Giving Back Through The Giving Life Garden: Meet Julia Whitley by Contributor Amy Bergant
Giving Life Garden, a Southern California–based nonprofit, is a heartwarming organization that repurposes and donates flowers and plants from special events to senior care and other charities in the Los Angeles area. Founder Julia Whitley spoke about why she was motivated to start this labor of love.
“At the heart of this mission is ALIVE Garden Space, a healing sanctuary located in Downtown Los Angeles. ALIVE offers access to plants, earth-based education, and opportunities for ritual, rest, and restoration. Through partnerships with florists, event designers, and conscious retailers, the nonprofit diverts floral waste which averages over 600 pounds per wedding and breathes new life into blooms that would otherwise be discarded.”
Dr. June Cooper
The Garden is also inspired by the life and legacy of Whitley’s mother, Dr. June Cooper, the first African American President of Cal State Long Beach. “A visionary educator, community leader, philanthropist, and lifelong gardener, my Mom spent her life serving others, encouraging people to follow their dreams and find beauty in the world around them. Her garden was her sacred space, where she cultivated peace, insight, and resilience. Giving Life Garden honors her memory by preserving the things she loved, flowers, people, and purpose.”
Whitley was adopted by her mother June and father James as an infant and raised in Palos Verdes. Her mother began her teaching career as a professor of Speech Pathology at CSULB and retired, Executive Vice Chancellor, Chief of Staff of the California State University. Father James worked for Hewlett Packard for decades. “I am very fortunate to have been surrounded by so many that all came from extremely humble beginnings and soared in their careers. Every single person that inspired me was extraordinarily hard-working, and philanthropic. I learned humility and a sound work ethic as I traversed being a student in PVPUSD and then onto CSULB majoring in Psychology.”
Her adoptive circle was very interesting. Julia reflects, “My godmother was an executive producer on The Jeffersons so I grew up with the cast coming over for dinner and spending occasional weekends at the home of Dihann Carroll and sitting quietly, as children were supposed to, adjacent to Lenny Kravitz.”
Her genetic relatives are also interesting, having found out she’s related to Harry Elston of the 60’s group The Friends of Distinction (Grazing In the Grass), which then inspired her to write a book called entitled Wait, that's you? “As an adopted child, finding your identity is extraordinarily challenging and finally finding yourself, no matter your age, brings profound clarity. My hope is that this book brings a bit of insight to other adopted children and adults.”
Whitley has also had a career as an event planner. “Our family entertained a lot. My Mom was either hosting events at our home or attending them. She often brought me with her and I loved the production of it all. I also loved listening to the laughter and joy of those in attendance or spending time in our home. My Mom added touches to our home on Academy Hill while it was being built to truly make it an entertaining home and that we most certainly did. It is what I saw and experienced, so I believe it simply rooted into my DNA.”
“I truly love creating spaces of joy, of connection, and enlightenment. We have expanded our business of doing retreats into Sedona and Big Bear Lake. I have recently become the Event Experience Manager at Sessions Retreat and Hotel in Big Bear Lake and love all that we are inviting to the space.”
She recently married her husband Michael. “We were both working at Trader Joes in Redondo Beach in 2014. He was one of the assistant managers and I primarily worked in Demo. We found each other in front of the lettuce. It was literally a moment that stood still and we both said, "There you are." We found each other in this lifetime.
In addition, Whitley models, and has appeared on 61 international and domestic magazine covers from 2023 until the present. She also loves to bake, saying that cooking for others is her love language. When contacted by the planners of the Miraleste High School All-Class Reunion in 2023 about a Memorial Room, she jumped at the chance to honor those no longer here. “I was always saddened by the students that passed away while we were still in school. I wished I could have known them, or told them they were not alone in the depths of their thoughts. I suppose that space is my conduit to them. When my parents passed away, it was so important for me to make sure their legacy was kept somewhere within the hearts of everyone that knew them. I think I felt something similar when Jack approached me about the Memorial for our classmates. I wanted somehow to preserve their legacy. I wanted to create a sacred space for them, but also for each of us to grieve, honor and celebrate their beloved souls.”
Whitley is passionate about her family, friends, and career. When asked what she’s most proud of, she said, “Helping to raise my 3 beautiful nieces, creating opportunities for those that are in need of jobs or support and creating spaces for others to heal, grow and feel seen.”
You can learn more about The Giving Life Garden/ALIVE Garden Space on Instagram alive.giving.life.garden
Amy (Barber) Bergant is a proud Miraleste High School alumna, who grew up in Rancho Palos Verdes. She attended the University of Southern California, getting her Bachelor of Arts in Communications from The Annenberg School for Journalism, where she was also a member of Alpha Chi Omega sorority. She currently lives in South Redondo Beach with her husband of almost 25 years, twin 14 year old daughters, and their 2 cats, George and Henry. When not chauffering her kids around, she enjoys hanging out with friends, eating good food, listening to great music, watching ridiculous television shows and going to the beach.