Our Herstory: Women Who Shaped YWCA Delaware and Beyond
Sunday, March 1, 2026
Each March, YWCA Delaware proudly celebrates Women’s History Month — a time to honor the women who have shaped our past, strengthened our communities, and continue to inspire our future.
At YWCA Delaware, we call this shared legacy Our Herstory— the stories of courage, leadership, and determination that continue to guide our work.
For more than 131 years, our organization has believed that civic participation and community action are essential to building a world where women and families can succeed.
Today, we continue that legacy by working to eliminate racism and empower women through safe housing, crisis services, youth programs, and economic empowerment opportunities.
Women’s history is not only found in textbooks; It is unfolding in our neighborhoods, workplaces, and communities every day.
This month, we are proud to highlight just a few of the remarkable women whose leadership and courage have made a lasting impact in Delaware and within the YWCA community.
Women Who Shaped YWCA and Delaware
Grace Dodge
(1856–1914) Grace Dodge, founder of YWCA USA, devoted her life to improving opportunities for working women and immigrants in New York City. Known for her tireless work ethic, deep empathy, and unwavering respect for the people she served, Grace dedicated her life to uplifting others.
Grace helped shape the future of women’s education by founding Teachers College at Columbia University and by uniting two YWCA organizations to better support women’s evolving needs. Her influence continues today in every woman pursuing higher education, building a career, or forging new paths.
Learn more here: https://www.tc.columbia.edu/articles/2025/march/meet-the-female-trailblazer-who-founded-tc/
Julia Morgan
(1872–1957) Julia Morgan was the first woman licensed as an architect in California and reshaped American architecture with her innovative design and uncompromising vision.
A graduate of the École des Beaux-Arts in Paris—one of the first women admitted to its architecture program—she broke barriers in a male-dominated field at the turn of the 20th century.
Best known for Hearst Castle, she also designed influential YWCA buildings across the West, including Asilomar and the Hollywood Studio Club.
Learn more here: https://www.ywcaoahu.org/ywca-oahu-120/2020/4/14/a-moment-in-our-history-julia-morgan-derey
Rosetta Lawson
(1875–1936) Rosetta Lawson, a trailblazer and suffragette driven by firsthand understanding of the needs of Black women after Reconstruction, worked to create a YWCA that served those excluded by segregation.
She made history by establishing the first Phyllis Wheatley Branch of YWCA—an affirming, community‑built space by and for Black women.
Her leadership expanded opportunity and visibility within a segregated system and paved the way for YWCA to become the organization it is today.
Learn more here: https://www.ywca.org/media-center/blog/2025-8-7/ywca-and-the-real-rebels-of-the-gilded-age
Caroline B. Williams
(1875–1971) Caroline B. Williams was a dedicated educator and suffragist who spent many years teaching at Howard High School in Wilmington.
Alongside her colleagues, she helped found the Wilmington Equal Suffrage Club and the Suffrage Study Club, organizing African American women around voting rights and civic participation during the early 20th century suffrage movement.
Williams also worked with the NAACP and was active in community life in Wilmington, including involvement with YWCA Delaware. Her lifelong advocacy for women’s enfranchisement and civil rights marked her as a crucial but often overlooked leader in Delaware’s journey toward gender and racial equality
Learn more here: https://documents.alexanderstreet.com/d/1009594393
Helen Claytor
(1907–2005) Helen Claytor grew up during segregation and became a powerful force for progress within YWCA.
Starting out in a separate "Negro" branch in Kansas, she next became secretary of interracial education in the race relations office of YWCA national in New York.
Despite facing racial backlash—including board resignations when she became president of the YWCA West Central Michigan—Claytor went on to serve as YWCA USA’s national board president, leading the organization’s mission to empower women of all races.
Through the YWCA, she worked alongside Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and other civil rights leaders to advance racial justice, economic equality, and nonviolent social change.
Learn more here: https://www.ywcawcmi.org/ywca-helen-claytor-recognition-society-endowment-fund
Dr. Hilda A. Davis
(1905–2001) Dr. Hilda A. Davis was a pioneering educator and community leader, becoming the first Black full-time faculty member at the University of Delaware and serving as associate director of its Writing Center.
She lived for a time at YWCA Delaware’s residence, and in 1988 the organization honored her by naming its Single Women’s Residence after her.
From 1992 until her passing, Dr. Davis served as an honorary board member of YWCA Delaware, actively supporting its mission to empower women and advance equity. Her decades of work in education, mental health, and community service expanded opportunities for women.
Learn more here: https://udreview.com/hilda-davis-a-forgotten-trailblazer/
Dr. Dorothy I. Height
(1912–2010) Dr. Dorothy I. Height, the “Godmother of the Civil Rights Movement,” devoted her life to boldly advancing racial and gender justice.
As YWCA’s first Director of Racial Justice, her historic call to “eliminate racism, wherever it exists, by any means necessary” at the 1970 YWCA National Conference continues to inspire generations.
As longtime president of the National Council of Negro Women, she built national social service programs, expanded international women’s rights initiatives long before “global feminism” became a mainstream term, and championed economic security—not just protest.
Learn more here: https://www.womenshistory.org/education-resources/biographies/dorothy-height
Roxana Cannon Arsht
(1915–2003) Roxana Cannon Arsht was a pioneering lawyer and judge whose career shattered gender barriers in Delaware’s legal system.
After graduating from the University of Pennsylvania Law School at a time when few women practiced law, she was the fifth woman admitted to the Bar in Delaware and the first woman appointed to a judicial position in the state when named to the Family Court in 1971.
Beyond the bench, Arsht fought for women’s reproductive rights, volunteered in community causes, and supported philanthropic efforts that strengthened education and health services throughout Delaware.
Learn more here: https://www.artworkarchive.com/profile/owaa/artwork/roxana-cannon-arsht
Lillian Kimura
(1920–2020) Lillian Kimura was among the Japanese Americans who were incarcerated in U.S. internment camps during World War II.
The experience informed her later life, as a career in leadership began with the YWCA, which had helped the women and girls in the camps. She became the Associate Executive Director of YWCA USA.
Later, she was elected the first female president of the Japanese American Citizens League (JACL), a civil rights organization that, under Kimura’s leadership in 1994, became the first non-LGBTQ organization after the ACLU to advocate for marriage equality.
Learn more here: https://www.pacificcitizen.org/lillian-kimura-jacls-1st-woman-natl-president-dies-at-91/
Dr. Eva L. Verplanck
(1924–2021) Dr. Eva L. Verplanck was born in Austria and later emigrated to the United States, earning a B.A. from Radcliffe College and a Ph.D. from Yale University. After working at the Academy of Natural Sciences, she became a dedicated community volunteer while raising her family.
She devoted 58 years of service to YWCA Delaware as a board and honorary board member, beginning her involvement in 1963 during the Civil Rights Movement. A strong advocate for racial and social justice, she championed women’s independence through employment, education, and community engagement.
As co-chair of YWCA Delaware’s financial development efforts, she supported programs addressing systemic barriers, including after-school services, food access, housing support, nontraditional job training, and racial dialogue initiatives—helping expand opportunities for women and families across Delaware.
Learn more here: https://tinyurl.com/y5zmjhxa
Sonia Schorr Sloan
(1928–2019) Sonia Schorr Sloan was a fearless leader, activist, and philanthropist whose vision and determination helped shape YWCA Delaware for decades.
As a devoted volunteer and a fundraising leader, she played a key role in launching the capital campaign for YWCA Delaware’s Home-Life Management Center and major initiatives, including the Race Against Racism and the nationally recognized YWCA Delaware Biathlon—raising critical resources while elevating the organization’s mission.
Known for her ability to connect donors to the real stories of those served, Sonia helped secure transformational support for YWCA programs, including transitional housing, workforce development, and community services.
Guided by deep principles of justice and equity, she believed that if change was needed, it was everyone’s responsibility to act.
Learn more here: https://delawaretoday.com/life-style/one-womans-tireless-efforts-to-save-a-broken-world/
Margaret Rose Henry
(1944–Present) Margaret Rose Henry made history as the first African American woman elected to the Delaware Senate. During her tenure, she championed reforms to the juvenile justice system and helped establish Delaware’s needle-exchange program, advancing public health and community safety.
Rose’s connection to YWCA Delaware began when she moved to the state in 1970. It was her first place of employment, where she worked with the Job Corps YWCA program. She supported young women completing job training by helping them secure housing, employment, and apartments—early work that reflected her lifelong commitment to equity, opportunity, and community support.
Learn more here: https://www.artworkarchive.com/profile/owaa/artwork/margaret-rose-henry
Marian E. Hinson
(1945–2009) Marian E. Hinson was a dedicated advocate for fair and affordable housing in Delaware, working to address housing disparities and expand access for low-income families.
She played a key role in founding the Delaware Housing Coalition and served as a commissioner for the Wilmington Housing Authority, helping improve housing policies, management, and resident services.
In 1989, her vision for supporting women and families beyond temporary shelter became reality with the opening of the YWCA Home-Life Management Center, a transitional housing program offering case management without time limits.
She led the Center until her retirement in 2006, leaving a lasting legacy in housing advocacy and community support.
Learn more here: http://www.geek-ish.com/
A. Leslie Stanford
(1946–Present) A. Leslie Stanford, Ph.D. is a pioneering scientist and community leader whose decades of service have strengthened YWCA Delaware’s mission.
After earning her Ph.D. in Physical Chemistry from Northwestern University, she became one of the first women hired into basic research at DuPont, later leading efforts in diversity and organizational development.
Leslie first connected with YWCA Delaware through racial justice study circles and went on to serve as a facilitator, board member (1999–2007), and Board President (2005–2007). She founded the Major Gifts Subcommittee, dramatically strengthening donor engagement and long-term sustainability. Today, she continues to serve as an Honorary Board Member, leaving a legacy of strategic leadership, racial justice advocacy, and transformational philanthropy.
Learn more here: https://www.facebook.com/share/v/1DSNW8PpHy/
Paulette Sullivan Moore
(1951–Present) Paulette Sullivan Moore, Esq., born to a courageous and determined 15-year-old mother, is a trailblazing attorney and national leader in public policy and domestic violence prevention.
The first African American woman admitted to the Delaware Bar, she spent decades advancing survivor-centered policy at the state and national levels, including leadership roles with the Delaware Coalition Against Domestic Violence and the National Network to End Domestic Violence.
A longtime supporter of YWCA Delaware, Moore currently serves on the Resilience Fund Advisory Board, continuing her lifelong commitment to equity, safety, and opportunity for women and families.
Learn more here: https://www.artworkarchive.com/profile/owaa/artwork/paulette-sullivan-moore
Carolann D. Wicks
(1960–Present) Carolann D. Wicks is a respected civic leader and engineer who serves as Board President of YWCA Delaware. She also serves on the advisory committee for YWCA Delaware’s Resilience Fund, helping to guide strategic investments that strengthen the organization’s long-term sustainability and community impact.
A board member since 2018, she previously served as Treasurer, Executive Board Member, and President-Elect, bringing steady leadership and a deep commitment to eliminating racism and empowering women.
Wicks is Chief Operating Officer of The Reybold Group and previously served as Delaware Secretary of Transportation, where she led statewide transit services and major infrastructure initiatives. In 2002, she made history as Delaware’s first female Chief Engineer at DelDOT.
Throughout her career, Wicks has broken barriers and built systems that expand opportunity—bringing the same strategic vision and results-driven leadership to YWCA Delaware that has defined her public service and engineering career.
Learn more here: https://delawarelive.com/carolann-wicks-is-the-new-board-president-of-ywca/
Senator Lisa Blunt Rochester
(1962–Present) U.S. Senator Lisa Blunt Rochester made history as the first woman and first Black woman elected to the U.S. Senate from Delaware.
Prior to her Senate election, she served four terms as Delaware’s U.S. Representative, where she was a member of the House Committee on Energy and Commerce, overseeing key issues including health care, environmental protection, energy policy, telecommunications, manufacturing, and consumer protection.
Rochester has been a longtime leader in Delaware and a champion for equity, opportunity, and public service. She served on YWCA Delaware’s Board of Directors during the 2015–2016 term, supporting the organization’s mission to empower women and eliminate racism.
Learn more here: https://www.bluntrochester.senate.gov/
Congresswoman Sarah McBride
(1990–Present) Congresswoman Sarah McBride is a groundbreaking leader in Delaware and U.S. history. She first made national history in 2020 as the first openly transgender person elected to a state senate, serving in the Delaware Senate where she championed health care access, paid family leave, and protections for workers and families.
In January 2025, McBride was sworn in as U.S. Representative for Delaware’s at-large congressional district, becoming the first openly transgender member of the U.S. Congress.
In addition to her public service, McBride serves as an honorary committee member on YWCA Delaware’s Resilience Fund Advisory Committee, supporting efforts that advance equity, stability, and opportunity for women and families.
Learn more here: https://mcbride.house.gov/
