Raquel Castañeda-López

Raquel Castañeda-López, a lifelong Detroiter, made history in November 2013 by becoming the first Latina elected to the Detroit City Council. A social worker by trade, Castañeda-López has over ten years of experience in the non-profit sector and is committed to working for social justice. She developed a strong resident service program, through grassroots organizing and a mobile office. Through her efforts Detroit joined the national ‘Welcoming America’ movement to build more inclusive communities, becoming the 41st Welcoming City in the country. Soon after she founded Detroit’s first Immigration Taskforce, worked to create the City’s first Office of Immigrant Affairs and piloted the Detroit ID program. She is part of several international leadership networks with the German Marshall Fund and BMW Foundation. Through these initiatives she has worked to help Detroit grow as a diverse, inclusive and global city. She continues to champion policies that ensure every Detroiter is valued.