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< 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 Literary Arts Announces Transitions to 2025 Board of Directors Oct 22, 2025 This board transition includes the retirement of former board secretary, Stephanie Lang, and the election of new board member, Rachel Winston As a growing organization, we welcome the changes that naturally occur externally and internally, including with our board of directors. Every leader who volunteers their time to help grow and add their personal shine to our organization is appreciated and valued. That’s why we’re excited to welcome a new board member, Rachel Winston, and extend immense gratitude to retiring board secretary, Stephanie Lang. Torch welcomes our newest board member, Rachel Winston, an archivist and curator based in Austin, TX. She is the founding Black Diaspora Archivist at The University of Texas at Austin (UT Austin), where she leads the effort to build the library’s special collection documenting the Black experience across the Americas and Caribbean. Rachel holds a degree in anthropology with a minor in French from Davidson College. She is an alumna of the Coro Fellows Program in Public Affairs and received her Master’s degree in Information Studies and Museum Studies from UT Austin. Retiring after 15 years of support is Stephanie Lang, a published writer and community curator who uses the power of storytelling to explore concepts of home and resistance. She was previously the Director of Community-Driven Initiatives at the Office of the Vice President for Campus and Community Engagement at UT Austin . In 2018, after the success of multiple community curatorial projects, Ms. Lang founded RECLAIM, an organization working to discover, recover, and ultimately showcase the narratives and histories of black people throughout the diaspora, and present these findings through an artistic and thought-provoking lens. We are excited to see what we accomplish with additional insight and direction on our board, and hold dear the wisdom from past board members as well. For more information about Torch Literary Arts and our team, please visit https://www.torchliteraryarts.org/team 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 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 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 Literary Arts to Receive Grants for Arts Allocation from the National Endowment for the Arts Brittany Heckard May 24, 2024 This is Torch's second year receiving funding from National Endowment for the Arts. Funding will go towards artist honorariums for retreats, workshops, panels, and readings. AUSTIN, Tex., May 22, 2024 – Torch Literary Arts (Torch), a nonprofit organization dedicated to amplifying Black women writers, will receive funding from the National Endowment for the Arts’ (NEA’s) Grants for Arts Projects (GAP). The award from the NEA will be used to support artist honorariums for retreats, workshops, panels, and readings. “ We are so excited to receive another year of funding for Torch’s programs,” said Amanda Johnston, founder and executive director of Torch. “Funding from the NEA will help pay Black women writers for creating and sharing their literary excellence with the Torch community.” Paying artists not only shows that we appreciate and value the work Black women writers do, but also provides our community with quality engagement, learning opportunities, and fellowship. From publishing and improv workshops to screenwriting panels and exclusive readings and demonstrations, 100% of Torch’s features are paid. “Projects like Torch’s exemplify the creativity and care with which communities are telling their stories, creating connection, and responding to challenges and opportunities in their communities—all through the arts,” said NEA Chair Maria Rosario Jackson, PhD. “So many aspects of our communities such as cultural vitality, health and wellbeing, infrastructure, and the economy are advanced and improved through investments in art and design, and the National Endowment for the Arts is committed to ensuring people across the country benefit.” This is Torch’s second year receiving funding from the National Endowment for the Arts. The organization is one of 50 grant recipients from Texas and one of 71 grant recipients from the literary arts category. For this funding round, there were over 2,000 eligible applicants for GAP, Our Town, and State and Regional Partnerships. GAP is one of the largest grant programs by the NEA and was started to strengthen the cultural ecosystem around the nation. Investments for GAP focus on public engagement with the arts, integration with the well-being of communities, and overall capacity improvement for the arts. This round of grants for GAP funding totaled over 1,100 applicants. You can read more about the NEA’s second round of grant funding 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 National Endowment for the Arts Established by Congress in 1965, the National Endowment for the Arts is an independent federal agency that is the largest funder of the arts and arts education in communities nationwide and a catalyst of public and private support for the arts. By advancing equitable opportunities for arts participation and practice, the NEA fosters and sustains an environment in which the arts benefit everyone in the United States. Visit Arts.gov to learn more. Media Contact Information: Brittany Heckard Communications Associate bheckard@torchliteraryarts.org (512) 641-9251 Previous Next

< Back Celebrating the Milestones of Community and History through Literary Greatness and Storytelling this Black History Month Brittany Heckard Feb 1, 2026 This year’s Black History Month theme, “A Century of Black History Commemorations,” urges us to acknowledge the historical impact of Black narratives. 2026 is the year of anniversaries – Torch’s 20th Anniversary, 100 years of celebrating Black History Month, and the United States’ 250th Anniversary. This trifecta of anniversaries underscores the importance of storytelling. In celebrating this Black History Month’s theme of “A Century of Black Commemorations,” we recognize the impact Black women writers have on America’s history. This month, we celebrate the truthseekers and truthtellers of the past, present, and future. Reflecting on these three anniversaries occurring this year, there’s an unavoidable connection between Black women writers and this nation’s history. Stories of America through the lens of Black women provide readers with an unignorable question: how long will Black History run parallel to the stories of America without proper acknowledgement? We may not know the answer, but we understand the importance of preserving our history and legacy regardless. History is memorialized through storytelling, and Torch’s community of Black women writers is undauntedly sharing theirs. Since 2006, Torch has cultivated an environment for preservation. The many warnings and commentaries from Black women writers in the past eerily foreshadow the future when ignored. This is why Torch exists. Our organization is a history book of Black women from around the world who speak to the times. We appreciate Black women storytellers all day, every day, but especially during such a commemorative year for this organization, a reflective celebration for Black History Month, and an introspective one for our country. 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 prizes and support our mission to amplify Black women writers. Join us for two screenings at Austin Film Society: Our new partnership with Austin Film Society kicks off this month with two screenings. You can watch Daughters of the Dust and/or Compensation (ASL provided) in community with us! Attend a Reading for our 3rd Annual Writers Across the Diaspora Series: This year, we’re excited to bring Dr. Malika Booker for a reading and conversation in partnership with Texas State University. We have two options – one event at Texas State University in San Marcos , and one event at the Carver Museum in Austin . Sign up for our first Workshop of the year: 2025 Torch Fellow, Starr Davis, will be leading “ Writing as Oath: Personal Truthtelling in Memoir and Essay ”. This free workshop will focus on craft, precision, and sustaining yourself as a writer while telling the truth of your life. As we celebrate this Black History Month’s theme of commemoration for a century, we encourage Black women to continue writing, to continue sharing, and to be bold and affirmative. We challenge readers to reflect on the times and continue reading works from Black women. Last but not least, we thank our Torch community, donors, and supporters for championing our organization for 20 years. Previous Next

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

< Back Torch Literary Arts Announces 2025 Spring Season Brittany Heckard Jan 24, 2025 Torch’s 2025 Spring Season is full of community collaborations, readings, writing workshops, and more to empower and encourage Black women to continue telling their stories. This year, we are doubling down on the need for Black women to feel seen, heard, and supported through their writing journey. 2025 is our year of testament to show that despite changes, restrictions, or setbacks, we continue to thrive when love and support are the foundation of our community. This season, there is an exciting update to the Torch’s Writing Circle . Instead of meeting solely on Mondays, we will alternate the virtual event between Saturday mornings and Monday evenings, giving writers worldwide various options to meet. Our next Writing Circle will be this Saturday, January 25th at 11 a.m. CST. Our special events this season include: Carver Museum Solar Saturday on February 1 : Torch Poetry Showcase Featuring Marzetta and Shasparay. Torch Literary Arts is joining the Carver Museum’s Solar Saturday to kick off Black History Month this year. This free event invites Austin residents and beyond to a free afternoon of programming for all generations. As a full-site activation, we will have fun events in the conference room, the classroom, the dance studio, the theatre, and the drum - not to mention the gallery will be open! Vinyl records on long play will fill the halls, a vendor market will be poppin'! Light snacks and refreshments will be served, along with interactive arts and crafts programming to engage the brain. Torch’s showcase is scheduled for 2:30-3:30 p.m . You can RSVP here . World Read Aloud Day with Torch and Kendra Scott on February 5: A Virtual Fundraising Event For 48 hours, Feb. 5th to 6th, our friends at Kendra Scott Jewelry will donate 20% of purchases when you use the Torch code to help us celebrate and amplify Black women's voices. Visit Kendra Scott at the Domain or shop online . Enter the Torch Code: GIVEBACK-IMGQX to support Torch Literary Arts! Follow @TorchLiteraryArts on IG for readings by our beloved Torch community members. Wildfire Reading Series on February 26: Renée Watson Torch Literary Arts with Black Pearl Books presents the Wildfire Reading Series featuring #1 New York Times bestselling and Newbery Honor Renée Watson, author of All the Blues in the Sky . Join us for a free reading, conversation, Q&A, and book signing as Watson explores friendship, loss, and life with grief in this poignant new novel in verse and vignettes. Donations are appreciated, and you can find out more here . Inaugural Welcome Table Talk Series on March 11: Building Black Feminist Institutions in Uncertain Times Join us for a historical virtual event presented by the Wintergreen Women Writers Collective and Torch Literary Arts. Kicking off the first of many, the inaugural Welcome Table Talk will commence with Dr. Joanne Gabbin and Amanda Johnston. More details coming soon! Playwriting Workshop on March 13: Who all over there? Learning the Character of Your Characters with Florinda Bryant Compelling storytelling in playwriting is rooted in character development. In this virtual generative character development workshop, participants will dig deep into the characters in the worlds of their work using theatrical jazz performance practices. We will use text from Omi Osun/Dr. Joni L. Jones, Theatrical Jazz: Performance, Àse, and the Power of the Present Moment , as we contemplate the question, what does telling the "truth" have to do with theatre, and how does it inform my character development and archetypes? Participants will leave with prompts and activities designed to find the truth of the characters and figures that drive the plot forward. Find out more here . Songwriting Workshop on April 19: Megz of Magna Carda We’ll be hosting our first-ever virtual and free songwriting workshop taught by Megz of Magna Carda. The class will be capped at 10 participants once sign-up opens and a lottery will happen if we exceed 10 RSVPs. More details are coming soon! Stay updated by visiting here for more details . Wildfire Reading Series on February 26: Kendra Allen Torch Literary Arts presents the Wildfire Reading Series featuring Kendra Allen, author of the memoir Fruit Punch . Join us at the wonderful BookWoman for a free reading, conversation, Q&A, and book signing. Donations are appreciated, and you can find out more here . You can RSVP and check back for added Spring 2025 events by visiting torchliteraryarts.org/events . We can’t wait to see you! ### About Torch Literary Arts Torch Literary Arts is a 501(c)3 nonprofit established with love and intention in 2006 to publish and promote creative writing by Black women. We publish contemporary writing by experienced and emerging writers alike. Torch has featured work by Toi Derricotte, Tayari Jones, Sharon Bridgforth, Crystal Wilkinson, Patricia Smith, Natasha Trethewey, Elizabeth Alexander, and others. Programs include the Wildfire Reading Series, writing workshops, and retreats. For more information about Torch Literary Arts, please visit https://www.torchliteraryarts.org/ or follow @torchliteraryarts on Instagram. Help Torch continue to publish and promote Black women writers by donating today. About Kaitlyn “Marzetta” McClung Kaitlyn “Marzetta” McClung is an independent multidisciplinary artist, musician, and literary scholar based in Austin, Texas. Merging the creative and academic, Marzetta posits the human condition within the scope of queerness and womanhood across the Black African diaspora. With Southern roots informing her research and writing interests, Marzetta earned her M.A. in English from the University of Alabama, Tuscaloosa, and B.A. in English and communications media from Alabama A&M University. Marzetta has hosted and performed at the New York City Poetry Festival, Deep Vellum Books in Dallas, and was selected as an emerging literary artist with the Utah Literary Arts Festival. She is a published poet and essayist eager to explore various creative mediums and collaborate with local artists for impact storytelling. Her debut book The Garden: Poems can be found on Amazon and Barnes & Noble.” About Shasparay Shasparay (she/they) is a multi-hyphenate performing artist born and raised in Austin, TX. She is the Founder and Artistic Director of the annual Black Arts Matter Festival and is the 2024 Austin Poetry Slam Grandslam Champion. She was also the 2022 4th Ranked Woman Slam Poet in the World (W.OW.P.S). Shasparay completed a Master's in Arts Administration at the Wisconsin School of Business Bolz Center and holds a B.S. in Theatre from UW-Madison. She was a recipient of the First Wave Hip Hop and Urban Arts Full Tuition Scholarship, a speaker at the 2016 TEDxYouth Austin conference, and is a National NAACP ACT-SO Gold Medalist. Shasparay has been a finalist in national and regional slam competitions such as Women of the World Poetry Slam, Stone Wall International Poetry Slam, Southern Fried Poetry Slam, Texas Grand Slam, and is a two-time Lip Stick Wars Poetry Slam Champion. She has been featured on platforms such as the New York Times, Button Poetry, Huffington Post, Youth Speaks, and Buzzfeed. Lastly, she is an AudioVerse award-winning cast member of the highly acclaimed horror anthology podcast Old Gods of Appalachia. About Renée Watson Renée Watson is a # 1 New York Times bestselling author. Her novel, Piecing Me Together , received a Newbery Honor and Coretta Scott King Award. Her books include the Ryan Hart series, Some Places More Than Others , This Side of Home , What Momma Left Me , Betty Before X , cowritten with Ilyasah Shabazz, Watch Us Rise , co-written with Ellen Hagan, and Love Is a Revolution , as well as acclaimed picture books: Summer Is Here , Maya's Song , The 1619 Project: Born on the Water , written with Nikole Hannah-Jones, A Place Where Hurricanes Happen , and Harlem's Little Blackbird , which was nominated for an NAACP Image Award. Renée splits her time between Portland, Oregon, and New York City. About Florinda Bryant Florinda Bryant is an award-winning interdisciplinary artist, activist, and educator – a Texas gurl who calls Austin home. As a performer and director, she has worked with Salvage Vanguard Theater, the Rude Mechs, the Vortex, Paper Chairs, Theater en Bloc, Teatro Vivo in Austin, TX, and the Ensemble Theater in Houston, Texas. The regional premiere of her one-woman show "Black do Crack" at Ground Floor Theater in Austin, Texas was nominated for five B. Iden Payne Awards including Outstanding Production of a Drama, Original Script, Direction of a Drama, Dramaturgy, and Lead Actress in a Drama, which she won. Florinda has worked with at-risk communities, young men and women, and adults – using performance as a social justice tool for empowerment and change for over 18 years. About Megan “Megz” Trufant Megan “Megz” Trufant Tillman is a writer-musician-director multi-hyphenate with Southern roots – hailing from New Orleans, Louisiana. She is co-founder and one-half of Austin-based jazz/neosoul/hip hop outfit Magna Carda, and has played stages at ACL and SXSW, toured nationally, and has played with artists such as Black Pumas, Oddisee, Noname, GZA, Raekwon, Lizzo, BADBADNOTGOOD, and Raphael Saadiq. Her film works include her directorial debut, the award-winning New Orleans-set short film 'little trumpet' and her most recent short film – as co-director and co-writer – NEWBIES. She most recently served as a writer on the music video for the Oscar-winning song “Fight For You” by H.E.R., and Amazon’s H.E.R. Prime Day episode, as well as music supervisor for short films 'Prepared' and 'little trumpet'. She is also the founder and editor of WATER, a boutique bookshop and Black literary and arts magazine. Her creative work centers Black life and culture as well as the Black South. bymegz.com About Kendra Allen Kendra Allen was born and raised in Dallas, TX. She's the author of the memoir Fruit Punch , the poetry collection The Collection Plate , and the essay collection When You Learn the Alphabet, which won the Iowa Prize for Literary Nonfiction in 2018. You can find some of her other works on, or in, Oxford American, High Times, Repeller, Southwest Review, The Paris Review, The Rumpus , and more. In her spare time, she loves laughing, leaving, and contemplating what's the greatest rap verse of all time. Media Contact Information: Brittany Heckard Communications Associate bheckard@torchliteraryarts.org (512) 641-9251 Previous Next