Some careers follow a straight path, but for Delores Morton, life had other plans. From a small-town girl in South Louisiana to a leader in nonprofit work, she never imagined herself as a CEO. And yet, through persistence, mentorship, and a drive to uplift others, she became exactly that.
“I sometimes say I am just a girl from the Bayou,” Delores told host Amy Boyle, “but I have lived the dreams that my mother, father, grandparents—generations of my family—had for me that I didn’t even know about.”
A Journey Defined by Mentorship
Delores spent nearly three decades in nonprofit leadership, working on projects that impacted veterans, students, and families. But for the last five years, her focus has been Step Up, an organization dedicated to mentoring teenage girls and young women.
Her own journey was anything but linear. “I didn’t know about internships or networking. I thought getting into college was enough,” she shared. But life took an unexpected turn when she lost a full-ride scholarship after becoming pregnant. “I had to leave college. I went back home with my daughter, and that’s when I found AmeriCorps.” Through the program, she worked, earned a scholarship, and ultimately finished her degree—almost a decade later, while holding her six-month-old son at graduation.
Seeing Leadership in Herself
Despite her growing leadership, Delores never saw herself as the person in charge—until someone else did. “I thought I was the best number two,” she admitted. “It was a mentor who told me, ‘You are capable of leading in this way.’ She coached me, helped me prepare, even picked out my outfit for the interview.”
That push led Delores to become CEO of Step Up, a national nonprofit that now operates in eight cities and supports over 3,000 girls and young women annually. “Education is critical, but I believe mentorship is an accelerator,” she said. “One conversation at the right time can make a tremendous difference.”
Bringing Others Along
For Delores, success isn’t just about personal achievement—it’s about lifting others up. “Being phenomenal means being authentic, but not doing it alone,” she said. “It’s about making the table bigger so there’s room for more people.”
Step Up makes mentorship scalable and accessible through flash mentoring, where one structured conversation can create impact. “Women want to help, but they don’t always have time for a long-term commitment,” Delores explained. “This makes it possible.”
How You Can Get Involved
Step Up is always looking for mentors, and you don’t need to be in one of their eight cities to help. Their mentorship app allows volunteers to connect with young women nationwide on their own schedule.
Want to support the next generation of leaders? Visit suwn.org to sign up as a mentor, donate, or learn more. Because sometimes, one conversation is all it takes to change a life.