Today we’d like to introduce you to Artika Tyner.
Hi Artika, thanks for joining us today. We’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
I am an artist and community historian. This vocational journey combines urgent need and deep personal calling. Inspired by Toni Morrison’s words: “This is precisely the time when artists go to work,“ I believe we are in a moment that demands creative, community-centered solutions. Rising economic disparities, persistent educational challenges for our youth, and the ongoing impacts of gentrification in Rondo have created a critical need for spaces where artists can live, work, and contribute to community healing and transformation.
As a multi-hyphenate artist and founder of Rondo Renaissance, I am committed to building spaces where artists can reimagine and build a better world. My latest project focuses on building affordable housing for artists not just as a development project, but as an investment in cultural resilience. Artists are essential storytellers, educators, and visionaries. Through my work as an author and cultural practitioner, I use literary arts to preserve history, amplify untold stories of the African diaspora, and model inclusive leadership. This project extends that mission by creating a physical space where artists can continue to produce work that connects past and present, inspires collective action, and sustains cultural identity in Rondo.
My mission is to reclaim space for creativity, dignity, and belonging. It is about ensuring that artists, especially those rooted in historically marginalized communities, are not displaced but instead are supported as leaders in shaping a more just and inclusive future.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
It has not been a smooth road. There have been roadblocks, impasses, and detours. Each step along the way has provided me with enriching learning opportunities. My commitment has also remained the same: I will inspire the next generation of social engineers who will build new inroads to justice and freedom.
The greatest struggles along the way have been building a network of support and funding the key initiatives. We tend to naturally gravitate towards who and what we know. I had to challenge myself to instead focus on what I want to achieve and then identify who also shares this passion. By following these simple principles, I connected with new people who support my artistry and vision for the Rondo Renaissance. I have been inspired by Justice Alan C. Page (Page Education Foundation), Jrue and Lauren Holiday (JLH Fund), Melissa Bradley (New Majority Ventures), Coach Herb Henderson, Zoompreneur program, and the Amplify Mission Network team and coaches.
Resources are needed to create and reimagine the future through arts-based community development. Funding has been a constant struggle along the way as a Black-woman-owned arts social enterprise. The racial disparities associated with Black business development are staggering: 3% of all U.S. businesses are owned by African Americans yet 12-14% of the population, 3 million Black owned businesses operate without employees; 57% of Black business owners were denied a bank loan at least once compared to 37% of non-Black owners, 58% of Black owned businesses earn less than $100,000. The challenges are exacerbated for Black-led nonprofits when 1/3 of nonprofits operate at $30,000 annually; 72.7% are always or often challenged to identify or cultivate new funders. I met these struggles with relational organizing strategies. I have helped to create community giving circles and earned revenue models to sustain our efforts.
On the difficult days, I also find inspiration when I recite the words of Langston Hughes’ Mother to Son. It reminds me of my ancestral strength, wisdom, and power.
Well, son, I’ll tell you:
Life for me ain’t been no crystal stair.
It’s had tacks in it,
And splinters,
And boards torn up,
And places with no carpet on the floor—
Bare;
But all the time
I’se been a’climbin’ on,
And reachin’ landin’s,
And turnin’ corners,
And sometimes goin’ in the dark,
Where there ain’t been no light.
So boy, don’t you turn back;
Don’t you sit down on the steps,
’Cause you finds it’s kinder hard;
Don’t you fall now—
For I’se still goin’, honey,
I’se still climbin’,
And life for me ain’t been no crystal stair.
Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
I am a multi-hyphenate artist.
I am an author artist. I harness the literary arts as a tool to preserve our history, amplify the untold stories of the African diaspora, and model inclusive leadership to advance social change.
My literary expression deftly puts the past in context with the present. I strategically elevate the narratives of the African diaspora that are a source of inspiration and strength and deepen cultural preservation. I tell the stories of our unique, brave leaders who dared to challenge social norms and unjust systems and answered the call to be bold and courageous. Their lived journeys serve as roadmaps for our experience today.
I have written over 40 books. The books I craft help us understand the challenges of our collective, the tools we have and the future we can inspire and build. When I tell the story, I focus on the leadership skills demonstrated by the heroes who faced challenges and doubts. For the sheroes, I lean into the ways they inspired others to be courageous, how they broke down barriers, and how their courage shaped and influenced our culture.
As an author artist, I center the stories that readers need to see themselves and explore their identity. I elevate stories that demonstrate tools for readers to author their own lives. The stories serve as an access point to see leadership in action, understand emotions, and build confidence.
And I plant the subtle, yet powerful seed, that reading is healing. Reading is joy. Reading is peace. Most of all, reading is leading.
My readers build a sense of agency and confidence. Confidence that any challenge can be approached with the skills their community has empowered them with.
I am grateful to be able to choose how I author my life and how I am able to bring others along on this journey. As an author artist, I commit to learning from these leaders so I can be a source of impact and change.
I also recently started studying photography and refining my skills. My photography is not just about capturing images; it’s about telling powerful stories of cultural identity and heritage. Drawing from my extensive travels across Africa and my deep connection to my roots, I weave together narratives that resonate with authenticity and depth. Each photograph serves as a window into a rich and vibrant history, inviting viewers to embark on a visual journey from the Transatlantic Slave Trade to the present day.
In my exhibition “Afro-Futurism: I am, I was, I will be,” I channel the spirit of a lioness, fearlessly sharing stories that have often been overlooked or misrepresented. Through my lens, I offer a fresh perspective on history, challenging conventional narratives and amplifying voices that have long been silenced. As the Zimbabwean proverb goes, “Until the Lion tells his side of the story, the tale of the hunt will always glorify the Hunter.”
My photography embodies this ethos, empowering individuals to reclaim their stories and celebrate the resilience and beauty of Mama Africa.
I am most proud of my commitment to use my artistic talent to promote community building, preserve cultural heritage, and build bridges across differences. This sets me apart from others since my art is an extension of my passion for building a more just and inclusive society.
Are there any important lessons you’ve learned that you can share with us?
My most important lesson is to build a community of supporters. I will never forget the day when one of my talented students, Tisidra Jones, shared her research about arts-based community development. She demonstrated how the arts can be used as an invaluable tool for strengthening and uplifting communities. She provided the economic analysis and offered prototypes to consider. Her report transformed my way of thinking. I no longer had to view the literary arts as my hobby or favorite pastime. I could now see the arts as a way to restore our local economy in the Rondo community.
Pricing:
- https://www.ppgjbooks.com/product/violet-loves-rondo/4YHW42APSMEJ6CCNTBVhttps://www.ppgjbooks.com/product/violet-loves-rondo/4YHW42APSMEJ6CCNTBVMWGKY?cs=true&cst=customMWGKY?cs=true&cst=custom
- https://www.ppgjbooks.com/product/r-is-for-rondo-paperback-/N4776YVTXB6G3ONXOODZI2LB?cs=true&cst=custom
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.ppgjli.org/
- Instagram: https://www,instagram.com/artikatyner
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/artika.tyner/
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/artikatyner/
