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In Memoriam:
Ajani Jones
Ajani Jones served as the Chief Operating Officer of The Healing Garden Project, where his dedication was instrumental in laying the foundation for the organization’s launch. From the earliest days of the nonprofit, Ajani poured his energy into the daily work of ensuring that the vision for accessible, healing green spaces could become a reality.
Ajani carried the responsibility of turning big dreams into actionable steps. He worked tirelessly on the behind-the-scenes operations—coordinating logistics, guiding startup strategies, and supporting partnership development—always with a spirit of excellence. His fingerprints remain on every early milestone: from the structuring of the organization to the development of its pilot gardens.
More than his work, what defined Ajani was his wholehearted belief in the mission. He saw The Healing Garden Project not only as a nonprofit but as a living legacy—one that could restore communities, nurture resilience, and embody hope. His excitement was contagious; he approached each day with vision, reminding everyone around him that the work they were doing mattered deeply.
Ajani’s life and work with The Healing Garden Project stand as a testament to his commitment to service, community, and transformation. Though his time was far too short, his belief in the power of gardens to heal continues to inspire every step forward.
In Memoriam: Rev. Larry E. & Dorothy Taylor
The Roots of The Healing Garden Project
The Healing Garden Project was planted in the spirit and love of Rev. Larry E. and Dorothy Taylor, grandparents of Founder and CEO, DeJuana Golden. Long before the vision for a nonprofit was born, Rev. and Mrs. Taylor laid the foundation through their own devotion to gardening and nurturing life from the soil.
In her childhood, DeJuana would spend countless hours alongside her grandparents in their garden—watching seeds pressed into the earth, learning how to tend and care for plants, and experiencing firsthand the quiet joy and resilience that blossoms in green spaces. Those tender memories, filled with the scent of fresh soil and the rhythm of her grandparents’ steady hands, ignited in her a lifelong passion for gardening as a source of nourishment, beauty, and healing.
Rev. Taylor and Dorothy were not only cultivators of the land but cultivators of faith, family, and love. Their garden was more than rows of vegetables or fruit—it was a sanctuary of togetherness, a classroom of patience, and a living metaphor for growth and renewal.
Their legacy lives on in The Healing Garden Project. Every bed built, every seed planted, and every space transformed into a place of wellness and connection carries forward the lessons they taught and the love they gave. In honoring their memory, we also honor the roots that continue to ground and guide this work.