Volunteers are a vital & essential part of the work we do to preserve, restore, enhance, and share Oakland. One group of volunteers, the self-proclaimed Silver Magnolias, are regular caretakers of the gardens, specifically in Oakland’s historic African American Burial Grounds. Working closely with gardens manager Janna Rhoden, these women care for and tend to the eternal homes of generations of Black Atlantans. By maintaining plots, clearing weeds, and planting flowers that were historically relevant to the residents during their lifetime, they build community in the present while honoring the past. 🌸 Interested in volunteering at Oakland? Learn more in our bio or visit oaklandcemetery.com/volunteer. Image: Silver Magnolias (LuAnn, Deborah, Mary Lynn & Jen) pictured with Janna (center) on the stump of “Mildred,” a 100 year-old willow oak & flanked by yellow Alexandrian senna.