Andrea Marie Barnwell, born June 9, 1947, in Chicago, Illinois, passed away on August 22, 2025, in San Diego. She was the first African American graduate of Clairemont High School and participated in 1960s sit-in demonstrations. She continued her education at U.C. Berkeley, U.C.L.A., and studied in Nairobi, Kenya.
Andrea dedicated her life to empowering others as a health educator, grant writer, author, and freedom fighter. As Program Director for the San Diego Urban League from the mid-1980s to the 2000s, she led Project T.R.U.T.H., developing street outreach and securing Ryan White AIDS/HIV Program funding. Her BirthWrite Project also provided a platform for women to share their HIV/AIDS experiences.
She later spearheaded programs like the Community-Wide Dialogue to End Racism in Syracuse, New York, and co-founded a consulting firm, continuing grant writing for nonprofits. A devout Christian, Andrea is survived by her daughter, two sons, a sister, eight grandchildren, and three great-grandchildren. Her Celebration of Life was held on September 10, 2025.
