Tribute to Sunny Jacobs by the Gender Working Group
It is with great sadness that the Gender Working Group of the World Coalition Against the Death Penalty pays tribute to Sonia “Sunny” Jacobs, a tireless advocate and an inspiration to us all.
Sunny passed away on 3 June 2025. Her departure leaves a deep void in our hearts and in the abolitionist movement.
Sunny was a symbol of resilience, inner peace, and the pursuit of justice. Sentenced to death in Florida in 1976 for a crime she did not commit, she spent 17 years in prison, including five in solitary confinement on death row. Her story is one of profound injustice, but also of an extraordinary ability to transform pain into strength and anger into unwavering commitment.
Drawing from her own experience, Sunny understood how deeply gender-based discrimination runs through the application of the death penalty. She never stopped denouncing the invisibility of women on death row, the gender bias that distorts trials, and the systemic violence they endure. With clarity and conviction, she tirelessly reminded us that no abolitionist struggle can ignore these realities. She championed a profoundly human vision of justice, rooted in listening, solidarity, and healing.
As an active member of our Gender Working Group, Sunny took part in all our meetings with enthusiasm and dedication. She shared her insights with rare kindness, contagious energy, and deep wisdom. In 2023, she played a key role in raising awareness among CEDAW Committee experts during a side event in Geneva. As always, she took the time to speak with each person individually, generously and gracefully sharing parts of her story. Her resilience was disarming, her sincerity deeply moving. Her determination and commitment were unshakeable.
Sunny touched countless lives through her activism, her public speaking, and her work with other exonerees through the Sunny Center Foundation. Her story inspired books, plays, and films. But above all, we remember the light she brought into every meeting, and the strength of her commitment.
To all those who knew, loved, and walked alongside her, we extend our heartfelt condolences.
Sunny will remain forever in our hearts and in our struggles.
The Gender Working Group
World Coalition Against the Death Penalty
