Washington, D.C. — The Office and Professional Employees International Union (OPEIU), AFL-CIO, is proud to receive the 2025 Eleanor Roosevelt Human Rights Award from the Jobs with Justice Education Fund. The award, presented annually by Jobs with Justice, honors Roosevelt’s legacy by recognizing workers and their unions who are advancing the fight for economic, racial and social justice at work and in their communities. 

“We, the workers of Sesame Workers Union, are overjoyed to receive this incredible award and want to thank Jobs with Justice for this honor.” Sarah Beck-Hill, a senior manager at Sesame Workshop, said. “Our union campaign reflects the care and commitment we foster every day in our work to help families everywhere, and by forming this union, that includes our own.

“Our union and this award is a testament to the impact that can be made when we care for our community, address our needs, and uplift and support one another to become smarter, stronger and kinder together,” Beck-Hill said.

The Eleanor Roosevelt Human Rights Awards Celebration is the labor movement’s premier awards event, bringing together hundreds of leaders from across the labor and progressive spectrum to celebrate major milestones within the labor movement. The award will be presented Sept. 24 at the True Reformer Building in Washington, D.C.

“This award is shared by each and every OPEIU member who has stood up and demanded dignity and justice at work,” said OPEIU President Tyler Turner. “The workers of Sesame Workshop, who organized with OPEIU Local 153 in New York and won their union despite steep odds, serve as a shining example of what is possible when working people collectively demand justice, fairness and accountability in the workplace.

“We are humbled by this award and will continue, on a national level, to organize the unorganized and bring the benefits of union membership to as many working people as possible,” Turner continued. “Thank you to Jobs with Justice for highlighting the Sesame Workers Union campaign and bringing to the forefront our fight to win fair first contracts, not just at Sesame Workshop, but at nonprofits, hospitals, higher education institutions, tech companies and other offices throughout the United States.”