The Torch: Contributor Bios
Amanda Addo is a senior Communications, Public Relations student at Bowie State University. She was born and raised in Accra Ghana and enjoys writing poetry. She enjoys reading and spending time with family and believes that art is an important part of preserving and expressing the human experience.
Patrick-Ramil Aseberos was born in the Philippines and moved to the United States with his family when he was 12. He is a Secondary Education major with a concentration in English, and he is a senior at Bowie State University graduating this May of 2025! Patrick-Ramil cannot wait to start his career as a high school English teacher. He loves teaching because it is the profession of all professions. He loves literature, and more so poetry, because it is a window to the soul; that is how he ended up aspiring to be a high school English teacher, combining both passions. He is a musician, with the guitar as his main instrument.
Xavier Ashton-Adderley (second place winner of the 2025 Prose Award) is currently a college student at Bowie State University, majoring in English and minoring in Theatre. He has recently had a play performed in the black box theatre at BSU as a result of winning the LLCS Writing Contest of 2022 for the category “Best Work of Fiction”. He is also an emerging writer who’s looking to get more plays produced and possibly get a full-length play produced in the BSU black box theatre. He currently lives with his stepmother in the small town of Glenn Dale, MD.
Imani Burke is a senior English Education major at Bowie State University. She enjoys all types of writing, whether it’s short stories, songs, or poetry. She also loves to read, her favorite genres being romance and thriller. These interests inspired her to write a variety of love poems throughout the years. She plans to be a high school English teacher and to pursue her Masters in Education Policy and Leadership after graduation.
Moe’na Canada (second place winner of the 2025 Poetry Award [tied]) is a graduating high school student and bookworm who loves podcasts and who discovered a love for writing through creative self-expression.
Micah Clark (second place winner of the 2025 Photography Award) is an emerging poet and photographer and a first-year student at Bowie State University, where he is majoring in Fine Arts. A native of Washington, DC, he enjoys creating art, including poems and visual images, that allow him to explore and better understand human emotions.
Manya'e Crockett is a junior at Bowie State University majoring in Communications with a concentration in Broadcasting and Media Journalism. She currently interns at BSU TV, where she continues to grow her skills in media and storytelling. A proud Baltimore native, Manya'e began writing at the age of 12 and hasn’t stopped since. Her passion for writing is rooted in self-expression and personal growth, and she aims to be a powerful voice for her city through her work.
Koda Myers is a sophomore at Bowie State University and a communications major who enjoys poetry and screenwriting. These collections of poems are about war, love, and afterlife.
Zyayre’ Elmore-Holden is a sophomore majoring in English with a concentration in Secondary Education. She balances her passion for arts and education through leadership roles on campus, including being a captain on the dance team 7 Street, a member of the Bowie State Education Association, and Miss Iota Phi Theta. Her struggles and triumphs shape her writing, allowing her to tell stories that are raw, impactful, and heartfelt. With aspirations of becoming an English teacher and a dance coach, she strives to inspire others through both words and movement, creating space for growth, expression, and community.
Jaelin Jones (first place winner of the 2025 Poetry Award) is a Baltimore-based student, artist, and amateur critic. As a lifelong reader and learner, Jaelin enjoys writing short prose and verse, as well as analytical essays on art and media. They are a BA candidate at Bowie State University (Spring 2025). Jaelin also enjoys collecting albums and vintage books, watching films, interior decorating, cooking, and organizing mutual aid operations in the Charles Village/Waverly area.
James Jones is a Bowie State University senior projected to graduate this May 2025. His piece “Cowboy Tears” is based on his real-life experiences as a Queer Black young man. Life has not always been easy, but this piece tells the story of how he realized he deserved love and happiness in a very unconventional way. One night, it just clicked.
Jay Jordan is an emerging poet whose work explores the intertwined themes of hardship and love. Through the poetry platform @aasadswords on Instagram, he shares deeply personal reflections that delve into struggles, resilience, and the complexities of relationships. With a raw and emotional lens, Jayden’s writing captures life’s challenges and joys, offering readers a poignant exploration of vulnerability and the human spirit. Focused on connecting with those who have faced adversity, Jayden’s poetry seeks to inspire and resonate with individuals who find love as a guiding force through life’s trials.
Albertina Lane (2025 Invited Faculty Contributor) has served as an Adjunct II Professor in the LLCS department since 2011. She enjoys reading, writing, traveling, theatre arts, and music. Teaching and learning are her passions.
Racquel Lee (first place winner of the 2025 Prose Award) is a current junior at Bowie State University. Her major is English Literature with a minor in Creative Writing. She has been writing since she was a petulant child. She writes what is on her mind, and she hopes you enjoy her creative cognitive splurges.
Fonkeng Naomi (first and second place winner of the 2025 Visual Art Award) is a sophomore at Bowie High School with a passion for visual arts and creative writing. As an artist whose work has been showcased across Prince George's County and a winner of the Lions Club Peace Poster contest, she believes in seeing beyond surface appearances, echoing Claude Monet's idea that we must forget the name of what we see to truly appreciate it. As a micro-influencer with over 8,000 followers on Instagram, she engages with her audience by sharing her art process, providing tips, or encouraging discussions about art. Fonkeng draws inspiration from nature and life experiences, believing in not being defined by imagined constraints, but being transformed by the renewing of the mind. She has actively participated in writing events, including the PGCPS Teen Writer’s Conference, and has submitted her short story titled “The Vanished Muse” to the PGCPS Write a Book contest. As a recipient of the Golden Presidential Volunteer Service Award, she also enjoys contributing to her community through her unwavering dedication to community service.
Vivi Nguyen is a senior at Bowie State University, with a special interest in writing and reading, and graduates in the Spring.
Chimwekele Okoro (2025 Invited Student Contributor) is a writer, journalist, and advocate driven by an unyielding passion for environmental preservation, immigration rights, women's empowerment, literacy, and education equity. A storyteller at heart, she strives to amplify voices often left unheard and explore complex narratives that spark ideological change. Her work has been published in Carnegie Hall's chapbook on Afrofuturism, 'Traveling the Spaceways', where she showcased her ability to imagine bold futures shaped by resilience and cultural heritage. She later served as the Youth Poet Ambassador for her city, using the power of words to inspire her community.
Paige Perkins is a VCDMA major at Bowie State University. Not only does she write short stories, she has also written screenplays for her two short films “The Way You Dress” and “The Perkins Fam.”
Swaera Rana is a student at Bowie High School. She is a first-generation Pakistani American with a passion for leadership and making connections. She works as a model and babysitter, manages the Bowie High School wrestling team, and is a member of the Educators Rising Club. She hopes to study communications for a career in sales or pursue physical therapy.
Mia Terry is a queer black artist based in Maryland that loves a little black magic. Her work consists of a variety of themes from inspiration all around her such as everyday life, films, landscapes, and even mental health. “I want the creativity that I possess and express to the audience to provide a new voice for growing generations.”
Chase Williams is an undergraduate junior at Bowie State University studying English and creative writing. Speculative fiction is his favorite umbrella genre because it allows him to add creative what-if scenarios to real-world concepts. His main two goals are for his audience to read something that they have never thought of while at the same time being able to relate to his subject matter. Chase is also a visual artist actively working on illustrations to accompany his stories. He wishes for his readers to ultimately have fun reading his works, as they are a form of entertainment just as much as they are a form of education.