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< 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

Latest News 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 Amanda Johnston Founder / Executive Director Amanda Johnston is a writer, visual artist, and the 61st Poet Laureate of Texas. She earned an MFA in Creative Writing from the University of Southern Maine. She is the author of two chapbooks, GUAP and Lock & Key , as well as the full-length collection Another Way to Say Enter. She is also the editor of the anthology Praisesong for the People: Poems from the Heart and Soul of Texas . Her work has appeared in numerous online and print publications, among them Callaloo , Poetry Magazine , The Moth Radio Hour, Bill Moyers, The Rumpus , and elsewhere. She has received fellowships, grants, and awards from Cave Canem, Hedgebrook, Tasajillo, the Kentucky Foundation for Women, The Watermill Center, American Short Fiction, and the Academy of American Poets. She is a former Board President of the Cave Canem Foundation and the founder of Torch Literary Arts.

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

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 January 2026 Feature: Fabienne Josaphat Fabienne Josaphat is the author of the novel Kingdom of No Tomorrow (Algonquin), winner of the 2023 PEN Bellwether Prize for Socially Engaged Fiction. photo by Pedro Wazzan Fabienne Josaphat is the author of the novel Kingdom of No Tomorrow (Algonquin), winner of the 2023 PEN Bellwether Prize for Socially Engaged Fiction, and longlisted for the 2025 Aspen Words Literary Prize. The New York Times calls it "Muscular, searing . . . a novel for our times." Pulitzer-Prize winn Friday Feature: Allie Morgan Allie Morgan (she/her) is a writer, director, and producer in Chicago, IL. She studied entertainment business at Los Angeles Film School and screenwriting at New York Film Academy.  She has written and directed numerous award-winning short films and a proof of concept, and recently started her own production, Muffy Film Productions, which focuses on platforming marginalized filmmakers. When she is not writing and directing her own projects, she also loves assistant directing 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 Multiple Dates Torch Writing Cirlce Mon, Feb 09 Zoom More info Learn more Multiple Dates Torch x AFS: Daughters of the Dust Tue, Feb 17 AFS Cinema More info Learn more Writers Across the Diaspora, San Marcos featuring Dr. Malika Booker Wed, Feb 18 The Wittliff Collections More info Learn more Load More Read News Learn More

Donate to amplify Black women writers. Your gift is tax-deductible and helps Torch Literary Arts create advancement opportunities for emerging writers. Support Torch Literary Arts and help amplify Black women writers around the world! Fuel Torch's Flame Donate to Torch Literary Arts and become a Community Impact Member (CIM)! Your unrestricted contribution helps Torch deliver exceptional programs, pay Black women writers for their time and talents, and maintain operations so we can make a lasting impact for Black women writers and readers worldwide. 2025 Impact Snapshot 50+ Events 74 Features 5,000+ Attendees 93 Workshop Participants 8 Retreat Fellows WINNER Inaugural AWP Writing Organization Award 2025 - 2026 Individual Donors A"Lease Glass Aaraf Adam Aisha Marshall Dr. Aiyana Anderson Alba Castillo Alec Williams Fletcher Alejandra Mireles Alexander Piña Alexis Guild Alicia Niwagaba Aliyah Symes Allen Heckard Allen Heckard Alyse G. Amanda Johnston Amy Smith Amy Williams aneesa needel Angela Redmond-Theodore Angelica Heard Angie Aguirre Ann Fields Anna Dolliver annabelle oh Annar Veröld Antoinette Franklin Antonia Harris April Randall April Sojourner Truth Walker Picaro Ariel Wright Ashley Battle Ashley Lawrence Atena Danner Ayanna Harris Barry Johnon Becky Thompson Becky Gomez Bethany Stellar Beverly Chukwu Bianca Jackson Bleu Bobby Wilkinson Brenda Sendejo Briana Nunn C. Denby Swanson Cachavious English Camari Carter Hawkins Cameron Bell Camille Brown Candace Lopez Carrie Kenny Cecily Sailer Charles Landgraf Charley Rejsek Charli Krause Charlotte Jackson-Brown Charlyn Stanberry Chastie Gaines Dr. Chela White Chesma McCoy Chinonso O. Chioma Ayogu Chioma Chukwu Christal Hayes Christie Cruise Christina Brown Christina Bryant Christina Garcia Christine Jean Blain Christopher Michael Ciara McLaughlin Cierra M. 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< 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 Dana Weekes Board Treasurer 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

< Back Rachel E. Winston Board Secretary Rachel E. Winston is an archivist and curator based out of Austin, TX. She is the founding Black Diaspora Archivist at The University of Texas at Austin, where she leads the effort to build a library special collection documenting the Black experience across the Americas and Caribbean.

< Back Important Transitions to Torch's Board of Directors Jan 29, 2026 This board transition includes the retirement of former board treasurer, Candace Lopez, election of new board treasurer, Dana Weekes, and the election of new board secretary, Rachel Winston. As a grassroots organization celebrating 20 years, becoming a nonprofit was a pivotal change institutionally, requiring a board that believes in Torch’s mission to amplify Black women writers by providing accessible resources and an opportunity to tell their stories. Every board member from the past to the present has embodied that goal wholeheartedly. In gratitude, we’re excited to announce transitions within the board and extend our immense gratitude to retiring board treasurer, Candace Lopez. Changing roles within our board are directors Dana Weekes and Rachel Winston. Dana Weekes, a public policy consultant, Torch Feature and Pushcart Prize nominee, will now serve as the board’s treasurer. In her new role, she will provide financial oversight to ensure Torch’s transparency and sustainability. Rachel Winston, an Austin-based archivist and curator, will now serve as the board’s secretary. In her new role, she will provide accountability through documented records to ensure Torch’s compliance and governance as a non-profit. Retiring after three years of support is Candace Lopez, a non-profit professional with over 18 years of experience in fundraising and development. She is a Development Generalist with a specialization in individual giving, program development, and operational efficiency. She is humbled to have raised money for organizations in Austin, San Antonio, Los Angeles, and the San Francisco Bay Area. Her fundraising portfolio is diverse and spans various causes, including civil liberties, the arts, higher education, domestic violence, and gender equity. She recently launched her consulting practice, Small Seeds Consulting. Candace grew up in the Texas panhandle, and her family moved to St. Anthony, Idaho, where she attended high school. She earned her Bachelor of Arts degree in Communication with a minor in Spanish from Pepperdine University and a Master of Arts degree in Latin American Studies with a certificate in Women’s and Gender Studies from The University of Texas at Austin. She currently resides in the San Francisco Bay Area. We are forever grateful to Candace for her service and excited to witness the growth of Torch Literary Arts under the leadership of our 2026 Board of Directors. For more information about Torch Literary Arts and our team, please visit https://www.torchliteraryarts.org/team . ### About Torch Literary Arts Torch Literary Arts (Torch) is a 501(c)3 nonprofit established with love and intention in 2006 to publish and promote creative writing by Black women. We publish contemporary writing by experienced and emerging writers alike. TORCH has featured work by Toi Derricotte, Tayari Jones, Sharon Bridgforth, Crystal Wilkinson, Patricia Smith, Natasha Trethewey, Elizabeth Alexander, and others. Programs include the Wildfire Reading Series, writing workshops, and retreats. Help Torch continue to publish and promote Black women writers by donating today. Media Contact Information: Brittany Heckard Communications Associate bheckard@torchliteraryarts.org (512) 641-9251 Previous Next

< Back Kicking Off 20 Years with the Spring 2026 Season Jan 29, 2026 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. To celebrate 20 years of literary excellence and community, we’re building on our programmatic foundation and adding more exciting collaborations. With the opening of the Torch Center, our space will be a literary paradise for new and long-time community members to gather and support each other. Our recurring events include the Writing Circle, which occurs twice a month on Monday evenings and Saturday mornings. You can sign up to write virtually with the global Torch community here . Our annual Torch Retreat will return in 2027 so that we can all gather in celebration at the 20th Anniversary event “ A Gathering of Flames . ” This three-day event celebrates Black women writers, supporters, features, fellows, and distinguished guests. Our special events this season include: Torch x AFS: Daughters of the Dust on February 17, 21, 22 Torch Literary Arts is a proud promotional partner of Austin Film Society (AFS). Join us for this special screening of Daughters of the Dust , written and directed by Julie Dash! Writers Across the Diaspora, San Marcos featuring Dr. Malika Booker on February 18 Join Torch Literary Arts, in partnership with the Texas State University English Department, and The Wittliff Collections, for Writers Across the Diaspora featuring award-winning British poet, Dr. Malika Booker! This is part of an annual partnership with Texas State, and the event is free and open to the public. Writers Across the Diaspora, Austin featuring Dr. Malika Booker on February 19 Returning to the George Washington Carver Museum in Austin, Torch is proud to present British poet Dr. Malika Booker for a reading and conversation with doors opening at 6:30 p.m. and the reading and conversation starting at 7:00 p.m. This event is free and open to the public. Torch x AFS: Compensation on February 24, 28 Torch Literary Arts is a proud promotional partner of Austin Film Society (AFS). Join us for this special screening of Compensation , written by Marc Arthur Chéry, directed by Zeinabu irene Davis! Writing as Oath: Personal Truth-Telling in Memoir and Essay on February 28 This workshop comes directly from Torch Fellow, Star Davis’s own practice as a memoirist. Attendees will focus on personal truth-telling in memoir and personal essays. Participants are invited to bring a short excerpt from a current personal essay or memoir in progress for guided discussion and optional workshopping. The emphasis will be on craft, precision, and sustaining yourself as a writer while telling the truth of your life. AWP Conference Panel & Reading Celebrating 20 Years of Torch Literary Arts on March 5 This year, Torch Literary Arts will celebrate 20 years of publishing, promoting, and supporting Black women writers across the diaspora. Join us for this special anniversary panel and reading at the 2026 AWP Conference in Baltimore with Torch features Saida Agostini, Teri Ellen Cross Davis, Mecca Jamilah Sullivan, Ph.D., and executive director Amanda Johnston. Welcome Table Talk on March 31 Wintergreen Women Writers Collective and Torch Literary Arts are returning March 31 for the intergenerational three-year project for Black women writers called Welcome Table Talks . The virtual discussions will cover various topics related to organization building, literary freedom, legacy, and more. The virtual discussions are free and open to all. More details to come! Wildfire Reading Series featuring Chiagoziem Jideofor on April 12 This is the first collaboration event presented by Host Publications and Torch Literary Arts. Join us for the launch of local remedies ! The event will include a reading and conversation with Jideofor, followed by a book signing. Light refreshments provided. Colored People’s Time (CPT) is Real Time is Real: Afrofuturism, the Speculative, the Surreal & the Fantastic on April 18 Afrofuturist theorist Rasheedah Phillips asserts that Colored People’s Time (CPT) is “a temporal technology, survival mechanism and harkening back to ancestral ways of observing and experiencing space-time.” How can we use time to explore the possibilities of Afrofuturism and surrealism in screenwriting? Writing exercises will foster experimentation across genres as we explore what makes an afro-futuristic, speculative, sci-fi story come to life. The Writer-as-Artisan: Writing as a Living Practice on May 23 It’s not unusual for a writer to feel a deep urge to write, yet lack a clear subject. So we sit around paralyzed, waiting for a ‘big idea’ to strike. But what if writing is not an arrival but a series of ongoings? In this workshop, we adopt the figure of the writer-as-artisan: someone for whom writing is a functional craft, a sustained practice, something not performed in the isolation of a room, but an attentive and communal posture towards the world. Carrying the Torch on June 20 Join Torch Literary Arts for the 4th Annual Carrying the Torch: A Reading and Remembrance for the Future . This special event acknowledges the historical significance of Juneteenth and celebrates the accomplishments of the African American community. Poets, writers, and guest speakers will share original work to acknowledge the federal holiday and celebrate the future of African Americans in Texas. Check out more details for specific 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 Austin Film Society (AFS) 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. About Malika Booker Malika Booker is a lecturer at Manchester Metropolitan University, a British poet of Guyanese and Grenadian Parentage, and co-founder of Malika’s Poetry Kitchen (A writer’s collective). The Anthology - Two Young, Two Black, Too Different, Poems from Malika’s Poetry Kitchen was recently published to celebrate Malika Poetry Kitchen’s twenty-year anniversary . Her pamphlet Breadfruit , (flippedeye, 2007) received a Poetry Society recommendation, and her poetry collection Pepper Seed (Peepal Tree Press, 2013) was shortlisted for the OCM Bocas prize and the Seamus Heaney Centre 2014 prize for first full collection. She is published with the Poets Sharon Olds and Warsan Shire in The Penguin Modern Poet Series 3: Your Family: Your Body (2017 ). Booker and Shara McCallum recently co-edited the issue of Stand Journal curating an anthology of poems by African American, Black British, & Caribbean Women & Identifying Writers. Booker currently hosts and curates Peepal Tree Press’s Literary podcast, New Caribbean Voices. A Cave Canem Fellow, and inaugural Poet in Residence at The Royal Shakespeare Company, Malika was awarded the Cholmondeley Award (2019) for outstanding contribution to poetry and elected a Royal Society of Literature Fellow (2022). Her poem The Little Miracles, commissioned by and published in Magma 75(autumn 2019) won The Forward Prize for Best Single Poem (2020). Her poem Libation, published in Poetry Review (winter 2022) won The Forward Prize for Best Single Poem (2023). About Starr Davis Starr Davis is the author of the forthcoming poetry collection Affidavit (Hanging Loose Press, 2025), winner of the Founders Prize, and the memoir I Am Mostly Bad Blood (Autumn House, 2026), winner of the 2024 Autumn House Nonfiction Prize. Her writing has appeared in The Kenyon Review , Poem-a-Day from the Academy of American Poets, and Palette Poetry , where she was a third-place winner of the 2023 Sappho Prize for Women Poets. She serves as Creative Nonfiction Editor at TriQuarterly , teaches with Brooklyn Poets, and is a Visions After Violence Fellow with the After Violence Project. Originally from Columbus, Ohio, and currently based in Houston, Texas, she holds an MFA from the City College of New York and a BA from the University of Akron, and her work lives at the intersections of motherhood, justice, and survival. About AWP The Associated Writing Programs was established as a nonprofit organization in 1967 by fifteen writers representing thirteen creative writing programs. The new association sought to support the growing presence of literary writers in higher education. At that time, English departments were mainly conservatories of the great literature of the past, and scholars fiercely resisted the establishment of creative writing programs. AWP was created to overcome this resistance, to advocate for new programs, and to provide publishing opportunities for young writers. Today, AWP, now the Association of Writers & Writing Programs, supports colleges and universities as well as individual writers as members. To this day, AWP continues to expand, offering new programs and services to support members. About Wintergreen Writers Collective The Wintergreen Women Writers Collective is a 501(c)3 organization that gathers Black women writers in a literary community that seeks to publish, document, preserve, and celebrate their creative work. More than 70 women from all over the country have taken part in one or more of the Wintergreen retreats or programs over the last 38 years, coming to a place where they can do the sacred work of literary and cultural production. Wintergreen Women are prefiguring a world where the history and legacy of Black women writers are honored and preserved—a world where Black women writers have access to intergenerational spaces where, in community and mutuality, they can nurture one another and locate resources to support their creative practice. Members of the Collective share their knowledge and creativity as a way of encouraging and engaging one another and their extended literary and scholarly communities. About Saida Agostini Saida Agostini is a queer Afro-Guyanese poet, and author of the full-length collection, let the dead in (Alan Squire Publishing, 2022). A Cave Canem Graduate Fellow, she has been awarded residencies at Saltonstall, VCCA and Blue Mountain Center, amongst others. About Teri Ellen Cross Davis Teri Ellen Cross Davis is the author of a more perfect Union and Haint . Her fellowships and awards include The Journal/Charles B. Wheeler Poetry Prize, the Ohioana Book Award for Poetry, and a Maryland Individual Artist Award. She curated the O.B. Poetry Series at the Folger Shakespeare Library in Washington D.C. About Mecca Jamilah Sullivan, Ph.D. Mecca Jamilah Sullivan, Ph.D., is the author of three books: Big Girl , a New York Times Editors’ Choice and winner of the Balcones Fiction Prize and the Next Generation Indie Book Award for First Novel; T he Poetics of Difference: Queer Feminist Forms in the African Diaspora , winner of the William Sanders Scarborough Prize from the MLA; and the short story collection, Blue Talk and Love , winner of the Judith Markowitz Award from Lambda Literary. She has earned honors from Bread Loaf, the Institute for Citizens and Scholars, the Mellon Foundation, the Center for Fiction, the NEA, and others. Originally from Harlem, NY, she is Professor of English at Georgetown University in Washington DC. About Amanda Johnston Amanda Johnston is a writer, visual artist, and the 61st Poet Laureate of Texas. She earned an MFA in Creative Writing from the University of Southern Maine. She is the author of two chapbooks, GUAP and Lock & Key , as well as the full-length collection Another Way to Say Enter. She is also the editor of the anthology Praisesong for the People: Poems from the Heart and Soul of Texas . Her work has appeared in numerous online and print publications, among them Callaloo , Poetry Magazine , The Moth Radio Hour, Bill Moyers, The Rumpus , and elsewhere. She has received fellowships, grants, and awards from Cave Canem, Hedgebrook, Tasajillo, the Kentucky Foundation for Women, The Watermill Center, American Short Fiction, and the Academy of American Poets. She is a former Board President of the Cave Canem Foundation and the founder of Torch Literary Arts. About Chiagoziem Jideofor Chiagoziem Jideofor is Queer and Igbo. Her work has appeared in Poetry , Michigan Quarterly Review , South Carolina Review , berlin lit , The Lincoln Review , Passages North , Commonwealth’s ADDA , the Minnesota Review , Sho Poetry Journal , MAYDAY , and elsewhere. She earned an MFA from the University of Alabama, Tuscaloosa, and is currently a PhD student at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville. About Ashunda Ashunda is Black feminist filmmaker, poet, and photographer whose art centers the complexities of Black {Southern} womxnhood, magical spiritual traditions of Southern Black folk, futuristic maroon expressions, and Black fugitivity. Her art places a critical lens on society’s treatment of the Black female frame and explores the vulnerability of Black womxn and femmes. She has written, directed, and produced several short films, including her most recent multi-award-winning cinematic gesture, MINO: A Diasporic Myth ; now streaming on kweliTV and housed in Indiana University’s Black Film Center Archive. As an inaugural Torch Literary Arts Screenwriting fellow, Ashunda led a table read of her debut feature script Crossed Kalunga By The Stars . A 2021 ARRAY Liberated Territory fellow, Ashunda’s films have screened at festivals across the globe including Kampala, Uganda; Nairobi, Kenya; London, England; Berlin, Germany, and Amsterdam. Her honors include fellowships from Cave Canem, the California Arts Council, Torch Literary Arts, Hurston/Wright Foundation, Brooklyn Poets and Storyknife. Ashunda is the founder of Sibyls Palace; a Black womxn centered art house that produces oppositional cinema & photography. Her art has exhibited in the TRYST Art Fair, OUTMusem and Red Spring’s Afrofuturism Curating the End of the World. Ashunda curates and hosts Sibyls Salon, a monthly writing vanguard & script reading series for Black womxn artists to commune, fellowship & support each other’s work. A proud alumna of Howard University and Paine College, the artist holds MFAs in both Poetry and Screenwriting. Born and raised in the backwoods of Georgia, Ashunda is now a bonafide, citified bitch living and dreaming in Los Angeles. About 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 Caine Prize for African Writing. Other awards include the Margaret Busby New Daughters of Africa Award and the Civitella Ranieri Writing Fellowship. She currently lives and works in Austin, TX. Media Contact Information: Brittany Heckard Communications Associate bheckard@torchliteraryarts.org (512) 641-9251 Previous Next