Latina Heritage
Her birth name was Jo Raquel Tejada. Her dad was Bolivian and her mom was English. She didn't embrace her Latina heritage until late in life around 2002. There was discrimination so she was encouraged by her agent to use her married name Welch, in order to hide her Latina roots.
She didn't speak Spanish because her father didn't want the children to have an accent and to avoid discrimination. Although not fluent, she attempted to learn it when she was in her 60s.