Dear friends and colleagues,

With love, laughter, and a shared determination to carry her work forward, we remember our friend, teacher, and mentor Nancy Amidei, who died earlier this month at her home.

We encountered Nancy decades ago as graduate students at the University of Washington School of Social Work. Her approach to advocacy deeply influenced us personally and professionally.

Nancy was a cheerleader for democracy who welcomed all. One of her deceptively simple teachings was: "Advocacy just means speaking up!" From her, we learned how to make it easy and fun for people to make a phone call, send an email, or sign a postcard, and help others do the same. She turned regular people into lobbyists for core public services, good laws, and fair budgets. She showered people with chocolate and bananas, told funny stories, and snuck more information about the legislative process into a short presentation than most of us got in many years of school.

Nancy's legacy lives in the thousands of people she taught to speak up and get civically engaged, who remember and act on her lessons. Nancy helped everyone--homeless teens, parents of children with special health needs, people who stretch every paycheck, folks who use food stamps and WIC, seniors worried about Social Security and Medicare, nurses, pharmacists, and social workers--understand they have the right to expect every level of government to work for them, provided they speak up, show up, stand up, vote, and stay engaged.

Nancy taught us to organize and do the work of democracy. As the Trump-Musk extremist administration attacks voting rights, Social Security, food for schoolchildren, immigrants, and our form of government, Nancy's teachings become essential for effective resistance to autocracy.

The Coalition on Homelessness and the Housing Alliance bring people together to advocate for laws, policies, and budgets that keep people housed, fed, and healthy. We organize, mobilize, and invite people to participate in a government of, for, and by the people. We welcome, and need, your involvement and support.

Nancy was deeply involved with the Coalition on Homelessness and the Housing Alliance. If you are able, we hope you will consider making a gift to honor her life's work and keep it going.

Give to the Housing Alliance                                    Give to the Coalition

Together with Nancy's family, friends, students, and colleagues, we are planning opportunities to gather, celebrate her life, share her teaching, and keep Nancy Amidei's vigorous legacy alive.

• Sign up here to stay informed as plans progress
• Share a photo or memory on a web page her niece created
• Follow Nancy Amidei Fans and Friends on Facebook

In community,

Rachael and Alison