Dorothea Williams-Arnold is an English and Language Arts teacher with nearly 18 years of experience in the Detroit Public Schools Community District. She earned her Bachelor of Science from Eastern Michigan University and her Master of Arts degree from Marygrove College.

As a senior fellow at the Pulse Institute and the Esper St. Block Club president, Dorothea has been a strong voice for her community for over 20 years. Her commitment to neighborhood advocacy and block club organization has increased resident engagement, collaborative efforts to combat blight, and enhanced potential for investment and development in the area.

In addition to her community advocacy work, Dorothea is an essayist. Her published articles in Chalkbeat, Bridge Detroit, and the Pulse Institute explore issues such as education equity, poverty, and the destabilizing effects of predatory investment trends on residential neighborhoods.