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The story of where the "grace & Dignity Award" came from...
as told by Ben H. Standifer, Jr., SXAA Executive Director
While searching through old files on a land and water matter, I came across a stack of yellowed notes. The pages carried the weight of time. There were numbers, measurements, small sketches of canals and fields, hurried calculations, and faint doodles made in moments of deep thought. They felt alive, like echoes of long evenings when someone sat alone with responsibility pressing heavily on their heart.
Then, in the corner of one page, I saw it.
“Grace & Dignity for the O’odham.”
Not written once, but traced again and again. Each time darker. Each time more certain. As if the hand that wrote it was reminding the spirit why the work mattered. I could not tell who wrote it—whether it was a board member, a staff member, or an executive director—but I could feel them. I could feel the moment. Perhaps they were tired. Perhaps they were frustrated. Perhaps they were facing resistance or doubt. Yet in that corner of the page, they anchored themselves to purpose.
That phrase was not casual. It was prayer. It was instruction. It was promise.
In our way as O’odham, we leave our spirit in our work. That person left theirs in those words. “Grace & Dignity for the O’odham” was a reminder that this fight was never only about land titles, water deliveries, or legal frameworks. It was about how our people would be treated. It was about ensuring that even in struggle, we walked with respect. Even in disagreement, we were not diminished. Even in loss, we were not broken.
That phrase survived because it carried truth. It traveled forward in time to find us again.
And today, for the San Xavier Allottee Association, “Grace & Dignity for the O’odham” means:
1. Respectful Advocacy
We fight firmly, but never without respect. Our voice is strong because it is rooted in dignity, not anger or desperation.
2. Protection of Ancestral Responsibility
Land and water are not assets alone; they are sacred responsibilities. Grace honors the ancestors. Dignity protects the future.
3. Humanizing Policy and Law
Our people are not case numbers, parcels, or statistics. Every allottee represents a family, a story, and a legacy.
4. Strength Without Shame
Dignity means we do not apologize for asserting our rights. Grace means we do it with humility and clarity.
5. Leadership with Integrity
Every board decision, every memo, every budget, every negotiation should reflect moral strength and ethical purpose.
6. Healing Historical Harm
Grace acknowledges the pain of broken promises. Dignity ensures that pain does not define us.
7. Unity in Purpose
It reminds us that we work not for ourselves, but for all allottees, including those not yet born.
8. Cultural Continuity
We carry our values forward even when working in modern systems of law, finance, and policy.
9. Honoring Service
That traced phrase honors those who worked quietly before us, often unseen, holding the line when resources were thin and recognition was scarce.
10. Vision Beyond Survival
Grace is about healing.
Dignity is about thriving.
Together, they define sovereignty of spirit.
So when SXAA presents the Grace & Dignity Award, it is not just recognition of service. It is recognition of a way of being. It honors those who carry themselves with humility, who protect the people without compromising their values, and who remember that advocacy is sacred work.
That small corner of a forgotten page became a compass.
It still points us forward.
SXAA GRACE & DIGNITY RECIPIENTS
Hillarion "Larry" Campus
Hillarion "Larry" Campus
Hillarion "Larry" Campus
The Grace & Dignity Award was created by the San Xavier Allottee Association, Inc., staff to identify an individual who exemplifies, through their work, wisdom, and selfless efforts, the embodiment of Grace & Dignity.
Larry was the first recipient of this prestigious award. He served as a Community Liaison and a Board Member. Larry took his oath as a member of the San Xavier Allottee Association’s Board of Directors. He was a true team player, making every attempt to support the SXAA staff and encourage collaboration with the San Xavier Cooperative Association. He was interested in the minimization of fractionation across allotted lands in San Xavier, the depletion of water under the CAP, and the drought that we were beginning to face in the Southwest.
Grace - Larry provided spontaneous, unmerited favor to all Allottees, whether they needed it or not. He looked at the recipient with compassion. Dignity - treating other people with dignity means treating them the way we'd like to be treated ourselves. Every human has the right to lead a dignified life and to fulfill their potential.
Adam P. Andrews
Hillarion "Larry" Campus
Hillarion "Larry" Campus
Adam took his oath as a member of the San Xavier Allottee Association’s Board of Directors. He was a true leader, making every attempt to support the staff of SXAA and encourage working with the youth and the San Xavier Cooperative Association. He was interested in resolving the Long Term Storage Credit issue with the Nation, changing the Association's business to become self-sufficient, and providing the tools needed to take on this cause. He directed the SXAA Board in a manner that led the Board from success to success. He was committed to being better each day.
Grace by gracefully navigating the challenges of life with humility, kindness, and empathy, he can inspire respect and admiration while maintaining his integrity and self-respect.
Dignity. He embodies both grace and dignity in his life of service by adhering to a set of values and principles that guide his actions and interactions with others.
Julieann Ramon-Pierson
Hillarion "Larry" Campus
2025 SXAA Board of Directors
Ms. Ramon-Pierson was dedicated to the values of grace, dignity, and altruism, which truly make a difference for the Allottees of the Wa:k Community. SXAA is truly enriched to have individuals like you who serve as a trusted compass, guiding us towards a balanced and harmonious community. Julieann's demonstration of respect, humility, and willingness to help has set a stellar example within the Wa:k community and beyond.
She was born and grew up in Wa:k, attended the Mission School and St. John's Catholic School in Tucson. Ms. Ramon-Pierson graduated from Sunnyside High School and attended the University of Arizona and studied Political Science and Business. She served on the San Xavier District Council for 12 years (1985-93 & 2003-2007). Also served on the Amphitheatre Indian Education Parent Committee in Tucson for 14 years. Most notably, Ms. Ramon-Pierson was a member of the Defenders of O'odham Land Rights (1983-1992). She also served on the San Xavier Cooperative Association Board (1992 - 2022), where she held the positions of Secretary and President. She is a founding member of the San Xavier Allottee Association, Inc., and served on its Board (1991-2018), where she served as President.
2025 SXAA Board of Directors
2025 SXAA Board of Directors
2025 SXAA Board of Directors
The San Xavier Allottee Association's 2025 Board of Directors embodies these attributes, epitomizing grace and dignity in leadership and governance.
Together, they have transformed these virtues of grace and dignity into pillars of their governance, creating a culture that values righteousness, camaraderie, and the highest levels of professionalism. Their emulative display of grace and dignity reinforces their commitment to the larger purpose they serve, making them most deserving of the Grace and Dignity Award.
Grace, as depicted by this esteemed group, reflects their respectful interactions, considerate decision-making, and poised demeanor in the face of adversity.
Dignity, on the other hand, is exemplified by their unyielding adherence to ethical and moral standards, their innate respect for each member's individuality, and their collective assertion of the Allottee Association's rights and welfare. The board’s fortitude in upholding its values, even in the most challenging situations, demonstrates a level of inherent honor and integrity that is truly commendable.
To Be Determined...
2025 SXAA Board of Directors
To Be Determined...
San Xavier Allottees Association, Inc. is committed to determining an Allottee who exemplifies both characteristics of Grace & Dignity in their life and service to others.
To Be Determined...
2025 SXAA Board of Directors
To Be Determined...
San Xavier Allottees Association, Inc. is committed to determining an Allottee who exemplifies both characteristics of Grace & Dignity in their life and service to others.
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Don't forget to register for the 2026 SXAA Annual Meeting! It will be held on Saturday, March 21st, starting at 9 am.