Nadia Qazi and Her Legacy

Our sister and daughter Nadia Saba Qazi was an extraordinary person. In her short life of 36 years, she touched and helped countless people as a teacher, advocate, interfaith activist, and writer. She could have achieved even more incredible dreams if she hadn’t been taken away from us so abruptly, suffering from cardiac arrest while eating dinner with her dad.

Her zest for life and giant enormous heart compels us to carry on her name via this scholarship. Let us tell you about her so you too can become inspired and strive to be the best version of yourselves through this gift.

Nadia was always expressive and loving, exuberant, and excited about life in general. She, quite literally, gave life everything she had. She relished every moment. She lived large and exited without fanfare. She did not give us a chance to say goodbye. But in a way, that was fitting of Nadia, too. She did not inconvenience us. She did not make a scene. She simply bowed out, leaving us with unspoken words and the immense gratitude that we were privileged to know someone like her.

As we think of all the causes she believed in and championed for, we know that she has achieved what she set out to. We believe that she was here to sprinkle love and kindness to all who crossed her path. She loved each person fiercely. She wanted the best for everyone. She came and went like a gust of wind and left us with memories of her generosity, raucous laughter, unwavering love, and kindness.

Nadia was a dreamer. But she was also a doer. She accomplished all that she dreamt. But then she reached behind her and made sure others set lofty dreams for themselves and accomplished them, too. She was not satisfied to be the only successful one; she wanted everyone around her to rise as well. It is no coincidence that she spent her life ensuring that all the people she encountered were able to achieve their dreams.

Nadia found her life’s purpose as a teacher. Her students adored her. She started her teaching career by teaching a class of special needs children. She changed their perspective so much that she was nominated for many awards. She walked through the halls of her school with children running up to her and hugging her tightly. Nadia was a fantastic hugger. She would envelop you in her fold and wouldn’t let go until you were ready to leave.

In the end, Nadia will always be remembered for her warmth and generosity, her commitment to humanity, her brilliance, unflagging optimism, and her great big joyful heart. She set an example of kindness and compassion that inspired everyone who knew her.
We wish you all could have known her. We wish she was still here so she could read this and call us in excitement to discuss this scholarship. Somewhere, in some space we cannot understand, I know she is cheering us all on.

In her memory, we have started a scholarship fund so we can continue her life’s work as an educator. We plan to award scholarships to young women, who, like her, strive to pursue higher education and to make the world a better place with community service.