Kenji Jones

Kenji Jones was remembered by friends and community members as a bright, exuberant presence who gave shape and voice to youth-led LGBTQ work in Richmond. A longtime participant in the RYSE Center, Kenji joined the organization as a young teen and helped found the center’s “alphabet soup” LGBTQ group and take an active role in Pride Month activities. Staff and peers described him as vivacious and fearless — someone who loved fashion and performance, who turned hallways into runways and helped organize fashion and hair shows that brought people together.

Those who knew Kenji recalled a person who put energy into community and youth leadership. He had been involved with RYSE for years and mentored and inspired younger participants; RYSE staff and volunteers said his courage and creativity made community spaces feel safer and more full of possibility. People who grew up with him at Kennedy High School remembered Kenji as a multi-faceted young man who had played football and cheered for the same team, a sign of the many circles he moved through in his community.

In the weeks after his death, neighbors, RYSE members, and local leaders honored Kenji with vigils and fundraising efforts to support his family. The city formally noted his memory at a public meeting, reflecting how deeply his loss affected Richmond’s neighborhoods and youth programs. While public records about Kenji’s private life and family are limited in available sources, the consistent recollection from peers and community organizations is of a young person who lived loudly and lovingly — a creative, proud presence whose work with other young people helped make room for more voices in Richmond’s LGBTQ and youth movements.

Kenji’s life, as described by those who knew him best, was one of leadership, style, and care for others. The outpouring of remembrance from RYSE and the broader community stands as a testament to the positive mark he made: not for headlines but in the everyday ways he supported and uplifted the young people around him. He is remembered for that light.