Delores Bailey

EmPOWERment Inc. is a non –profit located in Orange County, NC whose mission has been to “empower individuals and communities to determine their destiny through affordable housing, community organizing and grass roots economic development” since 1996. Delores joined the staff as Community Organizer in 2002. She soon became Associate Director in charge of Organizing, rental properties and marketing. In May 2005 she became Executive Director. Ms. Bailey worked diligently with the Northside neighborhood of Chapel Hill, NC to create an overlay zone that addressed the concerns of gentrification in this traditional African American, low wealth neighborhood. A Conservation District was established that has been the model for several other older neighborhoods in the Chapel Hill area. Ms. Bailey was an active participant in that process. EmPOWERment Inc. operates a small business incubator that caters to minority and women owned businesses. Created in 2001, The Midway Business Center was the first small business incubator created in Orange County, NC. It has been responsible for the creation of over 200 start-up businesses. Under her oversight of EmPOWERment Inc. as it became one of the largest non-profit property owners of affordable rental units in Orange County, NC. Ms. Bailey has helped develop other community focused groups such as: Orange County’s Justice United, the Family Success Alliance, and the Third Sector Alliance. She has been a board member of The Martin Luther King Jr. University/ Community Planning Corporation since 2007. Ms. Bailey has two daughters, one a graduate from UNC-Greensboro, the other a graduate from UNC-Pembroke.