African Picture Book Author Spotlight: Dr. Artika Tyner
Meet American children’s book author Dr. Artika Tyner!
Dr. Artika Tyner truly wears many hats! Lawyer, researcher, social justice advocate, educator, author, and publisher are just a few of her hats.
At the core, she is a woman who is committed to excellence and working to promote diversity, inclusion, and restorative justice.
Whether she organizing social justice campaigns, presenting her research around the world, or reading a children’s books in front of a class of eager young children, she truly carries the spirit ubuntu (humanity) with her. So it’s truly a joy to be able to share a bit about her remarkable work on this platform.
I asked Dr. Tyner to share her story and journey to becoming a children’s book author. She discusses her writing, her advice to new children’s book authors, and her exciting new projects.
For some background, tell us a bit about yourself. Where are you from and what you do?
I was born and raised in the Rondo community, a historic neighborhood in St. Paul, Minnesota. At its peak, Rondo was the economic engine and community hub of the African American community. A process of forced removal occurred with the construction of the main interstate, I-94, which cut the community in half. This led to families losing their homes, businesses closing, and loss of inter-generational wealth.
My background and family history inspired me to become a lawyer who fights for social justice. I believe in the words of Dr. Kwame Nkrumah: "‘I am not African because I was born in Africa but because Africa was born in me."
I am a passionate educator, lawyer, author, sought after speaker, and advocate for justice. At the University of St. Thomas School of Law, I serve as the founding director of the Center on Race, Leadership, and Social Justice. I am committed to training students to serve as social justice engineers who create new inroads to justice and freedom. In recognition of my leadership and service, I am the recipient of more than two dozen awards that include: Women in Business, American Small Business Champion, International Educator Citizen, and American Bar Association Difference Makers.
I have also been featured in a variety of media outlets. I am a prolific, award-winning author of adult and children’s books that includes: “Kofi Loves Music,” “Amazing Africa: A to Z” and “The Leader’s Journey: A Guide to Discovering the Leader Within.”
I serve as a global citizen by supporting education, entrepreneurship, and women’s leadership initiatives in Africa. I am the founder of Planting People Growing Justice Leadership Institute, an organization committed to promoting literacy and diversity in books
When did you first become interested in writing for children and did you always know you wanted to write African heritage books?
I am a civil rights attorney. Over the years, I met with clients who had the same story: They learned how to read while in prison. Studies show 60% to 80% of prisoners are illiterate. I decided to fight against this injustice by creating a nonprofit (Planting People Growing Justice Leadership Institute) which focuses on promoting literacy and diversity in books.
Diversity in books is essential when only about 1 0 percent of books were written by authors of color or featured diverse characters. I decided to write African heritage books to share my story and inspire the next generation of leaders.
What have been the challenges of writing, publishing, or marketing an African heritage book?
The main challenges were publishing and marketing. When I pitched my first book proposal, I was told that there was not an interest in diverse books and people of color were not a key market for book sales. I love to turn challenges into opportunities. This led to the founding of our own publishing company, Planting People Growing Justice Press and Bookstore. We have been successful in publishing African heritage books and reaching readers around the world.
Did you have any fears or self-doubts when writing an African heritage children’s book? What were they, and how did you overcome them??
My only fear was not being able to include all of the information in one book. The vastness and richness of African cultures are worthy of celebration. It is a challenge to compile our stories into one book therefore I started writing a book series.
What advice do you have for authors writing African heritage children’s books?
I encourage authors writing African heritage children's books to leverage books as a tool to document our rich history and culture. Remember, "until the lion tells his side of the story, the tale of the hunt will always glorify the hunter." This is our opportunity to celebrate our heritage.
What is your favourite African heritage children’s book?
My favorite African heritage book at present is Emmanuel's Dream: The True Story of Emmanuel Ofosu Yeboah by by Laurie Ann Thompson.
Any advice on how people can encourage children to read more diverse books?
You encourage children by incorporating diverse books into their daily learning activities. For instance, when you are enjoying outdoor activities, point to the trees, and share the story of Dr. Wangari Maathai (The Greenbelt Movement). You can use this moment to teach an important leadership lesson that we each can make a difference in the world by planting a seed of social change. It is also a reminder that you are never too young to make a difference.
What are you working on next? Are there any other African heritage children’s books that you have written?
I am working on a children's book series related to African women leaders from Queen Nanny to Yaa Asantewaa.
Three Fun Facts
My goal is to travel throughout the entire continent of Africa.
I enjoy baking all types of delicious treats
I studied Mandarin Chinese as a child.
Books by Dr. Artika Tyner:
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