Press release
Planting People Growing Justice Leadership Institute Is Awarded NEA Big Read Grant for 2025-26; Launches Community Program Around Their Eyes Were Watching God
St. Paul, MN - Planting People Growing Justice Leadership Institute (PPGJLI) is honored to be one of 65 organizations across the country selected to receive a 2025-26 NEA Big Read grant, administered in partnership with Arts Midwest. (artsmidwest.org [https://artsmidwest.org/about/updates/announcing-the-2025-26-nea-big-read-grantees/?utm_source=chatgpt.com]) PPGJLI will use the grant to support a season of literary and community engagement programming around Their Eyes Were Watching God by Zora Neale Hurston.
The NEA Big Read initiative, supported by the National Endowment for the Arts, funds community-wide reading programs designed to inspire conversations, strengthen community ties, and elevate diverse voices. (artsmidwest.org [https://artsmidwest.org/about/updates/announcing-the-2025-26-nea-big-read-grantees/?utm_source=chatgpt.com]) Under the theme "Our Nature," this grant cycle supports projects that invite reflection on how the physical world shapes experience and connection.
Program Highlights and Community Engagement
Through this grant, PPGJLI will host a series of community-centered events designed to engage readers, writers, and neighbors in meaningful dialogue. The planned programming includes:
* Community book readings
* Poetry slam
* Creative writing workshop
* Book discussion circles
* Film screening
These activities are intended to explore Hurston's text, uplift Black narratives, encourage storytelling, and foster cross-generational connections through art and literature.
Image: https://www.globalnewslines.com/uploads/2025/11/d1fe5a8ec5bb4df73e55c99f7ba94b0c.jpg
Why Their Eyes Were Watching God and Why Rondo / St. Paul
Their Eyes Were Watching God resonates deeply with both the St. Paul and Rondo communities, which have a rich African American heritage and a shared story of resilience. Hurston's use of natural imagery, portraying storms, landscapes, and gardens, mirrors the novel's emotional and spiritual journey and illustrates how environment and identity are intertwined.
The Rondo neighborhood, a thriving center of Black-owned businesses and cultural life, was disrupted in the 1960s by the construction of Interstate 94. The community's ongoing efforts to rebuild and reconnect, especially through initiatives such as the PPGJLI Rondo Renaissance (https://www.ppgjli.org/rondorenaissance), reflect the same themes of restoration and renewal found in Hurston's novel.
Image: https://www.globalnewslines.com/uploads/2025/11/1f6b891303f3dd4636d2cf16b4bd1580.jpg
By centering Their Eyes Were Watching God, PPGJLI seeks to:
* Preserve and uplift African American culture through shared reading and storytelling
* Foster diverse authorship and narrative inclusion within the Black community
* Connect lived experiences in St. Paul and Rondo to universal themes of selfhood, nature, and community healing
* Inspire new leadership through engagement with literature, arts, and civic expression
"As we bring this grant to life, our aim is to cultivate space for reflection, dialogue, and creative expression in Rondo," said Dr. Artika Tyner, Executive Director at PPGJLI. "We believe that combining culture and community is one of the most powerful ways to preserve culture and celebrate our legacy. This will inspire our children, families and elders to build a brighter future in Rondo."
Image: https://www.globalnewslines.com/uploads/2025/11/5f6b658d6a40dc798352222d77cb70c0.jpg
About PPGJLI and the NEA Big Read
Planting People Growing Justice Leadership Institute (PPGJLI) is a St. Paul-based nonprofit committed to developing youth and young adult leaders through literacy, storytelling, and civic engagement. By planting the seeds of justice and voice through books and writing, PPGJLI nurtures a new generation of leaders grounded in creativity, culture, and collective responsibility.
The NEA Big Read, a program of the National Endowment for the Arts in partnership with Arts Midwest, supports nonprofit organizations across the United States in delivering reading and community literary programming. In 2025-26, Arts Midwest awarded a total of $1,094,670 in grants to 65 organizations.
Image: https://www.globalnewslines.com/uploads/2025/11/370f2fb0b6db284cb006c6c024d94bfe.jpg
Media Contact
Company Name: Planting People Growing Justice Registered Leadership Institute
Contact Person: Media Relations
Email: Send Email [http://www.universalpressrelease.com/?pr=planting-people-growing-justice-leadership-institute-is-awarded-nea-big-read-grant-for-202526-launches-community-program-around-their-eyes-were-watching-god]
Phone: (651) 303-6566
City: Saint Paul
State: Minnesota
Country: United States
Website: http://www.ppgjli.org
Legal Disclaimer: Information contained on this page is provided by an independent third-party content provider. GetNews makes no warranties or responsibility or liability for the accuracy, content, images, videos, licenses, completeness, legality, or reliability of the information contained in this article. If you are affiliated with this article or have any complaints or copyright issues related to this article and would like it to be removed, please contact retract@swscontact.com
This release was published on openPR.
Permanent link to this press release:
Copy
Please set a link in the press area of your homepage to this press release on openPR. openPR disclaims liability for any content contained in this release.
You can edit or delete your press release Planting People Growing Justice Leadership Institute Is Awarded NEA Big Read Grant for 2025-26; Launches Community Program Around Their Eyes Were Watching God here
News-ID: 4293638 • Views: …
More Releases from Getnews
Reliable Patio Cover Solutions Helping Miami Homeowners Stay Cool Outdoors
Image: https://www.globalnewslines.com/uploads/2025/11/1764348672.jpg
Mia Remodeling Contractors highlights the growing need for shaded outdoor spaces in Miami, offering durable patio cover installation services designed to help homeowners enjoy year-round comfort despite the region's heat and sudden weather changes.
With Miami's strong sunlight and unpredictable showers, many homeowners are turning to shaded outdoor areas as a practical way to enjoy their patios throughout the year. Mia Remodeling Contractors is drawing attention to this growing need…
Planting Seeds of Justice Are Supporting the Back to School Bonanza Giveaway
Image: https://www.globalnewslines.com/uploads/2025/11/c62a349b87c363e5cdf3135d8ed1b956.jpg
Saint Paul, MN - As a new school year began, classrooms across the nation were filled with the excitement of fresh starts and new opportunities to learn. At Planting People Growing Justice Press (PPGJ Press), we believe that every child deserves to begin their educational journey with stories that reflect who they are, where they come from, and the limitless possibilities of who they can become.
This year, PPGJ Press…
June Raleigh Invents A New Scientific Field Called Biblical Parapsychology TM
Image: https://www.globalnewslines.com/uploads/2025/11/1764348894.jpg
June Raleigh has invented a new scientific field: "Biblical Parapsychology TM," where explanations of phenomenon are aided by the use of Biblical text. She presents several un-retouched pictures of apparitions from her camera in real life,real time.
June Raleigh has invented a new scientific field called "Biblical Parapsychology TM," where explanations of phenomenon are aided by the use of Biblical text. Traveling across the United states for a few years…
Local Web Agency Strengthens Support for Parramatta Businesses Through Custom We …
Image: https://www.globalnewslines.com/uploads/2025/11/1764346868.jpg
Parramatta Website Design introduces an enhanced approach to website design and local SEO, helping businesses across Parramatta and Western Sydney improve their online presence through tailored solutions and community-focused strategies.
Parramatta Website Design is reinforcing its commitment to helping local businesses build stronger digital foundations through a refined suite of website design and SEO services. With more than 1,300 websites delivered and a strong track record of client retention, the…
More Releases for PPGJLI
Planting People Growing Justice Leadership Institute Announces Annual Sankofa Le …
Featuring Special Guest Lecturer, Mandela Washington Fellow Felix Appiah. Trip Dates: Thursday, July 2 - Saturday, July 11, 2026
Saint Paul, MN - Planting People Growing Justice Leadership Institute (PPGJLI) is pleased to announce its Annual Sankofa Leadership Trip to Ghana, taking place July 2-11, 2026. This transformative immersion experience is designed to cultivate global citizenship, deepen cross-cultural understanding, and strengthen participants' leadership capacity through historical reflection, cultural engagement, and community…
Planting People Growing Justice Leadership Institute Has Been Awarded NEA Big Re …
Image: https://www.globalnewslines.com/uploads/2025/10/9ed672844450080f8917dd23eddad4f9.jpg
St. Paul, MN - Planting People Growing Justice Leadership Institute (PPGJLI) is honored to be one of 65 organizations across the country selected to receive a 2025-26 NEA Big Read grant, administered in partnership with Arts Midwest. (artsmidwest.org [https://artsmidwest.org/about/updates/announcing-the-2025-26-nea-big-read-grantees/?utm_source=chatgpt.com]) PPGJLI will use the grant to support a season of literary and community engagement programming around Their Eyes Were Watching God by Zora Neale Hurston.
The NEA Big Read initiative, supported…
Planting People Growing Justice Leadership Institute Awarded NEA Big Read Grant …
St. Paul, MN - Planting People Growing Justice Leadership Institute (PPGJLI) is honored to be one of 65 organizations across the country selected to receive a 2025-26 NEA Big Read grant, administered in partnership with Arts Midwest. (artsmidwest.org [https://artsmidwest.org/about/updates/announcing-the-2025-26-nea-big-read-grantees/?utm_source=chatgpt.com]) PPGJLI will use the grant to support a season of literary and community engagement programming around Their Eyes Were Watching God by Zora Neale Hurston.
The NEA Big Read initiative, supported by…
Planting Seeds of Social Change: Planting People Growing Justice Leadership Inst …
Planting People Growing Justice Leadership Institute (PPGJLI), an organization dedicated to fostering social change through education, training, and community outreach, is thrilled to announce that its community anthology has been honored with the prestigious MN Communities Create award. This accolade is part of the esteemed annual Minnesota Author Project.
The award, presented by the Minnesota Library Foundation in collaboration with libraries statewide, recognizes the exceptional contributions of Minnesota organizations and communities…
Planting People Growing Justice Leadership Institute Hosts 2024 Sankofa to Celeb …
Image: https://www.getnews.info/uploads/fb9d7891220144c9f788f479d4e67b90.png
Planting People Growing Justice Leadership Institute (www.ppgjli.org) proudly announces the revitalization of its celebrated Sankofa trips, with a profound journey back to Ghana in 2024. This initiative marks a significant endeavor to reconnect individuals with their African roots and heritage, embodying the Sankofa philosophy of reaching back to the past for knowledge, cultural identity, and pride.
The 2024 Sankofa trip, organized by Planting People Growing Justice Leadership Institute (PPGJLI), served…
Writing for Social Change - Planting People Growing Justice Leadership Institute …
Planting People Growing Justice Leadership Institute Launches New Writing Competition Focused on Social Change
Image: https://www.getnews.info/uploads/59b5dce1ac2d18f3fad2ddce817e4ea8.jpg
Planting People Growing Justice Leadership Institute (PPGJLI), an organization dedicated to empowering communities and cultivating leaders through education, has announced the launch of its newest initiative, a writing competition entitled "Writing for Social Change."
This unique competition invites talented writers of African descent who are residents of Minnesota and are 18 years of age or older…
