For the last year, Raquel Welch-Johnson has been the National Forum’s Americorps member working in the Brightmoor neighborhood of Detroit.  Raquel has been working on numerous projects to build a college-going culture.  As Raquel completes her Americorps service, she says that leaving is bitter-sweet.  “It’s hard to believe that the year is already over.” At Youthquake, a neighborhood block-party [...]

Over the past couple years, the National Forum has partnered with leaders of the Brightmoor community, a neighborhood in the northwest region of Detroit, to promote and establish a college access network for Brightmoor youth and adults.  Assisting in this task is Raquel K. Welch-Johnson, an AmeriCorps member within the Mentor Michigan College Coaching Corps [...]

Throughout life we are all tasked with dilemmas regarding our reasoning for existence.  Discovering your life’s purpose isn’t always easy, and getting some insight as to your purpose can certainly help you get some focus and clarity on your path.  No matter what culture, race, religion, or gender, we all have had that one time [...]

Where were you before coming to work at the National Forum? I worked for Support Through Intervention and Prevention for the Pontiac School District. Where are you from originally? I was born in Great Lakes, Illinois.  My family originated in Alexandria, Louisiana.  I spent half of my life in the south and in Michigan. In [...]

Raquel K. Welch-Johnson is a current graduate student in the Marygrove College Education program.  She will graduate with a Master of Education majoring in Mathematics with a minor in Economics.  She is a believer in continuous education and has completed: Journeyman’s License in Accounting and Finance through the United States Air Force, two year Diploma [...]