Hope

Hope Sydney Sanders, 49, a lifelong resident of New York City, NY, passed away quietly at her home that she shared with her cat (Keesha) on November 29, 2023. Hope received her early formal education in New York's public and parochial schools.  As a sixteen year old child, Hope's childhood was interrupted by incarceration and she remained incarcerated for eighteen consecutive years of her life until her release at the age of thirty-four.

Incarceration deprived Hope of a normal transition from childhood to adulthood that many people often take for granted, but Hope never lost her desire to complete her education and help others. While incarcerated, she successfully completed the classes and training that were available to her. Upon her release from incarceration, Hope continued her formal education as a non-traditional student. Ms. Sanders graduated with honors from Lehman College in May, 2022, was awarded the CCF 2022 Class Valedictorian, and was later accepted into the Advanced Standing MSW program at Columbia University, where she obtained her Master's Degree in Social Work, with a specialty in Practice and Programming and a concentration in Community Social Issues.

Ms. Sanders was passionate about the needs of the incarcerated. While attending Lehman College, she was among a select group of Lehman College student lobbyists for prison rights reform on Capitol Hill in Washington, D.C. and was involved in an intra-discipline Re-entry Task Force at Lehman, in order to address the needs of formerly incarcerated students.

After receiving her graduate degree from Columbia University in May, 2023, Ms. Sanders gained employment as a state social worker and continued her social activism through her associations with various activist groups, including Freedom Agenda, JustleadershipUSA, and Women's Community Justice Association (WCJA), her first introduction to rallying and advocating. Hope was a staunch advocate for social justice to close Rikers Island, New York's largest jail.

As a devoted daughter and sister, Ms. Sanders loved her family in both words and actions. As a devoted friend, she was always willing and able to lend a helping hand and share her resources. As a mentor, she was an unapologetic, strong, and courageous voice for freedom, justice and equality. Having overcome major obstacles and adversities in her own life, she boldly spoke her truth and that truth resonated in the hearts of those of us who were fortunate enough to hear her truth.

Hope was preceded in death by her beloved brother, Anthony Kelly, and her oldest sister, Orpah Sanders. She is survived by her mother, Thelma Graham, her brothers Adrian Kelly and James Sanders, and a host of nieces, nephews and other family and friends.