Publisher Profile: Planting People Growing Justice
The CBC asks Artika Tyner, Founder and Owner, questions about the publisher.
How did your publishing house start out?
I was inspired to create Planting People Growing Justice Press because of the simple notion that I always heard my mentor, Justice Alan C. Page (ret.), share: “You cannot be what you cannot see.” This compelled me to action. The idea was that we had to see diversity in publishing, we had to create mirrors and windows in the pages of our books. This served as an invitation to celebrate the beauty of America, which is our shared humanity and community destiny. When we all come together and share about our culture, history, and heritage, we can plant seeds of social change.
We are unapologetically on a mission to promote literacy and diversity in books. We are increasing the capacity to create community-centric, culturally specific books. We went from producing 1-2 books a year to nearly a dozen a year. We went from an idea of building a community anthology to engaging our youth and community elders to tell their stories to produce an award-winning series.
How many books does your house aim to publish per season/year?
We publish 12 titles per year (10 children’s books and two anthologies – Aya: An Anthology of Racial Justice, Healing and the Black Experience, and Rondo: The Renaissance)
What are some of your house’s publishing priorities over the next few years?
We will expand our offerings of educational workshops related to Black history, youth leadership development, and careers in publishing. We will start a subscription service program with curated books and learning tools, and we will be increasing our merchandise offerings, which include toys and apparel.
Which of your frontlist titles would be great for a school or public library?
Hunger Savers Club is a powerful age-appropriate story that sparks important conversations and fosters empathy among young readers. It is a sweet story that shows everyone has the power to make a difference in the world.
An engaging and visually rich title that we recently released is Jacobi’s STEM Fair. It supports the celebration of diverse voices in STEM and is ideal for diverse collections.
We are really excited about several new titles in our Difference Makers Series, Grant West: Learning Through Music, Lusia Harris: Basketball Star, and Charlotte Ray: Trailblazing Lawyer. These are must-have nonfiction stories that highlight the lives and legacies of African American trailblazers who made an impact on history, but many of whom are not featured in traditional textbooks. They are informative, inspiring, and bring history to life for young readers.
Name a few of your favorite backlist titles that people should check out.
Justice Makes a Difference: The Story of Miss Freedom Fighter, Esquire is our first publication. It set the stage for the rest of our PPGJ collection by receiving countless awards and inspiring youth around the world to serve and lead in their communities.
J is for Juneteenth is a wonderful depiction and celebration of Juneteenth. The book is educational and highlights an important holiday.
Gumbo Joy is such a beautiful book, full of vibrant pictures and is told in a rhythmic style. The book celebrates the rich cultural heritage of Louisiana through the story of gumbo, blending history, tradition, and community.
We have several award-winning community anthologies that are great for reflection and fostering understanding of shared experiences. Rondo: History & Values and Aya: Youth Anthology.
What else would you like to tell us about your house and the amazing work you all do?
Planting People Growing Justice Bookstore is more than a bookstore — it’s a social enterprise dedicated to creating a lasting impact. For every book purchased, we donate a book to inspire readers and promote literacy. Through this commitment, we have donated over 38,000 books to date.
We are proud to be at the heart of the Rondo Renaissance. We are building an arts and cultural hub that fosters community growth and meaningful change. Our customers love the vibrant, welcoming space we’ve created and our dedication to championing diverse stories that inspire learning, leadership, and social change.
Thank you, Planting People Growing Justice!
