show that over 50% of Black-led nonprofits would shut down if they lost just one to two major donors. We completely agree. Without these major funders, many of our programmatic and operational costs would be severely limited. This year, we’re proud to say that our programming didn’t skip a beat and continued our mission without interruption. As we enter 2026, we look forward to continued relationships with our major funding partners and cultivating new relationships with other mission-aligned funders as we open the Torch Center and host A Gathering of Flames: Torch’s 20th Anniversary . Looking ahead, we anticipate more fruitful opportunities to continue growing and amplifying Black women storytellers around the world. For more details about how to support Torch Literary Arts, 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