I often remark that discovering a career in the good food movement felt like coming home because the people were so welcoming and inspiring. NFFC hosted the first farm meeting I attended as a newbie with Farm Aid in 2002. Kathy took me in with a warm embrace and quiet coaching. No doubt she did this for countless other people in her time as a leader. What will continue to inspire me most was her unwavering optimism on behalf of family farmers. She fought a steep uphill battle for her entire career, but never seemed daunted or demoralized by the challenge. The strength of her convictions and her passion for her work were so strong it was contagious. I owe her much for that inspiration. We all do.

— Laura Edwards-Orr, executive director, Red Tomato

Kathy was an unsung hero within the movement. She was a sort of glue that helped bind so many of us together across many divides. We will have to work harder now without her, drawing from all that we have learned from her. The loss to the movement—and to countless numbers of us personally—of such a beautiful, brilliant, humble, and kind revolutionary sister is hard to even process. But her legacy goes way beyond her physical time on this planet. And we will carry on and keep building together.

— Christina Schiavoni, PhD Researcher, International Institute of Social Studies, The Hague, Netherlands

I’ve known Kathy for almost 30 years, and I always considered her the sounding board and the voice of the sole proprietors—the true family farmers in the U.S. Kathy always had an upbeat and positive approach when facing the forces before us. It was Kathy who encouraged me to speak up whenever I visited her office or met new staff. I try to emulate her spirit of not taking any loss personally, and with a bit of time to reflect, to turn that energy into working towards the next victory. Kathy played the long game and we’re all better off because of it and for it.

— Bob Scowcroft, co-founder and former executive director, Organic Farming Research Foundation, trustee, Nell Newman Foundation

I met Kathy over two decades ago as the Community Food Security Coalition (CFSC) was forming. In our many years together on the CFSC board and at CFSC conferences, we always found time to catch up on policy and on life. Kathy Ozer wasn’t just a colleague to us all; she was a friend, a mother, a sister, and a cheerleader. Her presence graced the room whenever she was there, and her perspectives were always valued. We’ve lost a great comrade!

— Hugh Joseph, faculty at the Friedman School of Nutrition, Tufts University

I had the great honor and joy of working with Kathy over the past decade(s). She taught me so very much—about the lives, struggles, strengths, and challenges facing family farmers across the country; about the perseverance, grit, and smarts needed to fight federal farm policy battles; about the beautiful steadfast solidarity of farmers and their allies and social movements around the world; and about how to live with grace and courage in this world. Ten years ago, she showed me how to order “eggs broken hard” at breakfast, something I have done ever since, always smiling secretly and thinking of Kathy. We will carry the torch of justice she carried so high and for so long, on and ever on.

— Marcia Ishii-Eiteman, senior scientist and director of the Grassroots Science Program, Pesticide Action Network

I often told Kathy she was “one of my heroes” and I meant it. I learned a lot from her over the years. I met Kathy when I worked as a policy analyst and lobbyist for the Farmers Union, fighting Monsanto’s genetically engineered bovine growth hormone (rBGH). She had been an important ally ever since. I am deeply saddened by her passing. Kathy was someone who truly cared, rolled up her sleeves, and worked hard to defend family-scale farmers in their uphill fight for fair treatment in Washington. Blessed be her memory.

— Mark A. Kastel, the Cornucopia Institute

We have lost a great friend and ally in the struggle to create a more sustainable and just farm and food system. NSAC’s membership joins with partners around the country in mourning and celebrating the life and witness of Kathy Ozer. Throughout those 30 years, we have looked to Kathy as a source of information, shared strategies, and inspiration. Her lifelong commitment to family farmers, racial justice, and opportunity for all will continue to stand as a model for all of us to aspire to. Her dogged determination, nurturing of new advocates, empowerment of partners, and good cheer have helped us enormously, and we will miss her so very much.

— National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition (NSAC)

I feel so lucky to have counted Kathy as a colleague, friend, teacher, mentor, and cheerleader. She was an eternal fighter for independent family farmers, exceptionally generous, and kind beyond measure. She knew more about farm policy and history than anyone, and she could be an expansive teacher, an in-the-weeds policy wonk, or a practical fact-checker. [She was] always patient, always present—on conference calls, in meetings around the country and the world, ready to answer questions, help with travel arrangements, suggest a helpful contact or idea. “Let’s check in with Kathy,” was a pretty common next step for… just about anything because we could count on her for anything. Being under her wing—in the wide NFFC family of farmers and advocates she brooded—opened doors, made us smarter, and made us feel safe and taken care of. I was far from done talking to her, but I’m tremendously grateful for the life-changing time I had.

— Siena Chrisman, advocate, author and Civil Eats contributor

Thank you to HEAL and others for the inspiration, contribution, and collaboration on this piece.

The Northwest Atlantic Marine Alliance (NAMA) is holding an event on Friday, February 17 to raise funds for NFFC and celebrate Kathy’s life and work at The Kitchen/Boston Public Market. Buy tickets here or consider making a donation to NFFC.