The Torch: Contributor Bios
Larnelle Ankunda is a senior in Howard University from Los Angeles, CA. His goal has always been to create art that will stand the test of time: long-lasting pieces of creative work that people can relate to and almost feel like they are a part of.
Aaliyah Coates is an English major with a concentration in Creative Writing at Bowie State University. She has high hopes for her future, and dedicates her time towards becoming a published author by developing multiple new story ideas and creating manuscripts in preparation towards future publishing opportunities. While she considers herself to be a primarily romance author, she also enjoys writing poetry pieces and explores the darker themes of horror as well!
Amberleigh Curry (she/he) is a current student at Bowie State majoring in English with a focus on creative writing. Having already earned a BS in Wildlife Biology, she has spent the last eight years working as a veterinary assistant and is now looking to change careers, though veterinary medicine will always hold a special place in her heart. Queer and neurodivergent, he has always spent as much time living in stories as he does in reality. She is a lover of animals, a voracious reader of books, and a dabbler in pyrography.
Allaina Goldson is a psychology major at Bowie State University who is an avid reader who began creating her own pieces in the 6th grade. Writing has always been her way of making sense of what goes on in her head; whether it’s poetry, short stories or novels. She likes to leave pieces of herself in everything she writes. She's decided to share these pieces in the hopes that it may resonate with someone and help them understand the thoughts in their head.
Elizabeth Hayes is a sophomore biology major who has written about three books and loves fish, writing, creating, and things of that nature.
Taylor Johnson is a senior at Bowie State University, majoring in English with a concentration in Creative Writing. She is deeply drawn to the craft of writing and storytelling. She believes words become most alive when given form: pressed into lines, held within margins, made deliberate. On a page, there is space for everything: for chaos and clarity, for questions that echo louder than answers, for misunderstanding and meaning that circle one another. There is room for argument, for justification, for truth and its shadow: half-truths, contradictions, the quiet persistence of doubt, and the ultimate unknown. It is here that experience—lived, remembered, imagined—intersects with voice. Here, the words on a page become a conversation, each placed with intention, each silence just as telling. In this shaping, something begins to breathe.
Tazarion Keels is from Greenbelt Maryland. He is a senior at Bowie State University. He is an emerging writer and has loved writing fiction since he was in 5th grade. He wants to use the skills as a creative writer and an illustrator to aid his future profession as a graphic novelist.
Kenneth Matthews is an 18 year old freshman majoring in Communications: Broadcasting and Journalism at Bowie State University. Kenneth is the son of a military parent, and has lived in many states all of his life. Kenneth enjoys writing poetry, making music, modeling, and acting.
Fonkeng Naomi is a Junior at Hammond High School who doesn't believe in being confined by imagined constraints.Drawing her inspiration from nature and life experiences, Fonkeng is a multimedia artist who channels her skills to create a story on a canvas.