Pubdate: Wed, 25 Jul 2007
Source: San Francisco Chronicle (CA)
Copyright: 2007 Hearst Communications Inc.
Contact:  http://www.sfgate.com/chronicle/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/388

VIRGINIA RESNER, SAN FRANCISCO ACTIVIST

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.
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MAP posted-by: Richard Lake