Violet Loves Rondo
An Interview with Dr. Tyner
By: Emely Arias
The book, Violet Loves Rondo, follows young Violet as she explores the historic Rondo neighborhood in Saint Paul, Minnesota, uncovering its legacy as a vibrant center of Black culture and entrepreneurship before it was disrupted by the construction of I-94 in the 1950s. As Violet learns about Rondo’s resilient past and the strength of its community, she connects with current local business owners who are preserving heritage and cultural pride. This journey mirrors the mission of Planting People Growing Justice Leadership Institute (PPGJLI), a social enterprise dedicated to promoting literacy, leadership, and cultural education. Both Violet’s story and PPGJLI’s work emphasize empowering youth to embrace their identity, uplift their communities, and become advocates for social change.
What inspired your team to take on Violet Loves Rondo as a project?
I’m a fifth-generation Rondo native, and Rondo has always been a place of refuge, hope, and strength for me. When my family migrated north, they believed Rondo was full of opportunity, and they seized it to create lasting change. I’m the legacy of that vision. Growing up, I saw how my family benefited from living in Rondo through homeownership, entrepreneurship, civic engagement, and educational attainment. Every quality-of-life indicator was strengthened by the power of our community.
Were there any challenges during the production or editorial process that stood out?
The biggest challenge for me during production was the page limit. With only thirty-two pages, it was tough to tell Rondo’s full story, especially going back to the 1850s. I had so much I wanted to include, so we ended up placing a lot of the historical content in the back matter. I focused on highlighting Black-owned businesses and social enterprises that are still thriving in our community today. For me, Violet Loves Rondo is a celebration of Black business, culture, and heritage. Did I cover everyone? No, but that’s why Violet will be part of a book series. Next up is Violet Loves Saint Paul, where she’ll highlight the beauty of the Twin Cities through the power of storytelling.
How did your team ensure the story authentically represents the Rondo neighborhood and its history?
To make sure the story truly reflected Rondo’s history, we focused on key details in our research. This included how Rondo was founded in 1858 by Joseph Rondeau, who purchased over forty acres to create a place of refuge and strength. I learned that the original Rondo Avenue ran near the Sears Building and across the Capitol district, but it’s since been renamed and relocated to the other side of the freeway. That shift is a daily reminder for me of how much history lives here, and how that legacy continues to shape a brighter future.
What was the company’s vision for how this book would connect with readers, especially young ones?
Our vision was to introduce Rondo. Even here in the Rondo community, when we visit Rondo's schools, sometimes children don't even know they're located in Rondo. We wanted to reintroduce Rondo as its proper namesake, as a community that worked diligently to become our own Black Wall Street. Our ancestors built a community and an oasis of peace and laid the foundation for our hope for the future. We really wanted something to educate the community that, “You're on sacred ground,” to acknowledge the sacrifice people made to make sure that we could live in this community, and to compel people to leadership. It's one thing to say you're in Rondo. It's another thing to say, “What will you write for the next chapter of Rondo?” Meaning, what's in your hands to make a difference here in our community?
I hope it always challenges young people around their own leadership. What's one action you can take? Is it that you clean up your neighborhood? Maybe you run a cleanup day once a year. Maybe it's related to bringing artwork. I know there's a lot of artwork now emerging, such as community murals. Maybe it's like Gordon Parks, one of our Rondo legends, taking pictures to demonstrate the power of Rondo history and culture. Maybe you're writing plays like another Rondo great, August Wilson, telling our stories, writing poetry, sharing our stories in books. I hope that it really inspires our young people to know that being from Rondo is a blessing. It is a blessing and a legacy that can inspire change.
How do you see this book contributing to broader conversations around race, history, and community resilience?
This book will be the foundation of a national conversation. Oftentimes, we do not talk about it, but the 1956 Federal Highway Aid Act impacted not just Rondo over 1,000 communities across the nation, primarily African American communities. It led to displacement and disenfranchisement. Can you imagine: working hard your whole life, losing your business or losing your home? It's something that, when you reflect on it, creates a sense of immense trauma, grief and loss. Can you imagine: a false narrative about urban renewal and progress were shared; yet because of the construction of the highway system, your community has regressed.
My hope is that this book can be a national blueprint for telling our story and reclaiming our history. Restorative justice requires that when there's harm, there's an obligation to make things right, and then the engagement to create change. Therefore, using a restorative approach, this book can be the catalyst for a radical level of change. How do we make these communities that were negatively impacted by the construction of our freeway system across the United States -- and let's be specific, Black communities -- how do we make them whole again in economic terms?
What kind of impact do you hope the book has in local schools or libraries? How do you envision this book being used in classrooms or community discussions?
Most people do not know the history of their community. Can you imagine? Like the history of Mound Bayou, for example, an independent Black municipality, vibrant, with its own hospital and bank. Do people know the legacy of Mound Bayou in Mississippi? Look at Tulsa, Oklahoma. Do people know the history of Black Wall Street evidenced by vibrant Black businesses, luxurious Black homes, and Black success? Do we know those stories? Most are not aware hence it is our time to capture those stories through the power of books. We can transform the narrative about Black communities and help to build a brighter future with an inclusive economy. In classrooms, I'd like to see books like this truly infused in the curriculum. That way, young people can learn about the stories of their own community. They can start by interviewing their grandparents and community elders. This type of legacy and resilience is the strength and power we all need to be successful, not just academically, but to be successful in our everyday lives.
What message do you want readers and educators to carry forward after reading this book?
The greatest message I learned from one of the powerful community organizers in our community here in Rondo, Mr. Dennis Presley, was “Got voice, got power.” I want people to know that Violet, she’s got a voice, she’s got power. She decides to use her sense of agency, even as a little girl, to tap into the strength and power of herself and her community. And you can see through that realization the impact that she has on her life, her family, and her classmates. So, you're seeing in a practical way that no matter how young you are, you can make a difference. Age doesn't matter. What truly matters is your willingness to roll up your sleeves, get involved, and take action. It's a story of leadership.