Jamal Elhayek moved to New Orleans in 2007. Shortly after, he started volunteering in gardens organized around food apartheid issues, and started a small farm in the Lower 9th Ward. As his growing skills improved, he began doing free consulting for folks starting gardens in New Orleans. That is how he found Solitary Gardens!

He was briefly a teacher prior to getting involved in the plant world. Passing down knowledge and teaching comes natural to him. 

Since 2016, Jamal has been a garden consultant helping the project growing edibles and plants for the apothecary. He also manages the greenhouse at the John Thompson Legacy Center (JTLC). He starts seeds for multiple gardens and grows crops on his own site for the apothecary. He also does training at the JTLC for new growers on staff, or anyone who wants to learn!