Chicago’s progressive political world is mourning Amisha Patel, a central organizer who spent years pulling unions, community groups and everyday residents into the same room and onto the same side. Patel, who co-founded United Working Families and led the Grassroots Collaborative, died on April 24, 2026 after a years-long fight with cancer. She is survived by her wife, Neena, and their two children. Her coalition-building work helped reshape city budget debates and the progressive campaigns that influenced the 2023 mayoral race.
On May 2, 2026, Mayor Brandon Johnson wrote on X that “Amisha Patel’s passing is a profound loss to me and to the city of Chicago,” noting that she had served as a senior adviser to his 2023 transition team.
As reported by the Chicago Tribune, Patel served for years as executive director of the Grassroots Collaborative and was a driving force behind United Working Families. The Tribune also noted that Patel had been open about her long battle with cancer, and that friends and fellow organizers gathered at her Rogers Park home in the weeks before she died.
Organizing Wins That Moved City Policy
Patel’s campaigns translated protest signs into policy shifts. She helped push the Big Box Living Wage campaign, backed the Chicago Teachers Union’s 2012 strike efforts, and led high-profile fights over TIF spending that pressured officials to redirect funds to schools and services, according to In These Times. The outlet also highlights the creation of the Amisha Patel Arts & Organizing Fellowship, intended to support artists whose work fuels grassroots movements.
Colleagues Recall Her Relational Approach
Colleagues told the Chicago Tribune that Patel’s style was relentlessly relational. She was known for asking organizers about their dreams and insisting on building power “with” residents rather than doing the work for them. Johnson advisers and union leaders credited her with helping shape the left’s budget priorities and strategy in recent city politics.
Her death has prompted a steady stream of tributes and renewed commitments to carry her work forward. Those who want to honor Patel’s legacy can find details about the Amisha Patel Arts & Organizing Fellowship and related memorial plans in local coverage. As In These Times noted, Patel combined creativity, care and a fierce demand for policy wins that directly improved residents’ lives.
