Florida Action Committee Honors Jeanne Baker with Humanitarian Award

This past Friday night, the Florida Action Committee honored attorney and activist, Jeanne Baker, with what will become the first of our annual humanitarian awards. The award will be named in her honor.

Jeanne has practiced in the area of civil liberties litigation and criminal defense for more than four decades. Throughout that time she has been an active participant in the ACLU, currently serving on the Board of Directors of the ACLU Florida.

She helped us present the problems sex offender residency restrictions created in Miami-Dade to the ACLU, who agreed to represent the homeless registrants in a challenge to the county ordinance. When we were short funds for our Internet Identifier challenge, she pitched our lawsuit to the Florida Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers, who donated the funds to bridge the gap and enable our case to move forward. Neither would have moved forward without her intervention.

Jeanne has put her personal and professional reputation behind what we all recognize is an unpopular cause. She is the first one to champion our issues in front of the media, politicians and others in the community. She epitomizes “humanitarian” and we are forever grateful to her.

Each year, FAC will recognize one individual whose contributions to FAC and to the protection of human rights has been exemplary, with the “Jeanne Baker Humanitarian Award”.