As we continue to celebrate Latinx Heritage Month, the Surge Institute is proud to highlight the transformative work and voices of our alumni. Among these exceptional leaders is Marisol Bien Teachworth Walton (DET26), a graduate of the 2026 Surge Academy Detroit cohort.

Marisol serves as the Director of Youth Development for the Detroit Hispanic Development Corporation, whose mission is to provide innovative programming rooted in the rich culture of Southwest Detroit. Her profound impact on the city’s educational landscape is widely recognized, most notably as a 2024 Skillman Visionary Award winner—an honor given to up to 10 individuals annually who are driving visionary educational change in Detroit and beyond.

For Marisol, leadership is rooted in her Puerto Rican heritage and the powerful matriarchs who raised her. When reflecting on the people who shaped her journey to Surge, she points to her family. "My mother, Zojilia, my abuela Josepha, and all of my aunts have shown me that Puerto Rican women can lead, hold power, and create change," she shares. "Their lives remind me that leadership is already within me."

This innate sense of leadership is also guided by the philosophy of legendary Detroit civil rights activist Grace Lee Boggs. Boggs’ words further ground her youth development work: “The only way to survive is by taking care of one another.”

As a fierce advocate for her community, Marisol has a clear, empowering message for the next generation of Latinx leaders stepping into their power. "You don’t have to wait for permission to lead," she advises. "Your culture, stories, ancestors, and lived experiences are sources of strength and wisdom."