We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Artika Tyner a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.
Artika, thank you so much for joining us and offering your lessons and wisdom for our readers. One of the things we most admire about you is your generosity and so we’d love if you could talk to us about where you think your generosity comes from.
I learned the true meaning of generosity from my grandmother. She embodied servant leadership in every aspect of her life. As Robert K. Greenleaf once said, “the servant-leader is servant first; it begins with a natural feeling that one wants to serve, to serve first, as opposed to wanting power, influence, fame, or wealth.” This sentiment perfectly captures the way my grandmother lived—always putting the needs of others before her own.
Her mission was rooted in faith, and she was always ready to serve, whether in the church, the community, or wherever there was a need. She housed the homeless, fed the hungry, visited the sick, and showed unconditional love to children. From her, I learned that activating faith means living it out through actions, not just words. She demonstrated the importance of building a vibrant, sustainable community through mutual support and collective action. This is the essence of interconnectedness, or ubuntu, collective responsibility, or ujamaa, and a commitment to working together, known as harambee.
Inspired by her legacy, I felt compelled to take action in my own way, founding Planting People Growing Justice (PPGJLI). PPGJLI is a social enterprise that integrates a publishing house, bookstore, and nonprofit literacy organization. Our mission is to plant seeds of social change through education, training, and outreach.
The publishing house nurtures and trains the next generation of diverse publishing professionals, while producing books that inspire societal transformation. Our bookstore curates works that explore history, culture, and the rich diversity of the African Diaspora. These books also focus on leadership development, fostering key skills like emotional intelligence, social-emotional learning, and anti-racist education. Through our nonprofit literacy organization, we inspire and equip future leaders by engaging them in the arts, humanities, and education.
Following my grandmother’s example, I remain committed to living generously, serving the community, and working toward a more just and compassionate world.
Great, so let’s take a few minutes and cover your story. What should folks know about you and what you do?
I am the founder of Planting People Growing Justice Leadership, a social enterprise that empowers future leaders and promotes social change through education, literacy, and community-building initiatives. One of the most exciting and impactful efforts we are leading is the 100 Black Authors Campaign, an initiative designed to address the lack of diversity in children’s literature. Through this campaign, we aim to amplify Black voices and ensure that every child has access to books that reflect their culture, history, and identity. By supporting and uplifting Black authors, we are not only increasing representation in literature but also inspiring the next generation of young readers to see themselves as future authors, storytellers, and change-makers.
We created and launched the Rondo Renaissance, an initiative dedicated to revitalizing the historic Rondo neighborhood in Saint Paul, Minnesota. Rondo was once a thriving African American community that was deeply impacted by the construction of Interstate 94 in the 1960s, displacing hundreds of families and Black-owned businesses. The Rondo Renaissance aims to honor the legacy of this vibrant neighborhood and reimagine its future through cultural preservation, economic development, and community-led initiatives. At PPGJLI, we are committed to using the power of books and education to contribute to the rebirth of this historic area, celebrating its rich heritage while creating new opportunities for growth and success.
What excites me most about this work is the chance to bring about tangible change, both in our communities and in the world of literature. Our publishing house, bookstore, and nonprofit literacy programs work in tandem to create a pipeline of diverse books that not only entertain but educate, inspire, and empower. These efforts are part of our broader mission to plant seeds of social change through leadership development and community outreach.
Looking ahead, we are expanding our reach with upcoming events and new book launches, particularly focused on increasing access to culturally relevant books for schools and libraries. We also plan to continue our work in the Rondo Renaissance, collaborating with local leaders and organizations to bring lasting change to this community. Our work is grounded in a vision of equity, where every child has the opportunity to see themselves represented in the stories they read, and every community has the resources needed to thrive.
There is so much advice out there about all the different skills and qualities folks need to develop in order to succeed in today’s highly competitive environment and often it can feel overwhelming. So, if we had to break it down to just the three that matter most, which three skills or qualities would you focus on?
Three qualities that were most impactful in my journey are focus, organization, and tenacity. These skills have been crucial in helping me accomplish tasks, develop new abilities, and work effectively with teams. Here’s how you can develop and improve these qualities:
1. Focus: The ability to concentrate on your goals is essential. Start by clearly identifying your SMART goal—make it specific, measurable, attainable, relevant, and time-bound. Write it down and keep it at the forefront of your mind daily. To maintain focus, cut out distractions like excessive social media, television, and idleness. Make time for reflection, health and wellness, and meditation to center yourself and gain clarity. Prioritize what matters and eliminate the noise in your life.
2. Organization: Maximizing your time is key to reaching your goals. Create a daily schedule and stick to it. Prioritize tasks that move you closer to your goal and organize your day in a way that ensures productivity. Whether it’s using a planner, digital tools, or setting reminders, being organized helps you stay on track and manage your time effectively.
3. Tenacity: Success is a journey with many roadblocks that may cause you to stumble and fall. Remember, “For a righteous man may fall seven times and rise again” (Proverbs 24:16). When setbacks happen or you don’t achieve your goals, take time to reflect on the lessons learned. Use those lessons to pivot, make necessary adjustments, and get back to work. Keep pressing toward your goals, no matter how many times you stumble.
For anyone starting their journey, developing these skills will provide the foundation for long-term success. By maintaining focus, staying organized, and embracing resilience, you will be well-equipped to overcome challenges and keep moving forward.
One of our goals is to help like-minded folks with similar goals connect and so before we go we want to ask if you are looking to partner or collab with others – and if so, what would make the ideal collaborator or partner?
We believe that collective action is key to creating meaningful social change, and we are eager to work with individuals and organizations who share our passion for promoting literacy, diversity, and leadership development.
There are several ways you can get involved and collaborate with us:
Host a Book Drive: Help us increase access to culturally relevant books by organizing a book drive in your community, school, or workplace. Learn more about how you can host a book drive here: https://www.ppgjli.org/host-a-book-drive
Purchase Apparel: Support our mission by purchasing apparel from our online store. Every purchase helps fund our literacy and social justice initiatives. Check out our merchandise here: https://www.bonfire.com/store/planting-people-growing-justice/?utm_campaign=planting-people-growing-justice&utm_content=default&utm_medium=store_page_share&utm_source=copy_link
Volunteer: We are looking for volunteers with expertise in marketing and fundraising to help us expand our reach and impact. If you’re interested in offering your skills, we’d love to connect!
Buy a Book: You can also support our mission by purchasing one of our diverse and empowering books. Visit our online bookstore here: www.ppgjbooks.com
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.ppgjli.org
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/plantingpeoplegrowingjustice
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ppgjbooks
so if you or someone you know deserves recognition please let us know here.
