Sharon Ambrose · 1999 Honoree

Sharon Ambrose is from Chicago; from a family whose members cut their teeth on the Democratic Party—Chicago style. Combine this with her passion for reading and the stage is set for more than three decades of activism on Capitol Hill.

Sharon, fortified with a B.A. in English Literature from Saint Xavier University in Chicago and a husband named Mike, moved to the Hill in 1967. They immediately put her grassroots political knowledge to work to end the Viet Nam War. Next came affordable housing, with the Capitol Hill Action Group. With the advent of the Ambrose children, Moira, Mary, Peggy, and Michael, Sharon turned her talents to her specialty—education.

Sharon credits her ten years of work with and on behalf of the students, families, faculty, and staff at Brent Elementary School as being the single most satisfying effort she has undertaken as a volunteer. Measured against a continuous backdrop of service to Hill groups, she acknowledges that the school took the most effort of all projects. To turn the school into a real community institution required enormous amount of energy from everyone who participated, but they persisted and succeeded.

Sharon Ambrose, the political activist is now the professional politician, Councilmember of Ward 6, in fact. Known as one of the most formidable persons on the Council when it comes to facts, figures, and details, she can spot fluff a mile away. Sharon Ambrose remains constant, in spite of her elevated status, and diligently tends her grassroots base. She knows how to help her constituents. Furthermore, she knows how to help them help themselves. “They bring me ideas, I help,” Sharon says simply.

She also requests constituents to act on behalf of their neighbors, their city. They may belong-time residents; or a part of the newest cadre of Hill volunteers, the empty nesters who’ve chosen to make this their home; or those who’re linked into what Sharon calls the “Hill’s prototype of the electronic village”—the Public Safety network.

Sharon’s enthusiasm for political action is catching. Even her grandchildren play a game with her called, “Gramma, why don’t we make a law that...” If no one else understands, the children know, to quote Sharon, “The thrill I get when I serve as a catalyst for bringing people together to effect positive change.” Sharon Ambrose knows how to make the system work. It’s called grass-roots politics and she makes it work for us!