LEGISLATIVE RESOLUTION commending Sandra Oxford upon the occasion of her
designation as recipient of the Hudson Valley Area Labor Federation's
2011 Mother Jones Award

WHEREAS, It is the sense of this Legislative Body to recognize and
commend the efforts of individuals who distinguish themselves in service
to the cause of working men and women in the State of New York; and
WHEREAS, Attendant to such concern, and in full accord with its long-
standing traditions, this Legislative Body is justly proud to commend
Sandra Oxford upon the occasion of her designation as recipient of the
Hudson Valley Area Labor Federation's 2011 Mother Jones Award, to be
observed at its Fifth Annual Labor Heroes Celebration at Dutchess Manor
in Beacon, New York on Friday, June 3, 2011; and
WHEREAS, Born in Manhattan, New York, and raised in Queens, Sandra
Oxford raised her family in the rural communities of Ulster and Sullivan
counties, where she has lived for the past 22 years of her life; she
currently resides in a hamlet of Hurleyville in Sullivan County, New
York; and
WHEREAS, Upon relocating in 1989 to a farm in Plattikill, New York,
Sandra Oxford's world collided with the harsh, brutal and unfair condi-
tions which the New York State Farm Workers faced; appalled by the
economic inequity, systemic racism legislatively held over from the Jim
Crow era, she developed her determination to become a strong ally to
Farm Workers and the New York State Farm Worker Justice Campaign; and
WHEREAS, In 1994, a move to Sullivan County expanded Sandra Oxford's
advocacy for workers' rights; in the heart of the county's food-process-
ing corridor, she witnessed a great deal in the food production industry
which inspired her to help seek reform; exposing the IDA, the Empire
Zone Program, and local officials who were accomplices to the poverty
style employment which was promoted as "economic development" in Sulli-
van County became her passion and full-time volunteer work; and
WHEREAS, Fortunately in 2004, the creation of the Worker Rights' Law
Center offered Sandra Oxford a significant opportunity to volunteer and
assist with a series of class action lawsuits which helped workers find
justice; in 2009, she formalized her volunteer work as an Executive
Committee Member on the Workers' Rights Law Center Board; and
WHEREAS, Currently, Sandra Oxford serves proudly as an Organizer and
Representative for United Food and Commercial Workers (UFCW) Local 888,
servicing the Local's Health Care and Professional Division, having
joined Region 1 staff in 2007; this experience has galvanized her
commitment to empowering workers to make a difference in their lives,
their workplace and working conditions by organizing and together creat-
ing a lasting power; and
WHEREAS, Sandra Oxford came to the UFCW with fifteen years of experi-
ence as a community organizer, educator, and trainer; her network and
innovative approach to community building has been the cornerstone of
her work; and
WHEREAS, Throughout the years Sandra Oxford has served as the Director
of three community based organizations committed to social justice, the
Sullivan County Youth Advocate Program, the Sullivan County Mediation
Office, and the Orange County Children's Center in the Court; and
WHEREAS, For the past two decades, Sandra Oxford has been appointed to
various governmental boards, and has volunteered on numerous not-for-
profit boards dedicated to health, legal representation for the indi-
gent, youth services, and immigrant advocacy; and
WHEREAS, Sandra Oxford's recent volunteer work reorganized a not-for-
profit which she originally founded in 2001, in Sullivan County, Somos

la Llave del Futuro, SLF; SLF expanded in 2007, to the Mid-Hudson
Valley, driven by new leadership and a revitalized mission to empower
the valley's Latino and immigrant communities; and
WHEREAS, With her throughout have been her two wonderful sons,
Zachary, and Desmond, both of whom feel privileged to be a part of her
life and rejoice in her achievements; and
WHEREAS, It is the custom of this Legislative Body that when individ-
uals of such noble aims and accomplishments are brought to our atten-
tion, they should be celebrated and recognized by all the citizens of
the great State of New York; now, therefore, be it
RESOLVED, That this Legislative Body pause in its deliberations to
commend Sandra Oxford upon the occasion of her designation as recipient
of the Hudson Valley Area Labor Federation's 2011 Mother Jones Award;
and be it further
RESOLVED, That a copy of this Resolution, suitably engrossed, be tran-
smitted to Sandra Oxford.