Stephanie L. Mitchell
(FB: @VeteransPortraits)
City/State: Glenn Dale, MD
Current Role/Profession or Area of Expertise: Stephanie Mitchell is a dedicated community advocate and veteran, committed to honoring and uplifting the stories of women in service. She is the founder of Inspiring2BMore, LLC, a human resources professional, and holds leadership roles within nonprofit organizations that strengthen and support communities.
Brief Background
Stephanie Mitchell has dedicated her life to supporting veterans and preserving their legacies. She established the Mitchell Family Endowed Scholarship for Veteran Student Life at the University of Maryland to help veteran-connected students achieve their educational goals. In addition, she serves on the Army Women’s Foundation Scholarship Board, where she helps provide scholarships and recognition to Army women and their families, advancing opportunities for those who have served. Stephanie is also the author of From Veteran to Visionary: Navigating Career Changes with Confidence (https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0C5Y8QH6S), offering guidance and inspiration to veterans and others navigating life and career transitions. Through her work, she amplifies stories of service, resilience, and leadership, ensuring they continue to inspire communities and future generations.
Connection to the 6888th
How did you first learn about the 6888th Central Postal Directory Battalion?
I first learned about the 6888th after a mentor told me about an all-Black female Army battalion — a unit that looked like me. These women were trailblazers. As a veteran myself, I’ve always felt a responsibility to understand the shoulders I stand on. Once I discovered how these multi-ethnic women of color served with discipline, courage, and excellence despite discrimination and incredible pressure, I knew their story was one I needed to not only remember but uplift.
What inspired you to become involved in the 6888th Stamp Project?
What inspired me was simple: the Six Triple Eight deserved better. They deserved recognition, honor, and a place in our nation’s history books that matched the magnitude of their service. As someone committed to community, service, and legacy-building, joining this movement felt like a continuation of my purpose. I’ve spent years pushing people to step into their power — and this project is about giving these women their long-overdue flowers.
What does the legacy of the 6888th mean to you personally?
Their legacy reminds me of the strength, resilience, and brilliance that multi-ethnic women of color have always brought to the fight — even when the world refused to see it. Personally, it’s a standard of excellence. It pushes me to be intentional in how I show up, how I serve, and how I uplift others through Inspiring2BMore.org and my community work. The Six Triple Eight didn’t wait for permission to make history; they just did the work. That spirit drives me every day.
Is there a particular member or story that resonates deeply with you?
Lena Derricott King deeply resonates with me. She is a proud member of the 6888th Central Postal Directory Battalion, and her life represents service that did not end when the uniform came off. After the war, she continued her commitment to excellence through education, leadership, and advocacy—carrying forward the discipline, resilience, and purpose she developed during her military service.
What makes her story especially meaningful to me is both a personal and generational connection. Lena Derricott King was born on January 27, and I was born on January 31, 1973—we are 50 years and three days apart. That small gap feels symbolic, as if her path helped make space for mine, reminding me that legacy bridges generations in powerful ways.
To be able to know her personally makes this connection even deeper. Learning directly from her experiences, hearing her reflections, and witnessing her humility and strength firsthand has transformed her story from history into lived wisdom. It reinforces for me that service is not confined to a moment in time—it is a lifelong calling.
As someone who has served, led, and continues to pour into others, I see my own values reflected in hers: commitment, perseverance, and the belief that what we do today can inspire those who follow. Lena Derricott King’s life reminds me that legacy is built through consistency, purpose, and the courage to keep showing up—long after the spotlight fades.
Role and Contributions
What is your role or area of focus within the Stamp Team?
My primary role within the Stamp Team is community engagement, storytelling, and advocacy. I focus on ensuring that the history of the 6888th Central Postal Directory Battalion is not only shared, but felt—that people understand why this story matters and see themselves connected to it. Through my platform, Inspiring2BMore, and my broader work in leadership and community service, I help translate history into accessible, relatable conversations that inspire action.
I actively engage organizations, civic groups, veterans’ communities, and everyday individuals to build awareness and encourage participation in the Forever Stamp initiative. My goal is to bridge generations—connecting those who lived this history with those just discovering it—while creating space for reflection, learning, and collective pride. Advocacy, for me, is about education, connection, and empowering others to become part of the legacy.
What accomplishment on the project are you most proud of?
One of the moments I am most proud of is reaching people who had never heard of the 6888th and witnessing their genuine reaction—surprise, pride, and often disbelief that such an important story was missing from mainstream history. Watching faces light up as they learn about the Battalion, ask questions, and then want to know more is deeply meaningful to me.
Knowing that our work is shifting awareness and bringing these women’s stories into everyday conversations—across generations, communities, and backgrounds—reminds me why this work matters. Each new person who learns about the 6888th becomes a carrier of their legacy, and being part of that ripple effect is something I hold close and consider a true accomplishment.
How is this project helping preserve African American women’s military history?
This project is preserving and elevating history in real time. For far too long, the service and sacrifices of multi-ethnic women of color in the military were overlooked, minimized, or omitted altogether. The 6888th Stamp Project directly challenges that silence by placing their story where it belongs—front and center, visible, and lasting.
A Forever Stamp is more than symbolic; it is permanent recognition. It ensures that future generations will encounter this history not only in books or museums, but in everyday life. This initiative educates, sparks curiosity, and honors women who served with excellence long before their contributions were widely acknowledged. By elevating their story now, we affirm their place in history and reinforce that service, leadership, and resilience come in many forms—and deserve to be remembered.
Vision and Reflection
What impact do you hope the 6888th Forever Stamp will have once released?
I hope the 6888th Forever Stamp becomes a meaningful reminder that people from many backgrounds—especially women—have always played an important role in keeping the country connected. Sometimes the most important work happens quietly, and things we may not always notice, like mail and communication, are what hold families, communities, and the nation together.
In 1945, the women of the 6888th Central Postal Directory Battalion made a powerful difference by restoring communication between soldiers and their loved ones during World War II. Their dedication helped boost morale and brought comfort during a difficult time, showing how teamwork, perseverance, and responsibility can have a lasting impact.
Today, the stamp honors their service in a simple but meaningful way. It reaches people of all ages and backgrounds and encourages learning, appreciation, and respect for contributions that were overlooked in the past. By appearing on everyday mail, it keeps their story present in daily life.
Looking toward the future, I hope the stamp inspires people—especially young women—to recognize that even small actions matter. It shows that behind every connection is effort, care, and commitment, and that recognizing these contributions helps keep us united as a nation.
How has being part of this movement influenced you personally or professionally?
Being part of this movement has influenced me both personally and professionally by grounding me more deeply in purpose. Learning about the 6888th Central Postal Directory Battalion—and seeing their service honored through the Forever Stamp—has reinforced the idea that meaningful impact often comes from steady, committed work that may not always be visible. That lesson closely reflects how I approach my life and work.
Personally, it has strengthened my passion for empowering others through Inspiring2BMore.org and through my book series, Navigating Changes. The women of the 6888th demonstrated resilience, leadership, and adaptability during uncertain times—qualities that align with the messages I aim to share about growth, confidence, and navigating life’s changes with purpose.
Professionally, this movement connects directly to my scholarship work with the Army Women’s Foundation, where supporting education and opportunity helps honor the service and legacy of women who have contributed to our nation. In addition, my work with IamLightLegacy.com, a human trafficking awareness nonprofit, is inspired by the same commitment to service, dignity, and protection of others that the 6888th embodied through their dedication and teamwork.
Overall, the influence of the 6888th CPDB and the Forever Stamp has helped shape who I am by reminding me that honoring history, uplifting others, and creating pathways for opportunity are all connected. Their legacy continues to guide my personal mission and professional work, encouraging me to lead with purpose, compassion, and a commitment to making a lasting difference.
What message would you like to share with supporters or future generations about this project?
Your voice matters. Your efforts matter. And your willingness to honor those who came before you keeps our history alive. Don’t let stories like the 6888th fade — amplify them, teach them, and let them shape how you lead and serve.
In one word or short phrase, how would you describe the spirit of the Stamp Team?
Unstoppable legacy-builders.
Your Support Powers This Mission
Our work is not finished. Every new signature pushes us closer to a stamp that ensures the 6888th receives the national acknowledgment they earned through courage, excellence, and unwavering dedication.
We invite you to:
Sign and share the petition widely
Print signature sheets for local events
Talk about the 6888th — keep their story alive
Contact the Stamp Team
The Stamp Project
P.O. Box #616
Bowie, Maryland 20718
Inspiring2BMore 