We tragically lost a member of the WSUM community last week. Bella Sobah passed away after just beginning her career at Madison, Wisconsin's Dane County District Attorney's Juvenile Unit.
Bella was a tireless advocate for people of color, disabled, immigrant, and LGBTQ+ communities. She never missed an opportunity to speak up, and educate those around her on issues, and she belonged to organizations that were creating change in Madison and the state of Wisconsin. Bella was a member of the UW-Madison Black Law Students Association, and she Chaired the Disability Rights Commission for the city of Madison. She just started working with Dane County District Attorneys with hopes of fighting mass incarceration by working with the NAACP and the American Civil Liberties Union.
“Bella was such an awesome member of our team. She loved being here, which was contagious. Despite all of the obstacles she faced, she was cheerful, determined and so kind to everyone. Bella's life was just beginning, as she had just finished law school and also was a tireless advocate as the chair of Madison's Disability Rights Commission. So many of our members have been profoundly saddened by Bella's passing. Our condolences go out to her family and to all who knew and loved her.” -Dave Black, General Manager
Please consider making a donation to Bella's GoFundMe. The funds will also be used to create a memorial in Bella's honor at UW-Madison. Each donation will serve as a memory of the impact that Bella Sobah had on all of us, and the momentum for social justice for the disenfranchised for many years to come.
The Black Law Student Association at UW-Law and Bella's family organized a candlelight vigil to allow for a space to reflect, mourn, and celebrate Bella's life on Thursday at 7:30 p.m. The organizers request that folks wear masks to keep each other safe and that those who cannot attend send in notes about how much Bella meant to them on cardstock and mail it to BLSA:
Black Law Student Association
University of Wisconsin Law School
975 Bascom Mall
The event will also be broadcasted live through the Facebook event page below.
GoFundMe – Social Justice Award in Honor of Bella Sobah: https://www.gofundme.com/f/uw-madison-award-in-honor-of-bella-sobah
Candlelight Vigil for Attorney Bella Sobah: https://facebook.com/events/s/candlelight-vigil-for-attorney/315256139873829/?ti=ia
Madison 365's article: https://madison365.com/she-was-a-changemaker-former-classmates-family-look-to-honor-life-of-bella-sobah-with-social-justice-award-in-her-name/
