Leading with Service: Connecting Dr. Larry Jones and Daneesha Dent of the 2026 Garden Board of Directors
Marketing and Communications Coordinator Cavhanah sits down with Larry Jones and Daneesha Dent, newly appointed president and secretary of the Bartram’s Garden Board of Directors, respectively, to talk all types of growth—career, community, and springtime.
This interview has been condensed and edited for clarity. Excerpts from this interview have been published in the April 2026 print edition of the Southwest Globe Times newspaper.
Daneesha Dent
Hi, my name is Daneesha Dent. I use she/her/hers pronouns, and I’m honored to serve as the secretary for Bartram’s Garden Board of Directors. I joined the board in 2024 and this role is a great step towards that meaningful continuation of a commitment to communities, stewardship within the communities, governance and in public service.
Cavhanah
And where are you from, Daneesha?
DD
I am from West Philadelphia, born and raised. We can sing the rest of the song if you like.
Larry Jones
Do you ever spend most of your days at the playground? I’m just wondering.
DD
I wonder which one? Who knows?
DD
I am Doctor Larry Jones. I use [Doctor] because I recently got it. So it’s going to be new for about another three months and then I won’t really care that much. I am newly minted as the Board Chair for Bartram’s Garden. I’ve been affiliated with the Garden and governance for at least eight years, and I grew up in Abington, which is right outside of Philadelphia, PA. And I’ve spent 33 years in education in middle schools in West and Southwest Philadelphia.
CVH
You both touched on this a bit, but you would mind sharing a bit more with us about your career and what’s led you into this role?
DD
My career has spanned over 15 to 20 years, but it’s been very rooted in public service and systems changes and community well-being. So currently I’m the OD Stat Program Manager with the Health Federation of Philadelphia in partnership with the City of Philadelphia’s Department of Public Health.
I review data from the overdose fatalities in the city of Philadelphia from a public health standpoint. We lead those cross-sector efforts to examine those fatalities and that’s translated into prevention strategies, right? We know that our city needs some care when it comes to this particular epidemic. So that’s part of the work that I do—translate that data into those strategies. I also have a clinical background in trauma-informed counseling and specifically within gender-based services for those who have been harmed. So, I worked across public health, I worked across behavioral health, education as well. I’m very justice-driven. I have some civil rights systems that I work within. All of those different areas that I’ve worked in, it ties in again to serving the community.
Making sure that we have equity, the spaces that we occupy also are equitable, amongst all that they serve and those that would like to have access to it. But also being accountable is a big piece of the work that I’ve done. When it comes to those services that we’re providing, we have to work with communities. We all have different levels of education and backgrounds and we can come into spaces, but they should be, they ought to be, collaborative with those who are within those communities and live in those communities, as well. So when it comes to systems, you know, that’s a big piece of that too. How can we create policy if those who are going to be impacted by the policy aren’t at the table?
My career has been rooted in all of that. It’s very important when we come into spaces like Bartram’s we ensure that the community has access to the spaces that we’re borrowing. Because this is Lenape land, right? So we want to ensure that we’re stewarding the land and the space that we do benefit from and that we learn from that as well.
LJ
And so now I have to follow that, right? OK, I think that if I had to think about it, I have unintentionally become intentional about what I do. And I say that because I have found this way of kind of falling into everything that I’ve done and I enjoy it.
So I fell into a program called Concerned Black Men, which was a program designed to bring Black males into teaching. And I was going to do that for two years and become a lawyer, but I fell in love with teaching. And while I was there, I got affiliated with the Mill Creek Program, which was this really cool environmental program that spanned multiple years and multiple projects. And somehow the students that I worked with developed an indoor hydroponic farm and we sold lettuce and herbs to the White Dog Cafe and other places. And I had no idea what was going on. I was the entrepreneurship guy, but somehow people thought I was an environmentalist.
And then I fell into a meeting to create a charter school. And then I became one of the founders of Richard Allen Preparatory Charter School and its first CEO. And that led me to getting involved in advocacy for charter schools because, as a small minority-operated charter school, we didn’t have any political backing and I felt that we were vulnerable. So, I joined every organization to get protection and ended up being president of the state coalition. And that’s where I really got into and fell in love with advocacy and equity…and a little bit of politics!
And then I fell into running for political office and I did that for three years and people there thought I was an environmentalist. And again, I had no idea what I was doing, but I would advocate for environmental things, so I fell out of that and while still being at the school, I left the state coalition and became chair of an art center where, when I was a kid, little Black kids knew that there was an art center, but we were kind of told, shown, instructed that that arts center wasn’t for us. There was a great big wall and we weren’t allowed to go on the other side. And one of the first things that was important for me is that we created a world music fair where we brought all kinds of cultures and people into an arts center that everybody knew belonged to everyone.
At the same time, I started getting involved with Bartram’s Garden because our children [at the school] were doing projects with Bartram’s Garden. And when I heard folks at Bartram’s talking about, “we want to make sure that the community has access and that we are not only stewards of the land but we are making sure that people have a voice and people have agency and authorship and how they interact with the land and how they interact with their community,” I was all for it and that has pretty much become the thing that I do. I have shifted my advocacy for public charter schools to more any type of public school, but more so, I believe that if we are getting funded off of Black and brown children, then Black and brown people and Black and brown communities should be benefiting from those public funds and public dollars.
And I see that at Bartram’s also when you look at the representation of who utilizes the land. And so it’s just a really good fit and I feel honored to be able to serve and learn a lot.
CVH
Thank you so much. Y’all both painted a picture of the path that led you here, and that is amazing. Daneesha, how did you learn of Bartram’s Garden or when did you start coming to the space?
DD
So being in West Philly, you know, I’ve always known of Bartram’s Garden. We did school trips there. Even my daughter, her school does trips there as well. And I’m always a parent who’s like, “OK, let’s go!” as one of the volunteers.
When it comes to community spaces, sometimes we think of them as structures. Bartram’s Garden, being the oldest botanical garden in the U.S., it’s an area to be protected. It is a community space that that we all benefit from in some way, but how are we benefiting from them? Because what happens is many times, we tend to use things and then we use them up, and we don’t replenish. So, part of being a community leader is also knowing, like, how do you steward that, right? How do you also give back to what is being offered to you? Like, “OK, this isn’t just a space to use, this is also a space to respect.” So I’ve always said I wanted to have a little more involvement in Bartram’s Garden in that way when it comes to ensuring that the access that we have is being stewarded in a way that is mutually beneficial to many communities.
Black and brown communities, our connection to the land is something that’s very ingrained and very communal. And having that, having a hand in how Bartram’s Garden is structured, how Bartram’s Garden is ensuring that the community is part of those structures and those discussions on what’s happening in the land, how to protect it—that was something that was important for me when it comes to the work that I do and it evolves into these different spaces. How safe are the spaces that we’re looking at, whether we’re talking about outdoor spaces or structural space.
We can ensure that this space is thriving with the community having access to it and also the buy-in from the community to ensure that it’s being replenished. So yeah, it was important for me to bring in all those different elements of what my background is and to ensure that we can continue pushing forward with the growth of the space, the protection of the space and to ensure that the community wants to be there as well.
You know, historically, gardens haven’t always been open, ironically, to communities of color. And considering where Bartram’s Garden lies as far as urban planning is concerned, in Southwest Philadelphia, it’s important to ensure that the people within Southwest Philadelphia and others in different areas of the city know that this is a space that is open for us all to have access to and use.
CVH
Absolutely! That really resonates with me, how you were talking about bringing your daughter there on trips, because that’s how I learned about the Garden— my mom taking me there. A lot of times in communities of color, when it comes to green spaces in cities, we don’t necessarily feel like we belong there sometimes. But these spaces also belong to us. You have more of a feeling of responsibility to care for it and care about what happens there.
LJ
I guess I was just going to say that the concept of freedom, I think oftentimes it’s a very, really heady and lofty and powerful concept. But when I think of freedom in Bartram’s: my late wife was the counselor at our school for many years and we brought students over. A few years ago, we were doing some project at Bartram’s and she just marveled. She said her favorite thing about being there was one day after we were done, the kids just ran around the Meadow. They were rolling on the ground and they were just the epitome of freedom. They were free to be who they wanted to be. They felt like they could do what they wanted. They were open. They weren’t going to hurt or break anything. They had that freedom and wonderment that all children should have and should translate into adulthood that I believe Bartram’s is one of those places that helps to offer.
CVH
Yeah, I would read books when I was younger about meadows and like all those things. I didn’t even know what one looked like. And then when I came to Bartram’s for the first time and I was like, “Wow, this exists!” What are some things that y’all are excited for in your new roles?
LJ
The one thing that’s interesting about my role that I’m excited about, first of all, is the opportunity to not only learn more about Bartram’s but also to learn more about how organizations can continue to grow and develop and what good governance is. Bartram’s— the organization and the board—we are very much committed to looking at ourselves, our responsibility.
And what is good governance? I’m a huge believer that staff members, executives, directors, whoever—they execute, they do the work. Board members ensure that the work gets done and supported. And how we’re going to be able to do that, I think it’s really important as board members that we support and govern and guide in a way that also allows each of us to put our mark on what we think is really important to the history and the mission of the Garden. And then just getting to be around a whole bunch of really smart people that love the Garden and want to see really good things happen to the community is invigorating for me as well.
DD
And for me, as the secretary, in my particular role, I’m excited just to help strengthen how we document, write, preserve, and communicate the work that not only the board does but also by those who are employed with Bartram’s. And having good governance, it tells a story about your values, accountability, and care. And I’m excited to just support the Garden by helping ensure that this story is transparent and rooted in the community as well. I’m excited to just continue learning from my fellow board members. We have a bunch of smart people who I’m excited to continue to work with. We all have something to contribute through these different decisions so that the Garden can continue to grow.
CVH
What advice would y’all give to people looking to get involved? Not necessarily just with the Garden or the board, but leadership in general, since you have both taken such strong leadership roles in your careers.
DD
Larry, you mentioned kind of falling into some of the different [career] positions, right? I found myself falling into a number of different positions as well. But what I would say with that sentiment is to just start where you are. And lead with service, with being a service leader at that, if you are looking towards leadership. And leadership isn’t all about titles: you do have to show up consistently. You have to listen and you have to be willing to willing to learn as well. So getting involved in these different spaces that you genuinely care about.
You have to ask questions. Don’t be afraid to take on different responsibilities. And even if you if you just kind of fall into it, you can grow into it, right? There’s plenty of support out there, whether it’s within a board structure or what have you, whatever it is you’re looking to get into, there’s always support somewhere around you. And the best leaders are always curious, right? Not so rigid. You have to be flexible, but also accountable. That’s a big, big piece of it as well, but also a big, really important part of leadership is being community-centered. That’s important to ensure that there is conversation happening between leadership and your community as well. You have to be collaborative.
CVH
Absolutely. What does community-building mean for you?
DD
OK, hmm. Community-building is creating those different spaces where people feel connected, they feel valued, they feel seen and not just invited, right? You have to have that connection and welcome into spaces. And it’s about relationships as well. Build with others, with organizations, because then you share in those responsibilities when you are connecting.
And community, you know, it’s not built in a vacuum, nor is it only built with programming alone. Again, it goes back to listening. We have to recognize the importance of honoring history, right? Honoring the truth and what we have and moving forward, so that we can ensure that the decisions reflect all of these different voices that are coming to the table.
CVH
That resonates now more than ever.
LJ
If you want to get involved, I think just do it. That’s one of the things that I’m learning: I wish I had learned earlier, but you get to a certain point in life where you start to realize you’re more towards the end of a career than you are at the beginning. And you ask yourself, “Hey, do I have time to do this?” but you always have time. It’s amazing how many people can tell you what they just got done binging on Netflix, but then talk about “Well, I don’t have time to volunteer”. Yeah, you do. So I would say jump into something. Jump into something that you enjoy.
And two things that are going to sound kind of overly simplistic: my father, who was a high school custodian, World War II veteran, he told me, “I work so hard because all I want you to do is have fun with what you do.” So find an organization or a project or something to volunteer where you have fun, where you can laugh a little bit. And then the piece of advice that I give when you are talking to people in positions that you may aspire to, we always have a habit of asking folks, “Hey, what did you do to get here?” Every now and then, ask people and look for people who are willing to tell you everything that they did wrong, because that’s where you learn. “Hey, what mistake did you make that you would advise me not to do?” I think that advice is golden.
In terms of community-building, also, not to be overly simplistic, I think it’s really important that at a certain point, community-building involves making sure that you’re doing things with folks, not to folks or for folks. Even if you’re not part of the community, you can still make yourself feel a part of the community and make sure that whatever you’re doing, they have their voice, their dignity, their decision-making. And really providing communities and people in communities with the tools and skills to be self-sufficient, self-sustaining. And if you’re speaking for them, making sure that you’re getting them to the point that very shortly they’re going to have their own voice and they won’t need you to say with a word for them, they’ll do it for themselves.
CVH
Thank you. Y’all both just dropped so many gems overall, but especially in those last questions. And so just to conclude, I wanted to ask—it feels so far away considering the weather today, but what’s one thing that you enjoy in the Garden in the spring? Your favorite thing to do when it gets warm in the Garden.
DD
I just like walking the grounds and taking it all in. Bartram’s is huge, so I feel like there’s always something new to discover for yourself, to walk into, like, “Oh, I haven’t seen the river by this particular area.” There’s always something new to enjoy. The blooms that happen in the spring––those are really beautiful, and to be able to see the life cycles of the different plants that we have there. There’s an energy that comes with that as well, just being in these different spaces. You mentioned earlier, like, “Oh we can frolic in meadows?” And just being able to see sunlight, those are things that I can appreciate especially when we come out of the winter. So just being on the grounds, it’s really important. It gives me the energy, a sense of renewal. It’s also growth, right, as we look at these different life cycles and it reminds me that it’s important to be patient and to take care of the different spaces. Because as we see these natural life cycles that do happen, that again goes back to my point of stewardship. We have to ensure that the environment continues to allow for these different spaces to grow, and we have a responsibility to that. So it just renews your intentions on your commitments.
LJ
Can I cheat and not do spring, and do summer?
CVH
Sure, yeah. That’s coming too!
LJ
In the summer—and I haven’t done this in about a year or two, but I used to do it all the time, like when kids aren’t there —you know, I work right around the corner in our school. I would walk over, drive over, and I’ll sneak away and I’ll go to different parts. And I will just stand. I’m a martial artist and there’s meditative forms that we do. And I would just go to the Meadow or my favorite spot, which is right by the Cider Mill, and I’ll go there and just look at the river, do a form and just go back to work. It just is one of the most peaceful things that I miss and I can’t wait until the summer because I’m going to be very intentional about making sure I go out and do that. I don’t know what it is, especially by the river. It’s just…sometimes I can actually imagine the different people [that were here before].
One time I was there and I was thinking, you know, there are people that were here working and who felt like they were building their destiny. And there were other people that came here, who were really having their destiny and history and culture taken from them—all at the same spot. Like, if they were part of the Bartram family, they’re building their world and their destiny in this new, exciting world. And I was like, “Wow, you know, imagine doing that”. That’s pretty cool and exciting. And then you imagine that there were other people who came that were in a different situation. Their culture, their destiny, their sovereignty, had been taken from them and they’re standing in the same space, seeing things differently.
CVH
I think about that a lot. Similar to you, when I’m on my break sometimes, especially during the spring and summer, I’ll take my walks just to get some air in that same spot by the Cider Mill. And I think of the people who sat there, the exact same as me. Sometimes I think about my ancestors and how being able to sit and rest and just the things that I’m doing were, for some, beyond their wildest dreams, really.
LJ
I think it also makes you realize that, as important as things are, as individuals, you can’t really take yourself that important because when you go back 3000 years, we are just a blip on the map. We can have big dreams, but at the end of the day, we’re also pretty inconsequential. And you know, it’s not that serious. Enjoy life, smile, love the people you love.
