|
A San Francisco native who rose to national prominence in the drug policy,
human rights and medical marijuana movements, passed away on July 18 in San
Francisco, following a lengthy battle with cancer.
Ms. Resner was born in San Francisco on October 4, 1946 to Herbert and Dorothy
Resner. Her father was a longtime labor and plaintiff's attorney who in the
1930s and '40s worked on behalf of labor icons Tom Mooney, Harry Bridges and
others.
Ms. Resner credited her father with inspiring her activism and devotion to
justice.
Ms. Resner attended Grant school in Pacific Heights and graduated from Galileo
High School in 1964. Though she never attended college, she made a lifetime
business of learning, whether the subject was law, health, Judaism or macrobiotics.
She also possessed a keen artistic eye and explored diverse media including
photography and graphic arts.
After owning an eclectic clothing shop on upper Fillmore Street and working
in property management, Ms. Resner became involved in the drug policy movement
in the early 1990s. Inspired by the plight of women and families swept up in
the excesses of the War on Drugs, Ms. Resner served as the director of California
FAMM (Families Against Mandatory Minimums) and became a strong advocate for
first-time, low-level, non-violent women drug prisoners; she was instrumental
in the effort to attain Presidential Clemency in 2000 from Bill Clinton for
Amy Pofahl, who served nine years on a 24-year sentence.
Ms. Resner later partnered with Mikki Norris and Chris Conrad in the traveling
Human Rights and the Drug War exhibit, and the three co-authored the acclaimed
book, Shattered Lives: Portraits from America's Drug War, for which Ms. Resner
received a Robert C. Randall Award for Achievement in the Field of Citizen Action
from the Lindesmith Center/Drug Policy Foundation in 2001.
Most recently, Virginia was intimately involved with the Ed Rosenthal case
as president of Green Aid: Medical Marijuana Legal Defense and Education Fund,
Inc. Ms. Resner was also deeply involved in the study and practice of Judaism
and was an active and beloved member of Temple Emanu-El in San Francisco's Richmond
District.
She is survived by her brother Hillel Resner, sister-in-law, Victoria Resner
and nephew, Sam Resner of Lafayette; sister-in-law, Robin Dale, niece, Dylyn
House, grandnephew, Duncan House, Jr. and grandniece, Hannah House of Benicia
and numerous devoted friends and fellow activists in the Bay Area and throughout
the U.S.
A Memorial Service will be held at Temple Emanu-El, 2 Lake Street in San Francisco
on Tuesday, July 31 at 1:00 p.m.
The family requests that donations in Ms. Resner's name be made to Coming Home
Hospice of San Francisco, Green Aid, and to programs of Temple Emanu-El.
Newshawk: see also www.drugpolicy.org/news/072307resner.cfm
Pubdate: Wed, 25 Jul 2007
Source: San Francisco Chronicle (CA)
Copyright: 2007 Hearst Communications Inc.
Contact: letters@sfchronicle.com
Website: http://www.sfgate.com/chronicle/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/388 |
