“My proudest achievement is every time a child picks up our books and states: ‘This book looks like me.’ ”

Dr. Artika Tyner is a passionate educator, author, sought-after speaker, and advocate for justice. Her nonprofit literacy organization, Planting People Growing Justice Leadership Institute, is on a mission to plant seeds of social change through education, training, and community outreach. Among a great many achievements, PPGJ has published over 100 books for children and for adults, which can be purchased nationally and at many local businesses in Minnesota, and the organization has brought several literacy initiatives to schools, such as the popular Leaders are Readers program. 

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What inspired you to start your business, and what is your long-term vision for it?

Our organization is committed to growing futures. One book at a time, one child at a time. This is personal and important to me, because as a civil rights attorney, many of my clients learned how to read in prison. 

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We’ve somehow created a Rule of 4:

1 in 4 American children are not reading at grade level by 4th grade. 

If you are not reading at grade level by 4th grade, you are 4 times more likely to drop out of school.

And here’s the connection: you are also 3-and-a-half times more likely to be arrested during your lifetime.

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This is unacceptable. This is an opportunity for change where we can create new pipelines for the future and work to end mass incarceration through the transformational power of literacy. 

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What do you love about living and owning a business in Minnesota?

I love living and owning a business in my hometown, Rondo. My family migrated to this community with the hope of building a better life for future generations to come. They established their roots, started businesses, and served in the community. Five generations later, I am continuing this legacy through our mission-driven business. I spend each day keeping busy making my ancestors proud.

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What is your proudest achievement so far as a business owner?

My proudest achievement is every time a child picks up our books and states: "This book looks like me." Our goal is to inspire Black children to find joy in reading. Diversity in books, reflected in positive representation, fosters this change. Our children can now be inspired by heroes and sheroes that look just like them. They can be inspired to break barriers on the basketball court like Lusia Harris and lead change like Congresswoman Shirley Chisholm.   

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What is one challenge you had to overcome, and how did you resolve it?

The challenge that I had to overcome was developing distribution channels. Our team developed well-written books with vibrant illustrations and powerful storylines. Yet, if we failed to get these books in the hands of children and families, our efforts were in vain. Effective distribution channels opened up the windows of opportunity. It allowed us to connect with retailers and libraries nationwide. We then evolved from a local Twin Cities brand to a globally recognized publishing house.

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What are 3 things you love about your business?

1) Mission: Planting People Growing Justice (PPGJ) publishes, promotes, and distributes books that encourage and empower children to find joy in reading.

2) Social Impact: We are a social enterprise, hence we donate a book with every book sale. To date, we have donated 25,000 books to children and families.

3) Our books: We created the type of books I wish I had as a child. Our books center the stories of Black characters who are making a difference in the world.

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What is the best decision you've made so far as a business owner?

The best decision we made was to maximize technology. This has provided us with the tools to reach readers through a range of platforms from ebooks to audiobooks.

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What is one thing you wish you knew when you were starting out? 

I wish I knew about the importance of delegating responsibility. I tried to manage and oversee every aspect of our business. This proved to be inefficient and ineffective. With the support of my mentor, I decided to focus on my gifts and talents and delegate the other work responsibilities. This has provided me with more time to imagine, create, and build a more vibrant and sustainable business.

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Just for fun, what song best describes your business and why?

Ella Song by Sweet Honey in the Rock. This song reminds us that we must be determined to fight for justice and equality. The chorus states: we who believe in freedom cannot rest until it comes. Our team will not rest until we end the reading crisis that impacts 1 in 4 children. We will not rest until our children have the tools to learn, grow, and lead.