Originally drawn to advertising for its creative potential, Aida Fitzgerald considered it as a career. However, what she learned in her criminology and pre-law studies became her passion. She earned a master’s degree in social work and worked in Portland Oregon helping people recently released from prison. This, of course, was not enough to fulfill her passion for fighting injustice and she went on to earn her law degree from the University of Virginia in 2013.
For the last decade Aida Fitzgerald worked as a public defender with the Committee for Public Counsel Services in Boston and then as an attorney with Legal Aid in Washington D.C. She also volunteered in law and public service programs and with the Innocence Project. It was Aida’s brilliance coupled with her compassion for those caught in the web of injustice which made her an exceptional Truths Teller and a cherished friend.
Aida, the third of four children raised by a single mom, was not only a warrior of justice; she was a creative soul full of kindness and light, bringing laughter and music (her cello never far away) to all who knew her. From her early years, Aida carried the world on her strong shoulders. Her commitment to justice, through service, helped her see what she called “the fine line between those who struggle and me.” On October 28, 2023 the burdens of the injustices she experienced, witnessed, and fought against became too heavy. Weighed down by depression Aida Fitzgerald crossed that fine line, dying by suicide.
Seek help for depression. Mental health care is health care. If you or someone you know is struggling with suicidal thoughts call or text 988.
To honor Aida, and continue her fight for justice, please contribute to the Innocence Project.
Rest in peace brave warrior and dear friend.