On Thursday, February 8, the Campus Y brought together local leaders to discuss how Orange and Durham County communities can be more welcoming, equitable, and sustainable. The intimate conversation kicked off with an audience discussion about what makes a hometown great, followed by a student-moderated Q&A that touched on the proposed Durham-Orange light rail, gentrification, the Tiny House movement, economic-mobility barriers, and more. Listen to the conversation above to learn why they’re relying on the next generation to fight for healthier neighborhoods for all.
Panelists
Clay Grubb, CEO of Grubb Properties: Grubb is a graduate of Tulane University with a double major in finance and economics. He received his law degree from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. A seven-year member, past president, and treasurer of the Charlotte Apartment Association, Grubb is likewise a member of the Young President Organization, the Urban Land Institute, and Queens University’s Entrepreneurial Circle, where he previously served on its Board of Trustees.
Delores Bailey, Executive Director of EmPOWERment, Inc.: Bailey has degrees from the University of Wisconsin and the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. She joined EmPOWERment, Inc. in the summer of 2002 as a community organizer and began the Career Explorers Program. In 2004, Bailey was promoted to co-director and in the following year became executive director. Since joining EmPOWERment, Inc., she has been an outspoken advocate for residents of Chapel Hill. As executive director, one of her many major accomplishments includes coordinating with local community organizations to acquire a neighborhood conservation district in Chapel Hill.
Blake Strayhorn, President and Executive Director of Durham Habitat for Humanity: Strayhorn received his undergraduate and graduate degrees from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. As Durham Habitat’s chief executive, Blake is leading efforts to significantly expand Habitat’s operations and to increase its impact in and throughout the city of Durham. Blake came to Habitat after 20 years of banking, e-commerce, and entrepreneurial success with companies like Wachovia, Eurosport Soccer, and Cherokee Partners.
Amy Blank Wilson, Assistant Professor of Social Work and Co-Director of Tiny Homes Village: After earning her doctorate in social welfare from the University of Pennsylvania, Blank Wilson accepted a National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) postdoctoral fellowship at the Rutgers University Institute for Health, Health Care Policy, and Aging Research.She has been the principal investigator or co-investigator on more than 11 studies examining the mental health and criminal justice systems. Soon after Dr. Blank Wilson became involved with the Tiny Homes Village at the Farm at Penny Lane, she was selected from the entire UNC-CH faculty to receive a C. Felix Harvey Award, which honors faculty whose work directly and positively impacts constituencies outside the University.