Rising ICON #15: Dr. Artika R. Tyner
What name do you prefer to be called?
Dr. Artika R. Tyner
What are your pronouns?
She/her
Where did you grow up?
Rondo
What city are you currently based in?
Saint Paul, MN
How do you typically introduce yourself to new people?
I am a “Daughter of Rondo.” This is my birthright and legacy. Our Rondo history compelled me to become a civil rights attorney and ignited my passion for racial justice. I believe law is a language of power hence I had to become well-versed to fight for the rights of my community.
What’s one thing you wish more people knew about you?
I wish more people knew that I have a passion for writing and have authored over 30 books. I will never forget the day that Mr. Lou Bellamy, director of the Penumbra Theatre Company, told me that I was destined to be our community historian. I thought to myself that this message was for someone else since I was a civil rights attorney and law professor at that time. I later realized that he shared a prophetic vision of the next chapter of my life. I would soon find myself researching and writing books about leadership, civil rights, and Black history.
Who do you help?
I help children and youth discover the leader within. I help them unveil their limitless potential as they learn, grow, and lead.
What are you building now?
I am building national distribution channels for Planting People Growing Justice Press and Bookstore, our children’s book publishing house and social enterprise. Our goals are to increase diversity in books and promote youth leadership development.
Our books explore history and culture across the African Diaspora with topics such as arts, geography, and science. Each book also supports the development of core leadership skills in these developmental areas: social-emotional learning, emotional intelligence, project-based learning, and anti-racist education.
What were you building ten years ago today?
I was working to build a civil rights legal clinic, Community Justice Project (CJP), and expanding the model worldwide. I trained my students to become social engineers who would use their legal training to promote equal justice under the law. They were inspired by the words of Charles Hamilton Houston who said, “The lawyer is either a social engineer or parasite on society.” They hoped to never be in the latter category by taking a stand for justice.
What do you predict of yourself 10 years from now?
I will build youth leadership academies in my hometown Rondo and Ghana. I will also create a Rondo History and African American Museum that highlights the invaluable contributions of African Americans in Minnesota. It will showcase our history through the arts and humanities. This museum will serve as a national convenor on race, leadership, and social justice.
What’s a fact or statistic you wish everyone knew about your industry?
According to the U.S. Department of Justice, “the link between academic failure and delinquency, violence, and crime is welded to reading failure.” Over 70% of inmates in America’s prisons cannot read above a fourth-grade level. As an attorney, most of my clients learned how to read while in prison. Not only is this a miscarriage of justice, but this is jeopardizing the future of America. We are not tapping into our greatest strength, the power of human capital fueled by diversity & inclusion. I took the initiative to solve the problem by drawing upon my publishing and retail experience to launch Planting People Growing Justice Press and Bookstore.
Why do you believe the work you do matters?
My community organizer mentor always stated: “got voice, got power.” I am using my voice to create better opportunities for future generations by ensuring our youth have access to a quality education.
Who is your mentor and what is the best advice they’ve given you?
Bishop Dr. Dorothy Blaylark-Hill- My bishop taught me the importance of using my gifts and talents. She constantly reminded me: “whom much is given, much is accounted for.” I was given the gifts of writing, research, and advocacy. It is my responsibility to use these gifts to leave the world a better place than how I found it.
What piece of content about you or your company are you most proud of?
https://www.thrivent.com/insights/magazine/winter-2023/inspiring-joy-in-reading?fbclid=IwAR0x_pb3ZB6ACE8FayNvJwl1f94yp4Nwnj0Nipqu5dtIZpAs8iU9Gv72TzE
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5m1Ii3ZDGFk
What publication do you hope to appear in next?
I hope to appear in Time magazine (Time100) in recognition of my success in revolutionizing the publishing industry. We will become nationally recognized for our diverse books and educational programming that helps socially conscious adults and corporate citizens deepen their understanding of racial justice and affirm their commitment to building a more just and inclusive society.
Who would you love to be interviewed by?
Oprah- I envision an OWN spotlight conversation where we discuss my latest books and my vision for building leadership academies in Africa.
If you had to give a TEDTalk tomorrow, what would the title be?
Leaders are Readers: Strategies for Ending America’s Reading Crisis
What award would mean the most to win?
Nobel Peace Prize- I would receive this award in recognition of my commitment to promoting education and gender equality worldwide.
What makes zero sense to you?
Mass Incarceration- we spend more money on incarceration than education
What’s a word in your industry you hope gets re-evaluated?
Gentrification- This word assumes “power over” communities of color. What would it look like if we eradicated the Racial Wealth Gap and communities of color had the economic power to gentrify our own neighborhoods?
What game are you changing?
Education, Criminal Justice, and Economics
As a child witness to the War on Drugs, I witnessed firsthand the impact of mass incarceration and felon disenfranchisement. I am committed to dismantling the tangled web of mass incarceration which has far too many entry points and far fewer exit points.
What’s the next thing you’re a part of that you want to invite more people to participate in?
I would like to extend an invitation to our annual trip to Ghana where people will connect to our history and culture.
Where can we follow you online?
https://www.linkedin.com/in/artikatyner/
What’s one thing that makes every leader better?
Reading: Leaders become better when they are learning, exploring and innovating. Reading is a vitally important tool on the learning journey. I enjoy reading biographies of Black heroes and sheroes who were at the forefront of creating new inroads to justice and freedom. Currently, I am reading biographies of pioneering Black female millionaires and billionaires like Sheila Johnson, Biddy Mason, and Annie Turnbo Malone.
Additional links and resources:
www.ppgjli.org
www.ppgjbooks.com
www.artikatyner.com
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We’re grateful to each Rising ICON for their transformative work. Thank you, Dr. Tyner, for sharing your story!
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“I believe law is a language of power hence I had to become well-versed to fight for the rights of my community.”
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