SiX Mourns the Passing of Florida Senator Geraldine Thompson

SiX mourns the passing of Florida Senator Geraldine Thompson, who passed on February 13, 2025. Senator Thompson served in the Florida House of Representatives from 2006 to 2012 and from 2018 to 2022 and in the Florida Senate since 2022.

Senator Thompson served as vice chair on the Appropriations Committee on Pre-K-12 Education. She also served on the Education Postsecondary; Education Pre-K-12; Fiscal Policy; Judiciary, Military and Veterans Affairs, Space, and Domestic Security; and Rules committees.

“We lost a giant in Florida,” says Ida V. Eskamani, senior director of legislative affairs at SiX. “I first met Sen. Geraldine Thompson fifteen years ago, myself a young college organizer, and she, already an icon in our state and a mentor to many. She leaves a legacy impossible to capture in words. A fearless advocate, visionary, and public servant, she never yielded to bullies, defending Black history, the freedom to vote, and the rights of every Floridian regardless of what they look like, who they love, or their zip code. Floridians are so fortunate for her legacy of unyielding public service. May we make her proud.”

“Senator Thompson was a fierce elder who I deeply admired,” says Jennifer Driver, senior director of reproductive rights at SiX. “She was one of the first Black women legislators from Florida with whom I met when I started at SiX and she warmly welcomed me. She showed courage and strength under the most restrictive circumstances in Florida. A champion for reproductive justice and a fearless leader for civil rights and education, she told it like it was and made no apologies for demanding justice and accountability. Her wisdom was unmatched reminding us that ‘We cannot celebrate our triumphs without recognizing our trials.’ We are all better because she was here. Well done, good and faithful servant. May the ancestors welcome her home.”

Senator Thompson’s legacy transcends the Florida legislature. As a lawmaker, she championed civil rights, racial justice, public education, healthcare and women’s health. As a historian, educator, and storyteller, she founded the Wells’ Built Museum of African American History and Culture in Orlando, Florida. In 2003, she authored the Orlando book in the Black America Series, recounting 150 years of Black history in the city. As a matriarch, she leaves behind a loving husband and generations after her. A fearless advocate and visionary, the world is a better place because of her.