Mission Statement:
A speculative fiction author, proud barista, & award-winning teaching artist, Taiwana is a community worker who thrives at the intersection of literary arts and food service, using coffee and literary devices like imagery (taste) as tools for community by community.
Extended Statement:
Passionately following the Black Literary Arts Tradition and that of doll service workers, Taiwana does this community work through her craft skills as both a writer pushing a keyboard, pen, and classroom marker (Revenge of the Hood: Angry Black Girl Fiction and Poetry) and a barista worker owner efficiently crafting hundreds of technically strong drinks behind an espresso machine and smoothie station each day at her political home in Baltimore. Conceptually, her work is guided by political anger (Myisha Cherry) and Black feminist principles authored by Ella Baker (frameworks like participatory democracy, and “Strong people don’t need strong leaders”), Anna Julia Cooper (A Voice From the South), Tish Jones (“The Poet Speaks of Freedom”), and Kimberle Crenshaw (Intersectionality).
Taiwana facilitating the January Circle for Torches: an Emerging Writer’s Circle, 2026.
Where She Teaches:
Taiwana leads craft-focused writing activities at the seasonal Torches: an Emerging Writer’s Circle at Red Emma’s Free School (Baltimore), a short story class at Common Ground Cafe Cooperative (Baltimore), and fiction classes at the Loft Literary Center (Twin Cities). She also offers classes & workshops to her client list, which you can join by reaching out to her via the email at the “Contact” tab.
Past clients
Black Visions
Carleton University’s TRIO Program
Hamline University’s English Department
In Progress
Macalester University’s Women, Gender and Sexuality Studies Department
Minneapolis Institute of Art
Minnesota State Colleges & Universities
MN Book Award
Nexus Community Partners (ROOT)
Perpich Center for Arts Education
PiM Arts High School
Saint Paul College
Saint Paul Conservatory for Performing Artists
Upstream Arts
Winona State University
Workshops & Residencies
Alternatives to the Youth Carceral System
An Intro to Abolition Thru Theory, Story, & Creative Writing
Applying Abolition
Contemporary Mythology
Fiction for Social Change
Life After Burnout: Lessons from Abolition & Social Movements
Classes
10th Grade English Language Arts (18 weeks)
Abolitionist Fiction (12 weeks)
Fiction for BIPOC Writers (2 weeks)
First Year Writing 1120: Composition and Research (15 weeks)
Intro to Creative Writing (9 weeks)
Intro to Fiction (18 weeks)
Intro to Poetry & Performance (12 weeks)
Speculative Fiction by Women (6 weeks)
Writing Radically Imaginative Futures (4 weeks)