In Memoriam: Diane Coleman

Dear Not Dead Yet Family, Allies, and Supporters,

It is with heavy hearts and deep sorrow that we announce the passing of our beloved founder and leader, Diane Coleman. Diane’s legacy as a tireless advocate for the rights of people with disabilities, and as a fierce and unyielding voice against assisted suicide and euthanasia, will forever shape our movement and the world we strive to change.

Diane founded Not Dead Yet in 1996, establishing a national disability rights organization committed to fighting for the inherent dignity of every person with a disability. Through her vision and leadership, Not Dead Yet grew into a powerful force for justice, protecting our right to live and ensuring that disabled lives are valued, respected, and protected from discriminatory medical practices, including the non provision and forced removal of life sustaining care, QALYs, and most of all, the inherently discriminatory public policy of assisted suicide and euthanasia law. Her work was visible not only in the courts, boardrooms and legislatures the halls of legislative chambers but also on the streets, where she led protests, organized, and mobilized countless other disabled people people with disabilities from across the globe to fight for their rights.

Diane was an intellectual powerhouse, a strategist, a passionate advocate, and a mentor to so many of us. Her understanding of policy, her commitment to the principles of the social and disability justice models of disability, and her ability to cut through the ableist rhetoric surrounding assisted suicide and euthanasia were unparalleled. She spoke with clarity and conviction, both in the media and in legislative hearings, where she presented testimony before Congress, co-authored amicus briefs in state, federal and Supreme Court cases for the U.S. Supreme Court, and tirelessly worked to ensure that the voices of disabled people were heard and respected in the development and implementation of public policy.

As many of you have shared, Diane’s impact on individuals—colleagues, activists, students, and friends—was profound. She shaped the lives of so many, whether through direct mentorship or through the sheer force of her example. Diane was a leader who never wavered in her commitment to the movement. Her strength was, in many ways, a beacon for all of us who continue the fight for freedom, dignity, equality and inclusion of people with all kinds of disabilities, as well as women, elders, LGBTQ+, BIPoC and other marginalized populations.

Diane’s legacy will endure through all the work that continues in her name—through the Not Dead Yet community and through the work of every person whose life she touched. She built a movement that will not stop fighting, and she taught us to mourn for the dead and fight like hell for the living.

While we grieve her loss, we also celebrate her extraordinary life and the powerful mark she left on the world. Diane was a friend, a teacher, and a champion of justice. Her spirit, her intellect, and her fierce commitment to disability rights will live on in each of us who continue the work she began.

Our deepest condolences go out to Diane’s family, her colleagues, and to all who loved her. We stand united in our grief, but also in our commitment to carry on Diane’s work. Rest in power, Diane. Your legacy is eternal, and the fight for the rights of disabled people will continue in your name.

With Love and Solidarity,

The Board of Not Dead Yet

Emily Wolinsky, Chair
Samantha Crane, Treasurer
Lydia Nunez Landry, Secretary 
Horacio Esparza
Amy E. Hasbrouck
Germaine Martin
Michael Volkman