Shirley had the courage, confidence, commitment and connections to co-chair the capital campaign to build Bailey Boushay House (BBH). She was incredibly generous; she would arrive at the AIDS Housing of Washington (AHW) original office above de-Laurenti's in the Pike Market with a little something in the form of a check that she had written or had asked for from someone else.

I would often get a phone call from Shirley at 5:00 a.m. while she was on the exercycle in her building with a new thought about someone to solicit for BBH. Asking "Did I wake you?" but not waiting for a response...

As we cried together upon learning of Shirley's death, Michele Hassan, the first Director of Development at AHW, reminded me that with Shirley gone, we now have an even greater responsibility to support and fill her commitment to young women leaders – to carry the Shirley Bridge mantel forward.