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A Gathering of Flames: Celebrating 20 Years of Torch Literary Arts. This in-person, multiday event includes a gala celebration, the launch of the Torch Awards, live readings, workshops, vendors, networking, and parties. Save the date: September 25-27, 2026. A Gathering of Flames Celebrating 20 Years of Torch Literary Arts September 25-27, 2026 - Austin, TX Austin Central Branch Library Special Event Center For 20 years, Torch Literary Arts has supported and amplified Black women writers across the diaspora. We've featured over 300 writers and counting through Torch Magazine , our award-winning publication. Torch has also impacted the lives of thousands across our global community through impactful events such as readings and conversation series, creative and professional development workshops, our annual Fellows Retreat, and special events. To mark this monumental occasion, we are hosting a weekend of celebrations, including a festive gala, the launch of the Torch Awards, live readings, panels, writing sessions, and more. Let's gather in the joy of literature! Space is limited. We strongly encourage you to purchase your ticket as soon as possible. Get Tickets Employer PD Request Letter Amplifying Black Women Writers Since 2006 Torch Awards Gala Friday, Sept. 25, 2026 Join us for the inaugural Torch Awards, a gala and awards ceremony to celebrate literary excellence, world-class storytelling, and the joy and power of our shared narrative on and off the page. Throughout the evening, we will hear from notable writers in the Torch community and honor our first award recipients. A time will be had, including over dinner and on the dance floor! The Gathering Saturday, Sept. 26, 2026 Settle deeper into our Torch community with day and evening programs, including readings, panels, and writing sessions, and connect or reconnect with writers and creatives. There will also be opportunities to shop for your next favorite reads and even get your books signed by our featured authors. A light breakfast and lunch will be provided, along with an evening reception. Community Brunch Sunday, Sept. 27, 2026 Join the closing ceremony, our Sunday brunch, to ready us for what's to come on and off the page over the next 20 years and beyond. This will be a time to fellowship, join the community open mic, and break bread with other writers and creatives. This brunch will be sustenance for the mind, body, and soul. Featured Presenters To play, press and hold the enter key. To stop, release the enter key. Thank You to our Sponsors and Partners Be a Sponsor

Torch Literary Arts publishes creative writing by Black women online. We curate public events including our Wildfire Reading Series and offer workshops and retreats. Introducing our law firm Amplifying Black Women Writers Torch Literary Arts is a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization established to publish and promote creative writing by Black women. We publish contemporary writing by emerging and experienced writers alike. Torch Magazine 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, retreats, and special events. Torch Magazine Read Online May 2026 Torch 20th Anniversary Special Feature: Sharon Bridgforth Inducted in the Texas Institute of Letters in 2025, Sharon Bridgforth is a widely published author, a United States Artists Fellow, winner of Yale's Windham Campbell Prize in Drama, and a New Dramatists alumna. photo by Kevin O'Harra Jr Sharon Bridgforth collaborates with interdisciplinary artists and audiences to install moving soundscapes of her ritual/jazz texts in celebration of African-American Southern Migration histories/queerly. Sharon's work is archived at The Schom Friday Feature: Joely Williams Joely Williams is an Afro-Boricua poet, letter-maker, and community educator raised in the Bronx and currently living in South Carolina, where she is still adjusting to the concept of sky. Much of her work is rooted in the emotional and physical geography of migration: what it means to leave one place while still carrying its sounds, smells, language, and architecture in the body years later. She writes often about memory, grocery stores, kitchens, mothers, public transportat 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 EVENTS The Writer-as-Artisan: Writing as a Living Practice Sat, May 23 Zoom More info Learn more Literary Arts Fest Night - Postponed to May 27th Wed, May 27 The Contemporary Austin - Jones Center More info Learn more Multiple Dates Torch Writing Cirlce Mon, Jun 08 Zoom More info Learn more Load More Read News Learn More

The Team Amanda Johnston Founder / Executive Director Read More Sierra Lewis Administrative Associate Read More Dana Weekes Board Treasurer Read More Dalia Azim Board Member Read More Jen Margulies Advisory Board Member Read More Brittany Heckard Communications Associate Read More Dr. Sequoia Maner Board Chair Read More Shannon Johnson Board Member Read More Hallie S. Hobson Advisory Board Member Read More Sheree L. Ross Advisory Board Member Read More Jae Nichelle Associate Editor Read More Rachel E. Winston Board Secretary Read More Erin Waelder Board Member Read More Raina Fields Advisory Board Member Read More Parneshia Jones Advisory Board Member Read More

Latest News Apr 29, 2026 Torch Announces First Ever Nominations for Best New Poets Anthology Two Torch Features, Tiezst "Tie" Taylor and Mecca M. Miles, are Torch’s inaugural nominees for their outstanding poems. Read More Apr 2, 2026 Celebrating 20 Years of Highlighting Black Women in Poetry Torch is elated to celebrate National Poetry Month and the Black women poets in our community. Read More Mar 31, 2026 Torch Literary Arts Announces New Board Member Dalia Azim joins the Torch board, bringing her expertise in literary programming and partnerships in the Austin literary community. Read More Mar 12, 2026 Torch Literary Arts to Open Registration for “A Gathering of Flames: Celebrating 20 Years of Torch Literary Arts” on March 16th The inaugural gala and conference will feature Rachel Eliza Griffiths, Sharon Bridgforth, Patricia Smith, and Crystal Wilkinson from September 25-27, 2026, in Austin, Texas. Read More Mar 6, 2026 Celebrating Women and a Sustainable Future with Torch This year’s Women’s History Month Theme urges us to celebrate women who are taking charge in regard to sustainability, and this International Women’s Day urges us to give to gain. Read More Mar 3, 2026 Torch Returns to the 2026 AWP Conference in Baltimore For four days, Torch will join other writing organizations, writers, publishers, students, and more at the largest literary conference in the country. Read More Feb 27, 2026 Torch Literary Arts Welcomes New Team Member Torch adds a new position, Administrative Associate, to help with daily operations and support the needs of Torch Center. Read More Feb 5, 2026 Austin Film Society Joins Torch Literary Arts as New Community Partners The two organizations will amplify a series of film screenings showcasing Black women screenwriters, directors, and films that reflect Black culture. Read More Feb 1, 2026 Celebrating the Milestones of Community and History through Literary Greatness and Storytelling this Black History Month This year’s Black History Month theme, “A Century of Black History Commemorations,” urges us to acknowledge the historical impact of Black narratives. Read More Jan 29, 2026 Kicking Off 20 Years with the Spring 2026 Season Torch’s Spring 2026 Season builds on the history we've made in our 20 years of strengthening the literary community of Black women writers. Read More Jan 29, 2026 Important Transitions to Torch's Board of Directors 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. Read More Jan 28, 2026 Torch to Raise $10,000 during one of Austin’s Largest Giving Days Torch joins over 700 nonprofits during Amplify Austin to raise funds for Black women writers. Read More Jan 2, 2026 Celebrating a New Year with a Growing Community Taking the time to thank you all for your support in 2025 and share exciting news for 2026. Read More Dec 29, 2025 Ending the Year Strong with Community Impact and Growth Taking time to thank you all for your support in 2025 and share plans to end the year strong. Read More Dec 9, 2025 A Big Thank You to Our Major Funders In 2025, seven major funders supported Torch’s mission to amplify Black women writers. Read More Dec 5, 2025 Torch Raises $5,593 for 2025 GivingTuesday Campaign Joining one of the largest international giving days, Torch raised $5,593. Read More Dec 1, 2025 Torch Announces the 2025 Nominations for the Pushcart Prize 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. Read More Nov 19, 2025 Torch Literary Arts Celebrates GivingTuesday with a Board Match, Supporter Toolkit, Giveaway, and More. Torch is joining millions around the world participating in the global generosity movement on December 2, 2025. Read More Nov 5, 2025 Torch Literary Arts Returns as a Partnering Organization for the 2025 Texas Book Festival Over two days, Torch will host poets Tiana Clark and Donika Kelly in Austin for a series of inspiring readings and conversations. Read More Oct 22, 2025 Torch Literary Arts Announces Transitions to 2025 Board of Directors This board transition includes the retirement of former board secretary, Stephanie Lang, and the election of new board member, Rachel Winston Read More Oct 15, 2025 Torch Announces the 2025 Nominations for the O. Henry Prize Two Torch Features, Jennifer Coley and Jessica Araújo, are nominated for their respective short fiction stories. Read More Oct 9, 2025 Celebrating the Second Annual Donor-Advised Funds Day Torch Literary Arts encourages families and individuals with donor-advised funds to consider supporting Black women writers and the programs we offer. Read More Sep 16, 2025 Torch Announces the Nominations for the Best of the Net Eleven Torch Features were nominated for their works in creative nonfiction, fiction, poetry, and visual art in Torch Magazine. Read More Sep 2, 2025 Torch Literary Arts Announces the Torch Center Coming Fall 2025 The local Austin nonprofit organization dedicated to building community for Black women writers will now have a physical location at the LINC of Austin. Read More Aug 28, 2025 Torch Literary Arts Releases Fall 2025 Season Torch’s Fall 2025 Season includes dynamic readings, a screenwriting conversation, book festivals, workshops, and more! Read More Aug 20, 2025 Torch Announces 2026 Dates for 20th Anniversary Celebration “A Gathering of Flames” will take place in Austin, Texas, from September 25 to 27, 2026, celebrating Black women writers and 20 years of Torch’s growing community. Read More Aug 1, 2025 Celebrating Torch and Black Philanthropy Month All August Long Torch is celebrating 19 years of community and impact with CIM goals, new updates, and more! Read More Jun 5, 2025 Celebrating the Intersectionalities of Black Women Writers June is a month full of pride for queer, Caribbean, and song-filled Black women writers and the readers who love them. Read More May 28, 2025 Torch Announces New Community Impact Member Donation Initiative The Community Impact Membership (CIM) program provides Torch’s monthly donors of at least $10 and annual donors of at least $100 with exclusive items and updates. Read More Apr 24, 2025 Torch Announces the 2025 Retreat Fellows Torch returns for a third consecutive year to host eight fellows at their annual retreat for Black women writers at the Colton House in Austin, Texas, from July 20-27, 2025. Read More Apr 1, 2025 Celebrating Black Women's Contributions to Poetry All Month Long Continuing on months of celebrating Black History Month and Women’s History Month, we’re keeping the acknowledgments alive with National Poetry Month Read More Mar 27, 2025 Torch Literary Arts Awarded AWP Writing Organization Award This is the first-ever Writing Organization Award by the Association of Writers & Writing Programs, which is awarded to literary organizations based on the legacy of writing organization advocate Kurt Brown. Read More Mar 17, 2025 Torch Literary Arts Recognized at the Ireland House During SXSW with Prime Minister of Ireland Micheál Martin Torch’s “Writers Across the Diaspora” program in partnership with the Irish Consulate, Culture Ireland, and Texas State University was highlighted. Read More Mar 11, 2025 Celebrating Women’s History Month and International Women’s Day This year’s themes of moving forward together and accelerating change reinforce Torch’s mission to ALWAYS support Black women writers and the stories they share. Read More Mar 7, 2025 Torch Raises over $6,000 during Amplify Austin Campaign Joining over 700 nonprofits for one of the largest giving days in Central Texas, Torch raised over $6,000 to amplify Black women writers worldwide. Read More Feb 10, 2025 Help Torch Raise $10,000 during Amplify Austin’s 2025 Giving Campaign! 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. Read More Feb 10, 2025 Wintergreen Women Writers Collective and Torch Literary Arts Partner to Host Welcome Table Talks Series featuring Black Women Writers The two literary organizations dedicated to creating community for Black women writers will host a series of talks over the next three years thanks to funding from the Mellon Foundation. Read More Jan 31, 2025 Celebrating Black History Month by Acknowledging Black Women Writers and Their Contributions to Literature 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. Read More Jan 24, 2025 Torch Literary Arts Announces 2025 Spring Season 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. Read More Jan 10, 2025 Torch Literary Arts to Open Applications for the 2025 Torch Retreat on February 3rd The Torch Retreat will host its third annual writing retreat for Black women writers at the Colton House in Austin, Texas from July 20-27, 2025. Read More Jan 3, 2025 City of Austin Cultural Arts Division Awards Torch Literary Arts the Thrive Grant along with Other Cultural Arts Organizations in Austin The Cultural Arts Division awarded $13 million in funds to local arts and cultural organizations for a second year with Thrive and Elevate grants. Read More Jan 3, 2025 Torch Literary Arts Announces Retirement of Board Member Dr. Omi Osun Joni L. Jones 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. Read More Jan 3, 2025 Welcoming the New Year with Love and Community Taking the time to thank you all for your support in 2024 and share exciting news for 2025 Read More Dec 12, 2024 'Tis the Season for Gifts & Giving Find out how to support Torch and our community sponsors and supporters this holiday season! Read More Dec 4, 2024 Torch Surpasses Fundraising Goal for 2024 GivingTuesday Campaign Joining one of the largest international giving days, Torch surpassed its fundraising goal of $5,000. Read More Nov 22, 2024 Torch Literary Arts Celebrates GivingTuesday with Community and Board Matches, Ignite the Night, and More. Torch is joining millions around the world participating in the global generosity movement on December 3, 2024. Read More Nov 22, 2024 Torch Announces the Nominations for the Pushcart Prize Six Torch Features, Erica Frederick, A. E. Wynter, Sydney Mayes, Chidima Anekwe, Chyann Hector, and Mon Misir, are nominated for their respective works. Read More Nov 15, 2024 Torch Executive Director and Features Named as Brooks Living Legacy Honorees 20 Torch community members were named Living Legacy Honorees Read More Nov 1, 2024 Torch Literary Arts to Celebrate and Amplify Black Women Writers During the 2024 Texas Book Festival Over two days, Torch will host poet, essayist, and novelist Morgan Parker and Los Angeles Poet Laureate Lynne Thompson, and embark on a literary book crawl showcasing the works of the organization’s previous features. Read More Oct 18, 2024 Torch Literary Arts Welcomes New Team Members Thanks to capacity-building funding, Torch adds a Creative Content Associate and Administrative Fellow to the Team. Read More Oct 7, 2024 Celebrating National Book Month with Torch Literary Arts This October, Torch is celebrating National Book Month with Torch Day, an inaugural international program, and much more! Read More Sep 6, 2024 Torch Announces the Nominations for the Best of the Net Nine Torch Features were nominated for their works in creative nonfiction, fiction, poetry, and visual art in Torch Magazine. Read More Sep 5, 2024 Torch Literary Arts Receives National Book Foundation Grant The National Book Foundation awarded Torch funding from the Capacity-Building Grant Program. Read More Aug 30, 2024 Torch Announces the Nominations for the O. Henry Prize Two Torch Features, Felicia A. Rivers and Lydia Mathis, are nominated for their respective short fiction stories. Read More Aug 29, 2024 Torch Literary Arts Releases 2024 Fall Season Torch’s 2024 Fall Season includes international poets, a screenwriting panel, workshops on character building and memoirs, the Wildfire Reading Series, and more! Read More Aug 2, 2024 Celebrate Torch’s 18th Birthday & Our Mission to Amplify Black Women Writers Our wish this August is to gain 18 new monthly recurring Torch supporters & more! Find out how to celebrate our birthday with events, well wishes, and donations. Read More Jul 19, 2024 Torch Literary Arts Welcomes Erin Waelder to the Board of Directors Erin was welcomed to the board in June, bringing her extensive background in development communications. Read More Jul 12, 2024 Torch Literary Arts Receives Poetry Foundation Grant Torch Literary Arts (Torch), a nonprofit organization dedicated to amplifying Black women writers, will receive funding from the Poetry Foundation. This is the nonprofit’s second year receiving funding from the foundation. Read More Jun 28, 2024 Torch Literary Arts Receives Burdine Johnson Foundation Grant This is Torch's third year receiving the grant that serves Central Texas arts, education, historical preservation, and environmental sustainability causes. Read More Jun 5, 2024 Celebrate Pride Month by Amplifying Queer Black Voices 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! Read More May 31, 2024 Torch Feature Yael Valencia Aldana Receives Pushcart Prize For the second year in a row, a Torch Feature has received a Pushcart Prize for their amazing work published in Torch Magazine. Read More May 24, 2024 Torch Literary Arts to Receive Grants for Arts Allocation from the National Endowment for the Arts 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. Read More Apr 12, 2024 Torch Announces the 2024 Retreat Fellows 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. Read More Apr 11, 2024 Torch Literary Arts Welcomes Dana Weekes to Board of Directors Dana Weekes was welcomed to the board in March, bringing her extensive background in law and policy, and commitment to creation as self-care. Read More Apr 5, 2024 Celebrating National Poetry Month with an Ode to Poets Every April, Torch is elated to celebrate the Black women who put words to feelings by celebrating National Poetry Month Read More Mar 22, 2024 Website Updates: New Transparency Documents, Including Three-Year Strategic Plan Torch Literary Arts updates website to include transparency documents including IRS Form 990s, Annual Reports, and the 2024-2026 Strategic Plan. Read More Mar 8, 2024 Celebrating Women’s History Month and International Women’s Day Torch Literary Arts acknowledges and celebrates the many literary contributions of women to history and the wonderful Black women writers across the diaspora. Read More Feb 16, 2024 Torch Literary Arts Opens Applications for the 2024 Torch Retreat 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. Read More Feb 9, 2024 Celebrating Black History & Futures 24/7, 366 days This Black History Month, Torch acknowledges the importance of amplifying Black women writers year-round. Read More Jan 30, 2024 Austin Community Foundation Announces Torch Literary Arts as one of The Black Fund Grant Partners The Black Fund’s recognition of Torch Literary Arts as a grant partner allows Torch to continue hosting special events for Black women writers in the Austin community. Read More Jan 26, 2024 Torch Literary Arts Unveils 2024 Spring Season Torch’s 2024 Spring Season is full of workshops, panels, an interactive literary cooking event, and much more to help Black women writers share their unique stories. Read More Jan 16, 2024 Torch Literary Arts Announces Transitions to 2024 Board of Directors This year’s board transition includes the retirement of former board chair, Florinda Bryant, and elections of new board chair, Dr. Sequoia Maner, new secretary, Stephanie Lang, and new board member, Shannon Johnson Read More Jan 9, 2024 Culture Ireland Awards Torch Literary Arts Funding to Host Irish Poets Torch will use the Culture Ireland funding to host Irish poets Nithy Kasa and FELISPEAKS for interactive writing workshops from October 1-7, 2024. Read More

< Back Sierra Lewis Administrative Associate Sierra Lewis is an administrator, creative entrepreneur, and cultural curator whose work centers on supporting Black, women, and value-driven communities. Born in Baltimore and based in Austin, she brings experience across nonprofit, arts, education, social service, and entrepreneurship, with a deep commitment to building systems that sustain creative work and community. She is the founder and former brick-and-mortar owner of New Origin Shop, a curated retail platform uplifting independent makers, many of them Black women. Sierra brings a background in marketing, digital storytelling, and e-commerce, with experience building community and operations across both physical and digital spaces. She is a BeyGOOD Foundation grant recipient and a Goldman Sachs Black in Business scholar, and her work has been featured on Texas Today NBC 5. Sierra is honored to support Torch Literary Arts in amplifying the voices of Black women writers and strengthening the infrastructure that sustains their work.

< Back Dalia Azim Board Member Dalia Azim is a writer born in Canada and raised in the United States. Her writing has appeared in The Washington Post , The New York Times , American Short Fiction , and Poets & Writers , among other places. Her first novel, Country of Origin , was published in 2022 and received the Discovery Award from the Writers’ League of Texas. She lives in Austin, Texas, with her family and is the COO of the Texas Book Festival.

< Back Torch Literary Arts Awarded AWP Writing Organization Award Brittany Heckard Mar 27, 2025 This is the first-ever Writing Organization Award by the Association of Writers & Writing Programs, which is awarded to literary organizations based on the legacy of writing organization advocate Kurt Brown. AUSTIN, Tex., March 27, 2025 – Torch Literary Arts (Torch), a nonprofit organization dedicated to amplifying Black women writers, is making history! Just announced yesterday, the literary organization was awarded the first-ever Writing Organization Award by the Association of Writers & Writing Programs (AWP) . “Being one of the first literary organizations considered for this award is an honor and testament that our work to amplify and build community for Black women writers is necessary,” said Torch founder and executive director, Amanda Johnston. “Winning the award from AWP and being named among other important literary organizations shows Torch’s reach and national impact.” The AWP Writing Organization Award recognizes writing conferences, festivals, centers, and other organizations that serve the writing community. The new award was started to honor the legacy of poet Kurt Brown. Other finalists for the award included Brink Literacy Project and Macondo . The award was announced at the 2025 AWP Conference & Bookfair occurring in Los Angeles from March 26-29, 2025. The conference gathers thousands of writers, teachers, students, publishers, and more. It is also an exciting reunion for Torch community members including Features, Fellows, and workshop attendees. AWP’s mission is to amplify the voices of writers and the academic programs and organizations that serve them. The association is committed to members and the literary community, preserving writers’ intellectual property, and their staff. The nonprofit was established in 1967 by fifteen writers across thirteen creative writing programs. You can learn more about AWP at awpwriter.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 AWP AWP is a professional association of creative writers and writing programs. AWP provides support, advocacy, resources, and community to nearly 50,000 writers, 550 college and university creative writing programs, and 150 writers’ conferences and centers. The AWP Conference & Bookfair is the annual destination for writers, teachers, students, editors, and publishers of contemporary creative writing. It includes thousands of attendees, hundreds of events and bookfair exhibitors, and four days of essential literary conversation and celebration. Media Contact Information: Brittany Heckard Communications Associate bheckard@torchliteraryarts.org (512) 641-9251 Previous Next

< Back Torch Literary Arts to Celebrate and Amplify Black Women Writers During the 2024 Texas Book Festival Nov 1, 2024 Over two days, Torch will host poet, essayist, and novelist Morgan Parker and Los Angeles Poet Laureate Lynne Thompson, and embark on a literary book crawl showcasing the works of the organization’s previous features. November is LIT-erary gold for Torch Literary Arts (Torch) and the Texas Book Festival (TBF). For the 3rd year in a row, Torch will join TBF as a partnering organization. As part of this partnership, Torch will welcome Morgan Parker and Lynne Thompson to Austin, along with a lineup of incredible Torch Features. In Morgan Parker's You Get What You Pay For and Lynne Thompson's Blue on a Blue Palette , the historical experiences of Black women drive the two writers' explorations. Morgan's essays, deeply intimate, witty, and personal, trace her experience in therapy as a way to examine racial consciousness and how America's cultural history has affected Black women in particular. Thompson's collection of poems, rooted in the jazz tradition and encompassing various shades of blue, traverses the multiplicities within the condition of women throughout history. These writers deconstruct what it means to survive and find joy within landscapes that threaten. You can catch Torch’s three amazing events at the Carver Museum, the Texas Capitol, or Speakeasy in community with other renowned Black women writers sharing their work. Check out our three events below: Friday, November 15 at the Carver Museum: Join us for a free kickoff reception and reading featuring our two Texas Book Festival visitors, Morgan Parker and Lynne Thompson, as they discuss their works and read from them in community with other Black women writers and Torch community members. Learn more and RSVP here . Saturday, November 16 at the Texas Capitol: In partnership with Texas Book Festival, join Morgan Parker and Lynne Thompson 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 16 at the Speakeasy: In partnership with Texas Book Festival, join us at 8pm for an inspiring evening of poetry and memoir by award-winning authors Amina Gautier, Lynne Thompson, Morgan Parker, Anastacia-Renee, 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 29th year hosting the festival and is one of the largest book festivals in the nation. The festival plans to have 275 acclaimed authors at events in and around the Texas Capitol and neighboring streets and venues. 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 Morgan Parker Morgan Parker is a poet, essayist, and novelist. She is the author of the young adult novel Who Put This Song On?; and the poetry collections Other People’s Comfort Keeps Me Up At Night , There Are More Beautiful Things Than Beyoncé , and Magical Negro , which won the 2019 National Book Critics Circle Award. She is the recipient of a National Endowment for the Arts Literature Fellowship, winner of a Pushcart Prize, and has been hailed by The New York Times as “a dynamic craftsperson” of “considerable consequence to American poetry.” Parker’s debut book of nonfiction, You Get What You Pay For , was published in March 2024. About Lynne Thompson Lynne Thompson served as Los Angeles’ 4th Poet Laureate and received a Poet Laureate Fellowship from the Academy of American Poets. She is the author of four collections of poetry, Beg No Pardon, winner of the Perugia Press Prize and the Great Lakes Colleges New Writers Award; Start With A Small Guitar (What Books Press) ; Fretwork , winner of the 2019 Marsh Hawk Poetry Prize selected by Jane Hirshfield; and,, Blue on a Blue Palette , published by BOA Editions in April 2024. A Pushcart Prize and Best of the Net nominee, Thompson is the recipient of multiple awards including the George Drury Smith Award for Outstanding Achievement in Poetry, an Individual Artist Fellowship from the City of Los Angeles, the Tucson Literary Festival Poetry Prize, and the Steven Dunn Poetry Prize, as well as fellowships from the Summer Literary Series (Kenya) and the Vermont Studio Center. Thompson’s recent work can be found or is forthcoming in the literary journals Best American Poetry 2020, Kenyon Review, Georgia Review,, Copper Nickel , and Gulf Coast, as well as the anthology Dear Yusef: Essays, Letters, and Poems For and About One Mr. Komunyakaa , among others. About Amina Guatier Amina Gautier is the author of four award-winning short story collections, At-Risk, Now We Will Be Happy, The Loss of All Lost Things , and The Best That You Can Do . More than one hundred fifty of her short stories have been published in literary journals and anthologies. She is a recipient of the Blackwell Prize, Chicago Public Library Foundation’s 21st Century Award, the Flannery O’Connor Award for Short Fiction, and International Latino Book Award, along with many other honors. For her body of work, she has been awarded the Pen/Malamud Award for Excellence in the Short Story. Born and raised in Brooklyn, NY, she now lives in Chicago and Miami. About Anastacia-Reneé Anastacia-Reneé is an award-winning cross-genre queer writer, educator, interdisciplinary artist, TEDX speaker and former Seattle Civic Poet. She is the author of Side Notes from the Archivist , (v.) , and Forget It . Her mixed media art has been exhibited at the Fry Art Museum and her installation, “Don’t Be Absurd (Alice in Parts),” was chosen by NBC as one of the “Queer Artist of Color Must See LGBTQ Arts Shows.” She has received fellowships and residencies from Cave Canem, Hedgebrook, VONA, Artist Trust, Ragdale, Mineral School and others. Renee’’s poetry, fiction and nonfiction has been anthologized and published widely. She lives in Brooklyn, New York. About 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 Announces New Community Impact Member Donation Initiative Brittany Heckard May 28, 2025 The Community Impact Membership (CIM) program provides Torch’s monthly donors of at least $10 and annual donors of at least $100 with exclusive items and updates. At Torch, our mission is to uplift Black women writers through building a community where they are seen and heard. Our community, like our impact, is large and intentional. It is filled with emerging and experienced writers, lovers of authentic storytelling, and our supporters. A special group of supporters we want to acknowledge moving forward is our individual donors who give monthly and annually to fuel our mission. Individual giving strengthens our revenue stream with direct, unrestricted contributions. According to Giving USA’s 2024 Annual Report , individual donors accounted for 67% of total charitable donations in 2023. To say thank you to our individual donors, we’re introducing our Community Impact Membership (CIM) program for donors who give at least $10 monthly or $100 annually. CIMs will also receive various benefits depending on their sustainer level, including gifts like Torch stickers, T-shirts, event benefits, and more! You can check out our Community Impact Sustainer Levels and their benefits below. Community Impact Member Sustainer Levels Torch Community – $10 Monthly or $120 Annually Torch Sticker Monthly Newsletter Invitation to the Torch End of Year Celebration Invitation to Special Events Acknowledgment on our Website and in the Annual Report Torch Friend – $25 Monthly or $300 Annually Firestarter: Collection of Torch Writing Prompts (downloadable) Plus, all Community Member Benefits Torch Ally – $50 Monthly or $600 Annually Invitation to Torch Mixers Classic Torch Shirt Plus, all Community & Friend Member Benefits Torch Advocate – $100 Monthly or $1,200 Annually Limited Edition Broadside (high-quality print) Plus, all Community, Friend & Ally Member Benefits Torch Sustainer – $210 Monthly or $2,500 Annually Reserved Premium Seating Invitation to Exclusive Author Receptions Plus, all Community, Friend, Ally, and Advocate Member Benefits Torch Champion – $425 Monthly or $5,000 Annually Event Program Recognition Wall Recognition Plus, all Community, Friend, Ally, Advocate, and Sustainer Member Benefits All of the CIM donations are 100% tax-deductible. You can become a CIM by choosing one of the sustainer levels on our donation page at torchliteraryarts.org/donate . ### 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. Previous Next

< Back Austin Film Society Joins Torch Literary Arts as New Community Partners Feb 5, 2026 The two organizations will amplify a series of film screenings showcasing Black women screenwriters, directors, and films that reflect Black culture. Austin Film Society (AFS) and Torch Literary Arts (Torch) are partnering to amplify diversity in film at AFS Cinema. These film screenings will be mission-aligned with both organizations and start this month with screenings of Daughters of the Dust and Compensation . Daughters of the Dust (1991), written and directed by Julie Dash, is an intergenerational film about three Gullah women and their lives in the South Carolina islands in 1902. The film won Best Cinematography at Sundance in 1991, Grand Jury Prize Nominee at Sundance in 1991, and was featured at many film festivals, including Mill Valley, BFI London, New Orleans, and Chicago. The first screening is on February 17th. You can purchase tickets for a screening here . Compensation (1999), directed by Zeinabu irene Davis, is a film highlighting the lives of two deaf women living almost a century apart from each other, one living in 1900 and the other in 1990. The film will have ASL interpretation. The film won the Gordon Parks Directing Award from the Independent Feature Project. The first screening is on February 24th. You can purchase tickets for a screening here . “This partnership highlights screenwriters and filmmakers we love to support,” said Amanda Johnston, founder and executive director of Torch Literary Arts. “Producing events that amplify voices of Black women while also enjoying their work on screen is the type of intentional community building we strive for.” AFS and Torch are just steps away from each other at The LINC in the historic St. Johns area, allowing a collaborative partnership that is accessible and convenient for attendees. The partnership highlights the need for representation of Black women writers in cinema and an in-depth look at powerful stories that resonate with any audience. If you are a Torch Feature, Fellow, or CIM Member, please email us for a discount code for these two screenings before you purchase your ticket. You can learn more about Austin Film Society by visiting their website at austinfilmsociety.org . ### 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 Magazine has featured work by Toi Derricotte, Tayari Jones, Sharon Bridgforth, Crystal Wilkinson, Patricia Smith, Natasha Trethewey, and others. Programs include the Wildfire Reading Series, writing workshops, and retreats. About Austin Film Society Founded in 1985 by filmmaker Richard Linklater, AFS creates life-changing opportunities for filmmakers, catalyzes Austin and Texas as a creative hub, and brings the community together around great film. AFS supports filmmakers towards career leaps, encouraging exceptional artistic projects with grants and support services. AFS operates Austin Studios, a 20-acre production facility, to attract and grow the creative media ecosystem. Austin Public, a space for our city’s diverse mediamakers to train and collaborate, provides many points of access to filmmaking and film careers. The AFS Cinema is an ambitiously programmed repertory and first run arthouse with broad community engagement. By hosting premieres, local and international industry events, and the Texas Film Awards, AFS shines the national spotlight on Texas filmmakers while connecting Austin and Texas to the wider film community. AFS is a registered 501(c)(3) non-profit organization. Media Contact Information: Brittany Heckard Communications Associate bheckard@torchliteraryarts.org (512) 641-9251 Previous Next

< Back Torch Announces First Ever Nominations for Best New Poets Anthology Apr 29, 2026 Two Torch Features, Tiezst "Tie" Taylor and Mecca M. Miles, are Torch’s inaugural nominees for their outstanding poems. In celebrating National Poetry Month and of 20 years of creating space for Black women writers, Torch is excited to nominate two poems from Torch Magazine to the Best New Poets Anthology. This is the first time Torch has nominated poets, and is excited to add another national recognition to the many nominations Torch Features can be considered for. Other prizes Torch nominates its writers for include Best of the Net, the Pushcart Prize, and O. Henry Prize. “Nominating Torch Features for awards is one of the best parts of being Associate Editor for Torch Magazine,” said associate editor Jae Nichelle. “In this literary landscape where Black women writers have so many barriers to entry, nominating our features gives us one more way to spotlight the incredible writers in our community.” Created in 2005, the Best New Poets Anthology focuses on highlighting 50 poems from emerging writers across the United States and Canada. Nominations can come from literary magazines, annual writing competitions, and graduate-level programs. You can learn more about the Best New Poets Anthology here . Our Two Torch Nominees Are: " High John [a duplex] " by Tiezst "Tie" Taylor " God Whispers on Leyland Drive " by Mecca M. Miles ### 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 Tiezst "Tie" Taylor Tiezst “Tie” Taylor is a Disabled Black femme who is non-binary trans. They are a radical educator, artist-activist, poet, and storyteller. They have earned degrees in education (B.A. in the individualized major of Teaching for Social Justice, New York University & M.S.Ed in Elementary Education, University of Pennsylvania), and are a proponent of disability justice and abolitionist frameworks. Their work explores their experiences in surviving: Disability and severe mental illness; intergenerational trauma and poverty; and intersecting forms of oppression. They use their art and research to educate, heal, nurture, radicalize, and catalyze change for all marginalized peoples. Tiezst is an Emerge 2025 Fellow with San Francisco State University’s Paul K. Longmore Institute on Disability, where they are working on an essay for publication on the criminalization of mental illness as it intersects with Black woman / femme identity. They were a Spring 2024 Brooklyn Poets Fellow and a past awardee of the NYSCA/NYFA Artists with Disabilities Grant. Tie’s work appears or is upcoming in Lucky Jefferson , Querencia Press , Midway Journal , Shō Poetry Journal , and ANMLY . Follow Tiezst on Instagram @tiezst. About Mecca M. Miles Mecca M. Miles is a Black, queer writer and spoken word poet from San Antonio, Texas. Her work has appeared in such publications as Wellspringwords Literary Anthology , The San Antonio Review , Texas Bards Anthology , When the River Speaks , Voices de la Luna , Voices Along the River , and has been featured on Best of Button Poetry . She has competed nationwide, taking 8th in Florida at the Exit 36 Slam in 2023 and 8th in Dallas, TX at the Right to Write Slam in 2024. She has featured at a number of local venues and is the 2024/2025 Poetry Grand Slam Champion of San Antonio, TX. Media Contact Information: Brittany Heckard Communications Associate bheckard@torchliteraryarts.org (512) 641-9251 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