What I think we have to work on more as women is lifting each other up…make each other highlight each other’s accomplishments and treat each other as our potential, not our shortcomings, to really build each other up.
Stacey Luster is a third generation Worcesterite. During her formative years she lived in Great Brook Valley, Plumley Village, and Washington Heights. She graduated from South High School at the age of 16. She attended St. John’s University in New York and completed her degree in Government and Administration. In addition, she graduated from Boston University School of Law. In 1991 she was elected to the Worcester City Council, the first elected black woman to serve in that capacity. She has also served as Affirmative Action Officer for the Worcester Public School System, Assistant to the President of Quinsigamond Community College, and Director of Human Resources for the Worcester Public School System. She helped to create the Worcester Future Teachers Academy. Stacey later was employed as Assistant Vice President for Human Resources and Payroll and Equal Opportunity at Worcester State University. She is currently General Counsel for that institution. In this interview Stacey stresses the importance of family, faith, hard work, and the various mentors who impacted her life. She talks about the challenges and joys of growing up in Worcester and the financial difficulties she faced while pursuing her undergraduate and graduate degrees. She elaborates on how important it is for women to reach out to other women and offer them encouragement and positive feedback.