"Steve, we will miss you. We’re grateful beyond words for everything you did to make the world a better place for everyone during your 73 years on earth, and we’re honored to be able to carry on this work in your memory–for as long as it takes."
Please also read In Memory of Steven Wise.
We’re heartbroken to share the news that Steven M. Wise–our founder,
president, and friend–passed away yesterday.
No words will be sufficient to describe the immense sadness and
sense of loss we feel with his passing. Steve inspired us every day
with his relentlessly cheerful determination in the face of any and
all obstacles, his fearlessness, his utter clarity on the injustices
nonhuman animals endure, and his vision for a world where nonhuman
rights are recognized alongside human rights. Steve spent almost
every waking hour for the last four decades thinking about the
struggle for nonhuman rights. Among lawyers and legal scholars, he
was one of the greats–a true visionary, pursuing fundamental change
with an awe-inspiring breadth of knowledge of law, history, science,
and social justice.
Whether walking into court together, digging into a court decision
with the team on Zoom, or just checking in at the end of a long,
difficult workday, working with Steve was always energizing because
everything he said and did was infused with his unfailing optimism
and his total commitment to the Nonhuman Rights Project. In our
fight against human tyranny over nonhuman animals, he also brought a
self-deprecating sense of humor and a deep sense of care for the
individual well-being of our staff–knowing, from his years of
experience, that we’d need both in order to stay strong and keep
going.
As a result, our small, close-knit team has a sense of purpose and
solidarity we know will carry us through this extraordinarily
difficult moment.
Steve, we will miss you. We’re grateful beyond words for everything
you did to make the world a better place for everyone during your 73
years on earth, and we’re honored to be able to carry on this work
in your memory–for as long as it takes.