“The HIV/AIDS and LGBTQ+ communities have lost a pillar.”
Pioneering HIV/AIDS advocate, LGBTQ+ civil rights leader, and social justice activist Cornelius Baker passed away on Saturday, November 9. Lambda Legal, where Baker was a Bon Foster Memorial Civil Rights Award Winner, has issued the following statement:
“Cornelius was a legendary leader in the fight for equality for LGBTQ+ people and everyone living with HIV,” said Lambda Legal CEO Kevin Jennings. “In the more than two decades that I knew him, I was continually impressed by not only how effective a leader he was but also how he managed to balance being both fierce and kind at the same time. His is a devastating loss.
“Cornelius was an ardent supporter of Lambda Legal whose engagement with our work dates back nearly three decades and the long-time partner of Lambda Legal Senior Counsel Gregory Nevins. We mourn his passing and send our condolences and support to Greg and all of Cornelius’ family and friends.
“Cornelius’s leadership cannot be overstated. For decades, he was one of the country’s leading HIV/AIDS warriors, advocating locally, nationally, and internationally. No matter where he went, he took pride in supporting the HIV/AIDS community, beginning in the ‘80s and continuing until his passing, through a variety of roles, including with the Department of Health and Human Services, the National Association of People With AIDS, and the Whitman-Walker Clinic. His career also included several honors, including being the first recipient of the American Foundation for AIDS Research’s Award of Courage for Organization Building.
“Our communities have lost a pillar in Cornelius, and while we mourn his passing, we will forever be grateful for his decades of service to the community.”