Death 'the only thing that could stop her': Burlington activist Sandy Baird dies at 84
Former Chittenden County Rep. Sandra Baird — an esteemed women's and immigrant rights activist — died Monday. The Burlington advocate was 84.
An attorney by trade, Baird was lauded for her work representing low-income Vermonters, especially women, and her willingness to take on cases without pay, earning the Vermont Bar Association's Pro Bono Service Award in 2014. Baird was also a full-time professor for decades at Burlington College and Johnson State College.
Additionally, Baird was a lifelong anti-domestic violence advocate who founded Caroline's Fund, a nonprofit supporting abuse victims, after the murder of her own daughter in 1998. She also worked with organizations such as AALV Inc. to help immigrants and refugees resettle locally.
Former Lt. Gov. David Zuckerman said he learned a lot from Baird, whom he attempted unsuccessfully to unseat in the Vermont legislature over 30 years ago.
"While we had our differences, in hindsight, it turns out we fought for a lot of the same things," Zuckerman said in a social media post. "She was a devoted advocate for women and people who were left behind in our economic system. She was a passionate teacher of aspects of history that some people did not want taught. She was a fierce fighter."
Vermont Attorney General Charity Clark said the "iconic trailblazer" continued her activism work up until her death.
"She had been in touch with my office just in the past several weeks planning outreach events for the immigrant community she held so close to her heart," Clark said in a social media post. "There will never be another be another like you, Sandy, but we will continue doing the hard and necessary work as you would have wanted."
Former state legislator and Burlington City Councilor Kurt Wright said in a social media post that death was "the only thing that could stop" Baird, whom he called a "force of nature that never seemed to slow down."
In addition her law career and community activism, Baird had a short but notable stint in local and state politics.
Baird ran for Burlington mayor in 1989 — the year U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders decided not to vie for re-election — as a member of the Green Party, but lost significantly to her Independent opponent Peter Clavelle.
A few years later, Baird would be elected twice to Vermont's House of Representatives in 1992 and 1994, according the secretary of state's office. Zuckerman, then new to politics, lost by a percentage point to Baird in 1994.
Megan Stewart is a government accountability reporter for the Burlington Free Press. Contact her at mstewartyounger@gannett.com.
This article originally appeared on Burlington Free Press: Sandy Baird, Burlington VT lawyer, activist for immigrants, dead at 84
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