Longtime pro-choice activist killed in crash
November 19, 2009 at 3:42 pm by Scott Henry in News
Errin Vuley, a longtime activist for women’s causes, was killed Tuesday morning in a multi-car crash in DeKalb County.
Vuley, 35, had been a familiar face at the State Capitol for several years, working for the Feminist Women’s Health Center and GARAL, the pre-cursor to Georgia NARAL Pro-Choice America, before serving as executive director for Georgians for Choice from 2001-2006.
Most recently, Vuley had been interim CEO for GOAL — A Girl’s Journey of Growth, a Decatur-based non-profit that helps adolescent girls build self-esteem.
According to the AJC, Vuley was killed when her mini-van was struck by a Ford Explorer on Memorial Drive. Police were looking for another vehicle they believe caused the crash.
“Errin was one of the most passionate, dedicated people I know, deeply committed to social justice,” said Sara Totonchi, a lobbyist with the Southern Center for Human Rights who was close friends with Vuley.
Vuley graduated from Cornell University with a degree in women’s health and later earned a master’s in public administration with a concentration in nonprofit management from the Andrew Young School of Policy Studies at Georgia State University.
I personally remember Errin as a friendly, pleasant, bubbly presence at the Capitol, consistently upbeat even when things weren’t going her way. My wife, who served with her on the board of Estrofest, an arts group that dealt with issues of gender identity, was also a Vuley fan.
Certainly, Vuley’s death is a major loss to Atlanta’s progressive community. Memorial services will be held tomorrow at 11 a.m. at A. S. Turner & Sons funeral home in Decatur.
November 20th, 2009 at 4:02 am
Thank you for taking a moment to honor Errin. She was all that you write and then some. I will never forget her and want Atlanta to never forget her spirit and drive on what’s right. Errin made it possible for me to move to Atlanta to work with her at GARAL. Because of what she taught me, I have never stopped working and acting from my convictions. She was the most loving person I knew and I never saw her upset at a human being. And if she ever was, she always found common ground in the opposing rationale. I love her and always will. Vuley is always shining bright, she is like the Sun!