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Honoring and celebrating Sandra Murdock, whose love for the people around her nourishes and uplifts the people and spaces that she graces, for providing to her community and for her commitment to mentoring young girls and boys across the City of Philadelphia, on the occasion of Black History Month.
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WHEREAS, Sandra “Sandy” Murdock was born and raised in North Philadelphia. She has lived in Nicetown for 45 and one half years. She loves her neighborhood and retired from the Internal Revenue Service after 31 years. She is a single parent and an awesome mother to Taj Murdock, who taught her how to be a mother. She went to public schools in Philly, graduating from Kensington High in 1967, when it was still all-girls; and
WHEREAS, One of seven children, Sandy had two older siblings and four younger. On the little block she grew up on in North Philly, everyone was family and looked out for one another. When she looks back, she recognizes the impact it has on her feelings about community today, she continues to believe we must love, encourage and help each other to become a better community; and
WHEREAS, Sandy thinks of herself as a people-lover at her core. She has always been that person, who encourages others to strive and not stagnate. She loves children, and volunteered at Stenton Park after school programs for years, it was one of the joys of her life to assist with children; and
WHEREAS, As a block captain for nearly two decades, she encourages her neighbors to be there for one another. The majority of her block is elderly and Sandy makes sure folks support each other. She attributes that to her upbringing in North Philly, when a neighbor had a need, she learned to help meet that need - she learned that’s how North Philly is; and
WHEREAS, When one of Sandy’s neighbors lost her job, Sandy’s mother sent Sandy to the chicken store. Sandy noticed that her mom had not used all the chicken from the store - that instead her mom had given some to the neighbor in need. To this day, Sandy continues to deliver food to her neighbors who need it; and
WHEREAS, She has seen her neighborhood decay and blight over the years. She prays that people care more about where they live, act more neighborly, and grow the love between homes, utilize and add to the green spaces and park in her area, and to see more outdoor youth activities in the area; and
WHEREAS, Sandy recognizes the tendency to focus on programs for boys, and the need for mentorship for young girls - as a mentor to many young girls, she would like to see the City grow its care and mentorship for them, to encourage them constantly, and to uplift and center their voices. She maintains hope and works to ensure that children in her community receive guidance and attention, and can learn to be sociable to their fullest potential; and
WHEREAS, As a young mom and caretaker for three of her nephews while she was unemployed, Sandy looks back on that period now with the knowledge that her desire to come through for them is the only reason she made it through. She wanted to do it to save her loved ones from a system designed to hurt them, and she wants other young mothers out there today to know that they can do it too, to stay focused on their purpose in life, to encourage and love their children, and to know that they will make it; now, therefore, be it
RESOLVED, THAT THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF PHILADELPHIA, Hereby honors and celebrates Sandra Murdock, whose love for the people around her nourishes and uplifts the people and spaces that she graces, for providing to her community and for her commitment to mentoring young girls and boys across the City of Philadelphia, on the occasion of Black History Month.
FURTHER RESOLVED, That an Engrossed copy of this resolution be presented to Sandy Murdock, as an expression of gratitude and admiration of the Council of the City of Philadelphia.
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