She lived in Lafayette Square, Washington, D.C., on the 1600 block of Pennsylvania Avenue, in a peace camp across from the White House, from 1 August 1981 in protest of nuclear arms until her death.

[1][2] Picciotto carried on the longest continuous act of political protest in the United States,[3] with her camp having been nicknamed by her supporters as "1601 Pennsylvania Avenue".

[4] Eleanor Holmes Norton, D.C.'s delegate to the House of Representatives, noted that many of Picciotto's goals were accomplished during her protest, including a reduction in atomic proliferation.

[6] Picciotto was inspired by fellow activist William Thomas (died 23 January 2009), who originally began the White House Peace Vigil on 3 June 1981.

[12] Picciotto died on 25 January 2016, 10 days after her 80th birthday, at N Street Village, a non-profit organization that supports homeless women in Washington.