This Sisters with Superpowers story is sponsored by Chevy.
Texas A&M University alumna Helen Stagg is the chief executive officer of a community based social service organization in Houston called Change Happens. The nonprofit organization is the largest community-based program both founded and operated by Black leaders located in the Greater Gulf Coast region of Texas.
As chief executive officer, Stagg is responsible for a multitude of activities such as operational planning, program implementation, strategic planning, human resource development and community relations. The mission of Change Happens is to help people empower themselves.
Serving 65,000 clients annually, the organization’s scope now includes after school programs, HIV prevention, housing and supportive services, workforce development and employment, and more. Stagg is also a member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority and she makes it clear that her main goal in life is to serve others.
Why is it important for women of color to work in leadership roles?
[They help] to bring a diverse range of ideas and opinions to the table. It is also important for our children to see and imagine a world where everyone is valued.
If you could thank any Black woman for her contributions to history and society, who would it be and why?
I would thank my mother. … Her impact and contributions reverberate throughout the world by her kindness to others, unselfish sacrifice for the greater good, and her unconditional love.
Why is it important for more experienced Black women to reach back and help younger women of color?
We all have a responsibility to help one another. It is important for Black women because Black people have been denied opportunities that were freely given to others.
Any career highlights you would like to mention?
Three career highlights include [my] role as a CEO, author, and doubling [the] organizational budget.
As a successful woman in business, what is your greatest or proudest achievement?
I have two wonderful daughters. In the scheme of things, I am most grateful for that above all.
