Village Talks Ep. 12 — Delores Druilhet Morton with The Power of Being Proximate

Flash Mentoring, Real-Time Support, and the Power of Being Proximate
(Village Talks • Season 1, Episode 12 with Delores Druilhet Morton, CEO of Step Up) 

When mentorship is urgent, not “nice-to-have”

Some episodes feel like a normal interview.

This one felt like a strategy session for the village.

In Season 1, Episode 12 of Village Talks, I sat down with Delores Druilhet Morton, CEO of Step Up—and from the first few minutes, you could hear decades of nonprofit leadership, youth advocacy, and mentorship innovation packed into every sentence.

I started the episode telling the village that this conversation was going to be a “foretaste”—like Baskin-Robbins when you get that little spoon sample before you commit to the full scoop.

And sure enough… Delores came in with flavors.

Not hype for hype’s sake—hype with a mission.

Meet Delores Druilhet Morton: “The ultimate hype woman” for the next generation

Delores introduced herself with a one-liner that immediately made me sit up:

“If I had to sum up my job in one sentence, I would say I am the ultimate hype woman for the next generation of women leaders.”

As CEO of Step Up, she and her team are “obsessed” with mentorship—but not the stiff, boardroom-only version.

Step Up helps teen girls and young women define success on their own terms, not on the world’s terms—then surrounds them with the tools, confidence, and network to walk that vision out.

A moment I had to call out: the CEO who still mentors

Somewhere in the conversation, Delores started sharing a story about a mentee—and I had to stop her.

Because here’s the part that hit me:

Delores isn’t just leading meetings. She’s still mentoring. Personally.

And when I called it out, she didn’t dodge it. She explained it.

Not with ego—but with conviction:

“I didn’t become a CEO because I want to run board meetings… I became a CEO because I care about this mission… If I don’t make time for them, then I’m a false prophet.”

That’s what proximity looks like.

And it’s a word the village needs:
If you’re leading a mission you can’t stay close to, you’ll eventually start making decisions about people instead of withpeople.

“Flash mentoring”: mentorship that meets you right now

One of the most powerful parts of this episode is the framework Delores brought to the table:

Flash Mentoring

Mentorship designed to be:

• Short-term (not a heavy long-term commitment)

• Targeted (focused on one topic or skill at a time)

• Experience-based (you don’t need to be a 30-year expert to help)

• Accessible (available when young people need it—not next month)

In plain language: help is a tap away.

Delores described it like having a personal board of directors in your pocket—mentors you can access in real time, based on what you’re navigating today.

Jaden’s story: one conversation → multiple job offers

Delores shared a story that captures the impact of flash mentoring in the real world.

She connected with Jaden through the mentoring app. Jaden was job-hunting, motivated, but stuck—hitting a wall.

Delores reviewed her resume and helped her make strategic changes to match the level she was truly qualified for.

And then?

Within weeks, Jaden didn’t just get one offer—she got multiple offers.

But it didn’t stop there.

A few months into the role, Jaden reached back out—not about resumes, but about real life:
How to adjust to being around people every day after being a “child of COVID,” remote learning, and isolation.

That’s the village.

Identity before advocacy: defining success on your own terms

At one point, I asked Delores about something that sits at the core of youth development:

How can someone advocate for themselves if they don’t first know who they are?

Delores didn’t hesitate.

She explained how Step Up’s work begins with clarity and identity:

• What are your values?

• What are your beliefs?

• What are you good at?

• What life do you want?

She highlighted something important:

Young people today don’t want a prescribed path (“college, military, or work”). They want to define success on their own terms—and they deserve mentors who guide without controlling.

Delores said it plainly:

“I’m only an expert on myself, and you are the expert on you.”

Baldwin, Louisiana—and the village that feeds people

Then the conversation took a beautiful turn.

Delores was visiting home in Baldwin, Louisiana, and we got into food, gardens, fishing—real life.

She shared how her family is close to the earth: fresh eggs, vegetables, even homemade syrup. But what stood out most wasn’t the meal—it was the model.

Her dad gives away eggs to the community.

No bartering. No transactional energy. Just provision.

It was a reminder that “village” isn’t a slogan. It’s a way of living.

The big vision: a mentor at the exact moment it’s needed

When I gave Delores the “magic wand” question, her answer was simple—and massive:

“I want every single young person to have a mentor at the exact moment they need one.”

Not next week.
Not next month.
Not “we’ll schedule you.”

Right then and there.

Closing

This episode is a reminder to every leader, mentor, and community builder:

• Proximity still matters.

• Mentorship is not optional.

• Identity shapes advocacy.

• And the village wins when support becomes accessible.

If you’re building systems that serve young people, or if you’ve ever wondered how mentorship can scale without losing soul—this conversation is for you.

Because the village doesn’t always need you forever.

Sometimes… it needs you today.