Meet Stacey Pierre

We were lucky to catch up with Stacey Pierre recently and have shared our conversation below.

Stacey , we are so deeply grateful to you for opening up about your journey with mental health in the hops that it can help someone who might be going through something similar. Can you talk to us about your mental health journey and how you overcame or persisted despite any issues? For readers, please note this is not medical advice, we are not doctors, you should always consult professionals for advice and that this is merely one person sharing their story and experience.

During my undergraduate experience, I quickly became involved in extracurricular activities. I clearly remember being in my dorm and finding out about a program called the Freshman Leadership Institute (FLI). A program designed to teach leadership skills to incoming students. When I found out about the program, I eagerly put my best foot forward and applied for the opportunity. Weeks later, to my delight, I received an acceptance email. Following that email, I waited weeks before starting the program. When it was time, I was introduced to another world. On a week-by-week basis, we had campus leaders and admirable faculty come and introduce us to topics such as public speaking, S.M.A.R.T. goals, and the strategies to making the most out of our collegiate experience. As someone who was determined to re-brand myself from the mediocre high school student to the accomplished collegiate superstar, I was hooked. After FLI, I dove headfirst into involvement, applying for roles and organizations I was deeply interested in and, quite frankly, not so interested in. I became a Service Scholar, work-study student, FL’s Assistant Director, Orientation Leader, Youth Mentor, Sorority Member, Student Body Vice President, and President… oh was still a full-time Biology student as well. All within four years. That was the issue. As my participation in extra-curricular activities grew, my academic prowess declined and so did my mental health. By my senior year, people were walking in on me crying to my close friend on the phone about how overwhelmed I felt. Despite feeling overwhelmed and depressed, I persisted until graduation. I still have a vivid memory of the stress of graduation in my mind. I had an exam on the same day and I had to be at the ceremony center to deliver a speech to my graduating class since I was Student Body President. It all felt like a blur, I turned in my exam cryptically telling my Comparative Vertebrate Anatomy Teaching Assistant that I’d be back. There was no way I passed the class I thought to myself. I rushed over to the ceremonial center, with tears in my eyes, and quickly wiped them away as I met up with administrators and students alike for this ceremonial day. After a few quick wipes to my eyes, I went on to muster just enough energy to deliver a half-effort speech, sat through a two-hour graduation, and was the last person to walk out on stage.

Graduation came and went and before I knew it I was in the “real world”. Despite knowing this, it was almost like I was experiencing Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (not formally diagnosed). Following graduation, I felt so lost and always on edge. Like I was slipping into a dark hole, to the point that I was grasping for anything to make me feel sane again. Due to my hyperactivity in undergrad, I felt the need to always be doing something, and for the first time in a long time, I had nothing to do. No one to meet with. Nothing to balance, because I was relinquished from my responsibilities upon completing my time at my university. So, I did what anyone who is feeling lost and without purpose does, I applied to graduate school. As someone who just graduated with a Bachelor of Science in Biology, I knew firsthand how much of a struggle it was to study, learn, and comprehend the field of Biology. Intrinsically, I also knew that I was not passionate about the field, but instead wanted to do it because my Mom was in the health field, and knew she would be so proud of me. So despite the depression, anxiety, and deep down knowing this path was not for me, I scrambled together an application for my university’s new Biology Master’s program, and that Fall following my Spring graduation, I started graduate school. I started graduate school with the same mindset I started undergrad, I was in it to prove something to myself. Ultimately I wanted to prove that I was smart enough to go down this path of studying the sciences to become a physician and make my Mother proud. And I must say, the beginning of my experience wasn’t so bad. With me not being as involved, I had time to dive into my classes and do well in them. I made friends, went out, and established a healthy balance of work and play. Not saying I was a perfect student, but I did manage to get all A’s and B’s in my two semesters in graduate school. Then 2020 happened.

During my second semester of graduate school, COVID-19 reared its disruptive head. One day, my Molecular Biology professor mentioned the virus and told us that we would have to deliver our final presentation from home. I was delighted because I liked my apartment and had stage fright about presenting on a topic that I felt a bit wonky about. The time came and went, and my partner and I delivered our presentation. Then the semester came and went and we were deep in lockdown. Summer 2020 arrived and instead of being a time of bliss, relaxation, and fun, I was again reminded about the dangers that come with being a Black American, specifically a Black woman in the United States of America. With the resurgence of the Black Lives Matter movement, my timeline was suddenly filled with posts about police brutality, videos of protests, and violence toward people of African descent. Then, I read about a story that hit close to home. Black Lives Matter activist, Oluwatoyin Salau was murdered by a local Tallahassee man. She was experiencing some home insecurity and unfortunately, trusted this individual to her demise. This sent me into a spiral, so much so that I moved back home and dropped out of graduate school. This was extremely disruptive because I had hopes of persisting in becoming a physician. But, I could not continue. Salau’s death made me question everything. How I existed as a Black woman, how despite being one of the most vulnerable populations, we are expected to display inordinate amounts of strength to please the people around us, even to our detriment. It had me thinking about all the Black and Brown women who undergo the same thing. Sinking deeper into my depression, I was not finding hope at all until I turned outwards to the community. Despite feeling low, I found a writing group with Eric Koester’s Creators Institute and it allowed me to write a story, which I am still writing, about the importance of mental health amongst Black women. I started a Giving Circle turned organization called More Than Strong. More Than Strong’s mission is to help women of color redefine strength. To date, More Than Strong has donated over $700 to the Loveland Foundation, an organization committed to showing up for communities of color in unique and powerful ways, with a particular focus on Black women and girls. We post resources, personal experiences, and tools on our Instagram page, @wearemorethanstrong, to help women of color show up and be their multi-faceted selves. In my healing journey, I have learned to persist through active therapy, adhering to my medication, and leaning into my community. I’ve learned that on our own we may be able to tackle some of the world’s problems, but together we are More Than Strong.

Appreciate the insights and wisdom. Before we dig deeper and ask you about the skills that matter and more, maybe you can tell our readers about yourself?

I am the founder of More Than Strong: A wellness and empowerment organization for the multi-woman of color. More Than Strong’s mission is to bring multi-faceted, layered, passionate women together through community, education, and wellness. More Than Strong is not about being stronger, it is about embracing the strength we already have and showcasing the different sides of ourselves. Yes, we are strong. But, that’s not all that we are and it’s not always what we have to exhibit. We are delicate, sensitive, courageous, adventurous, smart, witty, successful, achievement-oriented. We are so much more than the stereotypes and tropes that try to box us in. To date, More Than Strong has raised money to provide therapy for women of color, and we are planning our inaugural summit for the upcoming 2025 summer. During this event, we hope to bring together a diverse crowd to explore wellness practices, open up horizons on what we could do/be, and forge community. Before then, we will have quarterly events the first one being in December 2024, to kick off Art-Basel in Miami, FL.

Looking back, what do you think were the three qualities, skills, or areas of knowledge that were most impactful in your journey? What advice do you have for folks who are early in their journey in terms of how they can best develop or improve on these?

Persistence. Curiosity. Community. For folks early in their healing and community-building journey I suggest leaning into all three qualities. For me, it has been the never giving up, always eager to learn, and leaning on friends, families, and colleagues to a healthy extent that has helped me overcome and get to where I am today.

How can folks who want to work with you connect?

Yes, More Than Strong is always looking for partners to collaborate with. At this time we are looking for a Nonprofit advisor, Fundraising Specialist, and Events Coordinator who can help with our work of bringing the multi-woman together through community, education, and wellness. If you are interested in our work, kindly email hello@morethanstrong.org to inquire about working with us.

Contact Info:

• Instagram: @staceyepinc & @wearemorethanstrong
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/stacey-pierre/ & https://www.linkedin.com/company/morethanstrong/