Bobbi Jean Baker

Bobbi Jean Baker (March 20, 1964 – January 1, 2014) was an American transgender activist and minister.

Early life She was born in Memphis, Tennessee, and moved to San Francisco from Tennessee in 1992. Baker struggled with drug use and legal challenges in San Francisco, stating in an interview: "I was doing sex work, smoking crack and on speed, and was a fugitive from justice … I was extradited back to Tennessee to serve a four-year prison sentence."

Ministry and advocacy work During a multi-day bus ride back to San Francisco following completion of her prison sentence, Baker decided to focus her life on advocacy. In 2001, a supervisor at the Tenderloin AIDS Resource Center gave her a paid position to lead transgender groups.

Death and legacy She died at age 49 on January 1, 2014, on New Year's Day after a car crash. Baker was later portrayed by Jazzmun in the 2017 miniseries When We Rise.