‘I wouldn’t take no for an answer’: Lifelong Wilmington resident recognized for advocacy

Stacey Henry is one of USA TODAY’s Women of the Year, a recognition of women who have made a significant impact in their communities and across the country. The program launched in 2022 as a continuation of Women of the Century, which commemorated the 100th anniversary of women gaining the right to vote. Meet this year’s honorees at womenoftheyear.usatoday.com.

It began with a phone call on the morning of Sept. 2, 2021.

A friend had reached out to lifelong Wilmington resident Stacey Henry to see if she could help a family left homeless from floods that ravaged the Southbridge neighborhood in Delaware’s largest city.

But when Henry arrived in the historical Wilmington community later that day, there would be far more families in need of assistance than she anticipated and few organized resources to help.

“People were outside, they were wet. They were very upset and very scared. Some of them had immediate needs, like babies with no Pampers, no bottles, no milk, no shoes, nothing to keep warm,” Henry said of when she arrived at the Wilmington PAL Center, where displaced families were sent. “I just continued to ask, who’s in charge? How can I help? What do we need to do? And over and over again, the questions weren’t answered.”

So Henry made a list of what families needed. Using the community relations skills she acquired in the private sector, Henry gathered contact information from families and connected with various resources in the community that could help. 

Henry, a self-described people advocate, was still working with residents displaced by flooding from Hurricane Ida when she was drawn to another disaster in May 2022. This time, 27 families were forced from their homes on North Adams Street after Wilmington building inspectors declared the houses unsafe to live in. 

Lacking adequate contact information for families displaced from the 2021 flooding, Henry started an emergency management command center with a couple volunteer friends. It would serve as a game-changer for Henry and others who volunteered to assist – it put volunteers in direct contact with those who were displaced. 

“I talked to folks that were in charge and I said, ‘Here’s a way that we can help when there’s a disaster like this,’” Henry said. “The first thing we need is their information, very little information – a name and a cell phone number. The app was the beginning of communication to help the residents from that point on.”

This conversation has been edited for length and clarity.

I worked for a large corporation here in Delaware, called MBNA America, and I can truly say I learned a lot about community. One of my last positions was in their community relations, and I learned how to use resources to help folks. Some people think you need a lot of money to do things, and that is not correct. I do not have a lot of money, did not receive a lot of money, didn’t receive money for this position. It wasn’t a position. It was something that needed to be done by pulling in resources. That’s when I started a nonprofit, and I started working in the community. The disaster that happened, both of them, I didn’t get any training on how to do that. That was truly led by my intuition, my spirit, my resources, and know-how of trying to help people who are in need.

I would say my parents paved the way for me growing up – from being a Girl Scout to being a candy striper at the hospital – and always allowing me to explore the community and teaching me good morals and values and having a kind heart. My home growing up was always the home in the block where everyone would go. You’re mad at your parents, come hang out with us. I saw that growing up but I can truly say as a young adult, and as an adult, I have children and I did the same thing for my children. So I would say I’m paving the way for the next generation, too.

One of the proudest moments that I’ve had related to this project here is when I saw a need, and in spite of all of the doors that were closed in my face and the people that thought I was just crazy for the work that I was doing to help people. My proudest moment is when I didn’t give up. I wouldn’t take no for an answer.

My definition of courage is resilience, and also, taking the first step. Even if you can’t see the end of the staircase. You have to step out on faith. To me, courage, my courage, is my faith.

I truly believe that God wouldn’t put more on me than I can bear. There’s been many times where I felt that I just couldn’t do it anymore, and he would send a person. He would send a call. He would send a sign that I am with you and I need you to just stand no matter what it looks like. Just stand, and I just believed that he wouldn’t let me fall or let me give up.

I wouldn’t say I have one role model and I use that word very lightly because there are several people and things that I’ve read. I go all the way back to Harriet Tubman and Sojourner Truth because they were warriors for good for people. No matter what they wouldn’t give up, no matter how hard the challenge may seem. Maya Angelou and, of course, Michelle Obama, and folks who have courage to do things or to step out and make things happen, regardless of if someone’s with you. That’s something that I’ve done many times – I’ve gone alone. Sometimes you think, ‘OK, well how are you going to do this by yourself?’ And there’s always a way and sometimes I didn’t know that way going in, but my faith, my resilience, my courage, my strength, and my love for people is what kept me going.

I think I’m an emotional person, but there’ve been times where I’ve really had challenges with that, and I just never received it as such. I would always find a loophole, to just say ‘no.’ Even though it’s challenging, and even though you know you’re going down the road and it says ‘roadblock,’ I said, ‘Well, there’s got to be a way to get where I need to go around that.’ I use my spirituality a lot because I know there are some things that I’ve done, or places I’ve been and people I’ve been able to help, and I just know the spirit and God’s love for people and my love for people have allowed me to continue on and not feel like I’m defeated or like it wasn’t worth the challenge. 

I was very curious about life and things. I can remember as far back as 3 years old, my dad would take me to school. I couldn’t stay all day because I was so young. He had a big red construction truck, and I would ride in this truck and call myself ‘helping him with directions.’ Even through high school, middle school, and elementary school, I would finish my projects early. I did so many things outside of the norm. I wasn’t a super smart kid, but I was very curious and I used the resources that I had to make lemonade. I’ve made a lot of lemonade in my life, so I would say maybe I was born that way.

One of my goals in life is just to continue to have people appreciate loving each other, and sometimes it doesn’t take much but just to realize that we all have a special purpose here on Earth.

Love doesn’t cost anything. It’s caring. It’s being nice. It’s giving, and not giving up things, but giving up your time, giving up your heart, giving up your talent. I always want to make a difference. Not necessarily to win or to be first or to be recognized, but in any situation that I can help in, I just want to be able to make a small difference and let other people know that we all can shed light on someone else’s dark days or dark times. I just want to be able to be strong and resilient for the next opportunity that is presented to me, and I want to receive it with a caring heart and open mind. 

Published
9:40 am UTC Mar. 19, 2023
Updated
9:40 am UTC Mar. 19, 2023