Search Results

< Back Torch Literary Arts Celebrates GivingTuesday with a Board Match, Supporter Toolkit, Giveaway, and More. Nov 19, 2025 Torch is joining millions around the world participating in the global generosity movement on December 2, 2025. This GivingTuesday, Torch Literary Arts will inspire generosity by raising $7,000 to support efforts to amplify Black women writers across the world. This is our fourth year participating in GivingTuesday. To kick off our fundraising, our Board has agreed to match the first $500 donated, getting us to a guaranteed $1,000 in fundraising for GivingTuesday! To celebrate GivingTuesday this year, we’re asking Torch supporters to prepare by saving GivingTuesday to your calendar as a reminder to support Black women writers. You can do that by clicking here to save the date to your personal calendar. We are also participating in a giveaway for Torch supporters based in Austin and the surrounding areas. We’ll be giving away two free tickets to the Austin PBS-produced BLACK DIVAS , a showcase merging cultural, musical, and health advocacy in one night, featuring legendary R&B singer Keke Wyatt! You can find out how to enter the giveaway by visiting our Instagram page . Torch is also activating peer support for GivingTuesday. All around the world, Torch Features, Retreat Fellows, and the wider community are spreading the word about Torch’s impact in their communities. Support during our peer-to-peer campaign not only amplifies the work that Torch does but also provides first-hand accounts of our community impact. Want to join in on supporting? You can access our Peer-to-Peer “P2P Toolkit” here . GivingTuesday is a global generosity movement, unleashing the power of people and organizations to transform their communities and the world. GivingTuesday will kick off the giving season by inspiring people to give back on December 2, 2025 , and throughout the year. "This GivingTuesday represents more than a single day of giving—it's a powerful reminder of our shared ability to create meaningful change together," said Asha Curran, CEO of GivingTuesday. "When communities unite with purpose and compassion, they don't just raise funds; they strengthen the bonds that make them resilient and hopeful. Every act of generosity, from big to small, becomes part of a collective force that builds a brighter future for all.” Those who are interested in donating to Torch’s GivingTuesday initiative can visit torchliteraryarts.org/donate . 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 movement that unleashes the power of generosity around the world. It was created in 2012 at New York’s 92nd Street Y and incubated in its Belfer Center for Innovation & Social Impact. What started as a simple idea of a day that encourages people to do good has grown into a global movement that inspires hundreds of millions of people to give, collaborate, and celebrate generosity year-round. The movement is brought to life through a distributed network of entrepreneurial leaders who lead national movements in more than 110 countries across the globe. An integral part of the global generosity movement is the GivingTuesday organization, which offers support and resources to GivingTuesday leaders and fosters connection and collaboration across the network. To learn more about GivingTuesday, please visit: www.givingtuesday.org . Previous Next

In the Press

< Back Celebrating National Book Month with Torch Literary Arts Oct 7, 2024 This October, Torch is celebrating National Book Month with Torch Day, an inaugural international program, and much more! This October, Torch Literary Arts (Torch) is celebrating National Book Month and wants you to join! We know that books are powerful pages bound together to express emotions, provide entertainment, and enrich our knowledge. We’re excited to celebrate our love for books with the Torch community all month. We started off celebrating National Book Month by celebrating Torch Day on October 5 at BookPeople. Supporters helped us celebrate by joining us in person at BookPeople, purchasing a book, or any other purchase online. 10% of all purchases made at BookPeople went directly to Torch! We also featured a panel of wonderful local literary leaders like J asmine Games, Kelis Rowe, Prudence Arceneaux, and our own Amanda Johnston, followed by Torch Karaoke. You can view the recap photos here . We’ll be hosting our inaugural Writers Across the Diaspora in collaboration with Texas State University, Culture Ireland, Consulate General of Ireland - Austin, and the Carver Museum, featuring Irish poets Nithy Kisa and FELISPEAKS . We’ll kick off the program with the English Department at Texas State University on October 9, followed by a reading at the Carver Museum on October 11, and two free workshops on October 12. You can find out more about the events here . You can also celebrate National Book Month by working on your own writing projects during the Writing Circle , hear from writers at our monthly Salon , or donate to our organization to continue supporting Black women writers. ### About Torch Literary Arts Torch Literary Arts is a 501(c)3 nonprofit established with love and intention in 2006 to publish and promote creative writing by Black women. We publish contemporary writing by experienced and emerging writers alike. Torch has featured work by Toi Derricotte, Tayari Jones, Sharon Bridgforth, Crystal Wilkinson, Patricia Smith, Natasha Trethewey, Elizabeth Alexander, and others. Programs include the Wildfire Reading Series, workshops, an annual retreat, and special events. Help Torch continue to publish and promote Black women writers by donating today. Media Contact Information: Brittany Heckard Communications Associate bheckard@torchliteraryarts.org (512) 641-9251 Previous Next

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: Nina Oteria Nina Oteria is a poet, artist, and former educator from Raleigh, North Carolina. Her poetry has been published in Southern Cultures , Apogee , Scalawag Magazine , and elsewhere. She performs in Durham, Raleigh, and Chapel Hill based poetry reading series'. Nina was a featured performer at NC State’s Gregg Museum of Art and Design. She is one of the founding poets of the Corcoran Poetry Wall mural installation in Durham, NC. Nina uses poetry and art as a means to heal hersel FICTION Friday Feature: Leslie T. Grover Leslie T. Grover is an award-winning writer, scholar, and activist. Her novella, The Benefits of Eating White Folks, marked her entrance into historical fiction, following her work in academic and nonfiction writing. A southern Black writer, her short stories have appeared in Waxing and Waning Literary Journal , Testimony , and as the winning entry in Owl Hollow Press’ The Takeback Anthology . In 2024, she won Amazon Kindle Vella’s Grand Prize for her short story, “Little G CREATIVE NONFICTION Friday Feature: Idza Luhumyo Idza Luhumyo was born in Mombasa, Kenya. She studied law at the University of Nairobi, earned an MA in Comparative Literature at SOAS--University of London, and an MFA in Creative Writing from Texas State University. Her writing has appeared in various publications, including Transition Magazine , African Arguments , the Masters Review , and the Porter House Review . Her short story, "Five Years Next Sunday," was awarded the 2021 Short Story Day Africa Prize and the 2022 SCRIPT Friday Feature: Shia Shabazz Smith Shia Shabazz Smith is a writer-director and educator based in Oakland, California. With over 20 years of storytelling across mediums,... 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

< 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 Opens Applications for the 2024 Torch Retreat Brittany Heckard Feb 16, 2024 The Torch Retreat will host its second annual writing retreat for Black women writers at the Colton House in Austin, Texas from July 21-28, 2024. AUSTIN, Tex., February 6, 2024 – Torch Literary Arts (Torch) is excited to announce the return and extension of the annual Torch Retreat, a week-long paid creative writing retreat for Black women writers to gather in community, work on unfinished writing, and rest. The retreat applications are open until February 19 at 11:59 pm (CST). Interested writers with works-in-progress across poetry, fiction, creative nonfiction, and script can learn more about the retreat application guidelines and apply at torchliteraryarts.org/retreat . This year, retreat fellows can expect a week-long stay at the Colton House from July 21-28, where they will have the opportunity to 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 simply peace of mind while they focus on their work. New to this year’s retreat is the addition of creative nonfiction (personal memoir or lyric essays), increasing the number of this year’s retreat fellows to eight. Each fellow is paired according to their genre in a two-bedroom suite with their own private bedroom and bathroom. At the end of the retreat, fellows will share their work during a public reading. The Torch Retreat’s inaugural fellowship started 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 Torch Announces the 2025 Nominations for the Pushcart Prize Dec 1, 2025 Six Torch Features, Jordan E. Franklin, Joi' C Weathers, Imani Nikelle, Yolanda Kwadey, Jennifer Maritza McCauley, and Marchaé Grair are nominated for their respective works. For the fourth year in a row, Torch is excited to nominate six incredible Torch Features for The Pushcart Prize. The Pushcart Prize has been published every year since 1976 and showcases small presses from all over America. Torch Magazine has been featured in the publication twice since our nominations began in 2022. “ Torch Magazine is both an archive and manifestation for Black women writers around the world daring to tell their stories,” said executive director Amanda Johnston. “Nominating these amazing writers for their work provides access to the publishing field, and more importantly, a community that continues fueling their literary journey.” You can learn more about the Pushcart Prize here . Our Amazing Torch Nominees Include: “ poet discusses how she inherited the new world ” by Jordan E. Franklin “ Redd Ain’t Never Been Just A Color ” by Joi' C Weathers “ American Quilt ” by Imani Nikelle “ The Museum of Fiction ” by Yolanda Kwadey “ Africa Hollers Back to Me ” by Jennifer Maritza McCauley “ She/Not Her ” by Marchaé Grair ### About Torch Literary Arts Torch Literary Arts is a 501(c)3 nonprofit established with love and intention in 2006 to publish and promote creative writing by Black women. We publish contemporary writing by experienced and emerging writers alike. Torch has featured work by Toi Derricotte, Tayari Jones, Sharon Bridgforth, Crystal Wilkinson, Patricia Smith, Natasha Trethewey, Elizabeth Alexander, and others. Programs include the Wildfire Reading Series, workshops, an annual retreat, and special events. Help Torch continue to publish and promote Black women writers by donating today. About Jordan E. Franklin Jordan E. Franklin (she/her) hails from Brooklyn, NY. She received her MFA from Stony Brook Southampton and is a doctoral candidate at Binghamton University. She is the author of the poetry collection, when the signals come home (Switchback Books), and the chapbook, boys in the electric age (Tolsun Books). Her work has appeared in Breadcrumbs, Frontier, Tinderbox Poetry Journal, the Southampton Review and elsewhere. She is the winner of the 2017 James Hearst Poetry Prize and the 2020 Gatewood Prize. About Joi' C Weathers Joi’ C. Weathers is an award-winning marketer turned writer and third-generation Chicago South Sider with over 14 years of experience leading creative campaigns for global brands like Microsoft and Meta. She’s been recognized with a Cannes Lion, multiple regional Emmys, Golden Trumpet Awards from the Publicity Club of Chicago (PCC), and ADC and AICP honors. She excels at blending cultural storytelling with business success, but her true passion lies in prose. Currently pursuing her MFA in Creative Writing at Temple University, Joi’ amplifies Black voices and celebrates the African Diaspora through her work. A 2025 Project Completion Grant recipient, she is currently finalizing her manuscript for her debut novel, which centers around themes of identity, community, autonomy, and the power of self-acceptance. In addition, she will join the 2025 ‘Black Philadelphia’ symposium as a panelist, hosted by The Library Company of Philadelphia, 1838 Black Metropolis, and UPenn, where she will discuss reclaiming the narrative of Black women. She is the host of the award-winning Obsidian Collection podcast while maintaining her brand Joi Has Questions , dedicated to sharing Black History. Through storytelling and advocacy, Joi’ continues to celebrate the Black Diaspora in all she does. Learn more about Joi’ on her website iamjoicweathers.com and follow her on social media: @Joihasquestions. About Imani Nikelle Imani Nikelle is a southern-born, East Coast dwelling poet & filmmaker. Her poetry is published or forthcoming in Callaloo , The Columbia Review , Poet Lore , and elsewhere. She is currently earning an MFA in Literary Arts from Brown University. About Yolanda Kwadey Yolanda Kwadey is a Ghanaian currently pursuing an MFA in Fiction at the University of Florida. Her writing typically centers African women and race. She also enjoys genre-bending and has worked on Subtropics as an assistant editor. Prior to the MFA, Yolanda has been published twice in the Samira Bawumia Literary Prize Anthology by Ghana's former Second Lady for her creative nonfiction pieces: “Mama Doesn’t Know” and “Life Is a Baptism.” She is also a recipient of the Rebecca Elizabeth Porter Creative Writing Fellowship by the University of Florida. About Jennifer Maritza McCauley Jennifer Maritza McCauley is the author of the cross-genre collection SCAR ON/SCAR OFF (Stalking Horse Press), When Trying to Return Home (Counterpoint Press), a short story collection, Kinds of Grace (Flowersong Press), a poetry collection, and the forthcoming speculative fiction collection Neon Steel (Cornerstone Press/University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point.) Her newest poetry collection VERSUS will be released by Texas Review Press in March 2027. She has received fellowships from the National Endowment for the Arts (prose), Kimbilio (fiction), CantoMundo (poetry), Sundress Academy for the Arts (hybrid). She earned her MFA in creative writing from Florida International University and PhD in literature and creative writing from the University of Missouri-Columbia. She is fiction editor at Pleiades and an assistant professor of English at the University of Missouri-Kansas City. About Marchaé Grair Marchaé Grair (they/she) is a storyteller, spiritual seeker, and facilitator making meaning of life’s liminal spaces. They are an alum of residencies and workshops presented by Tin House, Anaphora Arts, Voices of our Nations (VONA), the Hurston/Wright Foundation, and Roots. Wounds. Words, where they were also a writer-in-residence. Marchaé’s work embodies their Black, queer, nonbinary, disabled, and polyamorous experiences. They are working on a queer, young adult romance novel loosely based on their life and other essays about identity. When they are not writing, they are rewatching their favorite rom-coms, downloading the new Sims expansion pack, or laughing a little too loudly at their own jokes. About The Pushcart Prize The Pushcart Prize: Best of the Small Presses series, published every year since 1976, is the most honored literary project in America - including Highest Honors from the American Academy of Arts and Letters . Since 1976, hundreds of presses and thousands of writers of short stories, poetry and essays have been represented in our annual collections. Each year most of the writers and many of the presses are new to the series. Every volume contains an index of past selections, plus lists of outstanding presses with addresses. Previous Next

< Back Torch Literary Arts 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

< Back Torch Literary Arts Welcomes Dana Weekes to Board of Directors Brittany Heckard Apr 11, 2024 Dana Weekes was welcomed to the board in March, bringing her extensive background in law and policy, and commitment to creation as self-care. AUSTIN, Tex., April 12, 2024 – Torch Literary Arts is pleased to welcome Dana Weekes to the Board of Directors. Her experience and knowledge as both a lawyer and policy professional, as well as an accomplished writer, will add to the diverse professional background of the board and guide the growth of the organization. Dana Tenille Weekes is the Founder and Principal of Thrive Architects, a public policy and professional development firm in Washington, DC. Before launching Thrive Architects, Dana worked for two AM Law 100 firms as a nationally recognized lawyer and policy strategist for nearly 15 years. Since she was a child, Dana has been fascinated by voice – when it is used, when it is silent, and when it is silenced. Her fascination (and now understanding of the “whys”) have led her to co-create platforms with directly impacted communities so that they can center their voices and wield the necessary influence for overdue conversations and change, whether in the worlds of policy, politics, or poetry. In 2021, Dana began writing poetry, which helped guide her to a year of rest in 2022. Her works have been published in Torch Magazine , Obsidian , Rhino Poetry, Apogee , The Elevation Review , and elsewhere. You can see the full list of directors and advisory 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 Help Torch Raise $10,000 during Amplify Austin’s 2025 Giving Campaign! Feb 10, 2025 For the third year in a row, Torch is participating in Austin’s metro-wide giving day to merge the Black women literary community with the wider Austin giving community. Torch is joining over 700 nonprofit local Austin organizations raise funds for their mission to amplify Black women writers. Merging the Torch community with the Austin philanthropist community, Torch sets a goal to raise $10,000. Amplify Austin’s official 24-hour giving day starts on March 5 at 6 p.m. CST and ends March 6 at 6 p.m. CST. Our fundraising page is open for early giving now! Donate today by visiting this link . Here are a few ways you can show your support during Amplify Austin: Donate directly to our Amplify Austin Campaign. To help us meet our fundraising goal, you can donate directly to our Amplify Austin page! This year, when you donate to Torch, you’ll also be included in raffles for some amazing prizes, thanks to community supporters like ACL Live, Colton House, Moody Center, Austin Symphony Orchestra, Austin FC, Dallas Wings, Kendra Scott, Round Rock Express, Soup Peddler, and Jupiter Supper Club. Utilize our Amplify Austin Toolkit. If you don't know exactly how to put into words Torch's impact on your life, that's okay! We have plenty of prompts, ideas, and graphics in our Amplify Austin toolkit that you can use. Click here to access the toolkit . Amplify our Instagram post. Sharing our information with your peers is another great way to reach future supporters and community members for free! When you follow the directions on our pinned Instagram post, you’ll also be entered into the raffle prizes from our community supporters. Create a fundraising page in support. How has Torch impacted your life? You can create a fundraising page sharing your personal Torch testimony and invite your friends and family directly to your fundraising page to show others how important Torch is to community members like you. Celebrate our impact on Amplify Austin Day. We’ll celebrate Amplify Austin Day in person on March 6 at DAWA HQ at 7 p.m . Celebrate by hearing words from the Torch team, open mic, and more! For more details about Amplify Austin, visit amplifyatx.org . ### About Torch Literary Arts Torch Literary Arts (TORCH) is a 501(c)3 nonprofit established with love and intention in 2006 to publish and promote creative writing by Black women. We publish contemporary writing by experienced and emerging writers alike. TORCH has featured work by Toi Derricotte, Tayari Jones, Sharon Bridgforth, Crystal Wilkinson, Patricia Smith, Natasha Trethewey, Elizabeth Alexander, and others. Programs include the Wildfire Reading Series, writing workshops, and retreats. Help TORCH continue to publish and promote Black women writers by donating today. About Amplify Austin Amplify Austin Day is the biggest giving event in Central Texas. For 24-hours, residents across our seven-county region are invited to participate by giving back to the local nonprofits that do so much good for our community! Since 2013, Amplify Austin Day has proudly raised $112.7 Million for 1,507 nonprofits. This online giving event is organized by the nonprofit, I Live Here I Give Here and supported by amazing partners. Previous Next