HR178: HR178 Baker, Antonio Cornelius; condolences

25 LC 112 2850 House Resolution 178 By: Representatives Cannon of the 58th, Drenner of the 85th, Barnes of the 86th, Park of the 107th, and Carter of the 93rd A RESOLUTION Honoring the life and memory of Antonio Cornelius Baker; and for other purposes.1 WHEREAS, the State of Georgia mourns the loss of one of its most distinguished citizens2 with the passing of Antonio Cornelius Baker on November 8, 2024; and3 WHEREAS, born on September 30, 1961, Antonio Cornelius Baker wa s a distinguished4 public health advocate and policy expert whose career was dedic ated to HIV/AIDS5 prevention, care, and advocacy; and6 WHEREAS, he spent part of his early childhood in Apopka, Florid a, before moving to7 Syracuse, New York, where he was raised by his mother, Shirley Baker, a social worker and8 family services coordinator; and9 WHEREAS, in 1983, he began his professional career as an arts editor for Washington City10 Paper and became involved in LGBTQ+ advocacy and fundraising for com munity11 organizations such as Brother, Help Thyself; and12 H. R. 178 - 1 - 25 LC 112 2850 WHEREAS, he served as an executive assistant to D.C. City Counc il Member Carol13 Schwartz in 1985, during which time he developed the skills tha t would serve as the14 foundation for his future leadership in health advocacy; and15 WHEREAS, diagnosed as HIV-positive during the early years of th e AIDS epidemic, he16 dedicated innumerable hours of his time and energy toward advocating for those affected by17 the disease; and18 WHEREAS, he joined the White House Presidential Personnel Offic e in 1989 under19 President George H. W. Bush and later served as Confidential As sistant to the Assistant20 Secretary for Health at the United States Department of Health and Human Services from21 1989 to 1992; and22 WHEREAS, Antonio Cornelius Baker played a pivotal role in the National Association of23 People with AIDS, where he served as policy director and later as executive director, leading24 efforts to establish National HIV Testing Day on June 27 to pro mote routine testing and25 reduce stigma; and26 WHEREAS, from 1999 to 2004, he served as executive director of the Whitman-Walker27 Clinic, where he worked to expand access to HIV/AIDS care while addressing the clinic's28 financial challenges; and29 WHEREAS, his later contributions included serving as an adviser to the National Black Gay30 Men's Advocacy Coalition and contributing to PEPFAR initiatives to combat the global31 HIV/AIDS epidemic; and32 H. R. 178 - 2 - 25 LC 112 2850 WHEREAS, he further collaborated with the National Institutes of Health's Office of AIDS33 Research, participated in the Presidential Advisory Council on HIV/AIDS, and held board34 positions with Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS and the Elizab eth Taylor AIDS35 Foundation; and36 WHEREAS, he was united in companionship with Gregory Nevins, a senior counsel at37 Lambda Legal, with whom he shared a 20-year-long bond of love; and38 WHEREAS, a compassionate and generous man, Antonio Cornelius Ba ker will long be39 remembered for his love of family, friendship, and community and will be missed by all who40 had the great fortune of knowing him.41 NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES that42 the members of this body join in honoring the life and memory of Antonio Cornelius Baker43 and express their deepest and most sincere regret at his passing.44 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Clerk of the House of Representatives is authorized45 and directed to make an appropriate copy of this resolution available for distribution to the46 family of Antonio Cornelius Baker.47 H. R. 178 - 3 -