“I want to be a SURGE Fellow because I am deeply committed to serving youth of color—who are not just the future, but the now. As a 2024 Skillman Visionary Award recipient, I bring passion and purpose to my work as an educational leader, continuously pushing for equity and innovation. I believe our education system must be reimagined to reflect the realities of our changing world and to truly honor the brilliance within our communities. SURGE offers a powerful space to grow alongside like-minded leaders, develop critical connections, and build the collective strength needed to transform education. The magic of Detroit is its people; we’ll see that with the 2026 Detroit-based SURGE Fellows.”
Marisol Teachworth Walton | Director of Youth Development, Detroit Hispanic Development Corporation