About Me

My name is Raquel, and I'm an award-winning independent multimedia journalist and producer. My most recent work includes serving as a reporter for the Hollywood trade publication and news organization TheWrap.

During my time at TheWrap, I won the first-place award at the 18th Annual National Arts & Entertainment Journalism Awards for my story “With DEI Rollbacks, the Business of Hollywood May Take a Hit” in 2025. That same year, I earned a second-place award at the 67th Southern California Journalism Awards for my story “After ‘Quiet on Set’ Revelations, Is Hollywood Doing Enough to Protect Child Actors?”

Prior to TheWrap, I worked as a senior multiplatform reporter at Forbes and as a news desk reporter for digital media brand Baller Alert. As for my TV production background, some of my producing credits include the former daytime talk show “The Real” and the nationally syndicated talk show “Dr. Phil.”

Born and raised in Kansas City, Missouri, I attended Columbia College Chicago, where I graduated with a degree in broadcast journalism with an emphasis in television production. I'm also a proud member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc.

In my 10+ years as a multimedia journalist, I’ve covered several news beats, including pop culture, the entertainment business, DEI, politics, and more. Through my reporting, I’ve worked with the Harris Poll to uncover how safe Black Americans feel two years after the murder of George Floyd and broke the exclusive news on Issa Rae’s venture into microdramas with TikTok.

In addition, my print and on-camera work has been featured in several publications and on several platforms, including Ebony magazine, NPR, Fox Soul, The Root, and more.

From covering inequities in big and small business that affect diverse communities to highlighting the cultural impact of Malcolm D. Lee and Will Packer’s “Girls Trip,” my journey as a journalist is as diverse as the stories I cover.