Our Team

Providence Student Union unites and develops an entire team of youth leaders, staff, and adult allies all in support of building student power. Our youth staff and recent alumni take on important roles at the organization, including running our fundraising, running workshops, recruiting new members, and organizing campaigns. Providence Student Union is youth led, and adult staff serve an important role in advising, training, and supporting all of our members.

Our Staff

 
 

Dexter Vincent‘24
Leadership Team


Co-Director

He/Him

dexter@pvdtsudentunion.org

Dexter's Bio

Dexter is currently a student at Classical High School. Dexter first started with PSU as the Classical chapter co-delegate. Dexter believes being a youth activist centers bringing together and making their voices heard. Some of his passions include architecture, urban design, painting, and everything Providence. He knows that everyone is passionate about something, and thinks it’s important to hear that voice and amplify it.

Merrill Schmidt

Development Director

She/Her

Merrill@pvdstudentunion.org

Merrill's Bio

Merrill is excited to support the Providence Student Union’s work to build collective youth power, improve students’ education and well-being, and advocate for social justice as the Development Director. She recently moved to Providence from her hometown of Little Rock, AR, and is looking forward to getting more involved in the community here. As a student at Little Rock Central High School, she saw the ongoing impact of racial inequity and the legacy of segregation in her community. Since then, she has been inspired to work for social change in the public and nonprofit sectors. After high school, she attended Colorado College in Colorado Springs, CO, where she majored in Southwest Studies and minored in Education. In her free time, she enjoys spending time with friends and family, hiking, traveling and reading.

Jordan Jace

Civics and Engagement Organizer

He/Him

jordan@pvdstudentunion.org

Jordan's Bio

After moving to New England for college Jordan has worked mostly as a server. He organizes to build power for oppressed people. Having admired the work the student organizers did with PASS fighting to get cops out of schools and replace them with counselors, he jumped at the chance to work with PSU.

Demi Egunjobi ‘24 Leadership Team

Co-Director

She/Her

demi@pvdstudentunion.org

Demi's Bio

As a student at Classical High School, Demi sees the issues within the Providence Public School District. She is very interested in activism and social justice and has worked with many youth orgs around Providence in efforts to create change in her community. Demi is passionate about civics education, criminal justice reform, and human rights, and hopes to improve the lives of the people around her through advocacy and education.

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Joselin Morente ‘18


Youth Engagement Director

Joselin

joselin@pvdstudentunion.org

Joselin's Bio

Joselin is a K’iche digital artist. They love to create portraits of other Indigenous people happy and doing what they love, especially with the fact that Black and Inidgenous people are often not shown in stages of love. Everything they do is all in the framework of abolishing racist systems because in the long term, reform is not enough. A former PSU youth, Joselin is happy to be in an adult support role where they are working with the youth leaders at the PSU and cultivating an inclusive and youth-led movement.

Denezia Fahie

Executive Director

She/They

denezia@pvdstudentunion.org

Denezia's Bio

Denezia Fahie is a Worcester, Massachusetts native and Worcester Public Schools graduate. As a young person who spent the majority of her adolescence navigating the foster care system, she found her purpose in challenging social inequities. While in her youth, she became a respected community organizer with several community groups including Worcester YWCA Girls Choice, Planned Parenthood Get Real Teen Council, and Advocates for Youth: Young Women of Color for Reproductive Justice. Denezia is a featured TedX speaker, her talk centers on the need for comprehensive sex education in public schools. She has been honored for her service and awarded the 2017 YWCA Erskine Spirit of Leadership Award, the 2018 City of Worcester Young Woman of Consequence Award, and the 2018 Worcester Magazine Hometown Hero Honor.

She attended Brandeis University (Magna Cum Laude 22’) where she completed a dual degree in Education Studies and African and African-American Studies with a minor concentration in Social Justice and Social Policy. During her time at Brandeis, she co-founded the university’s first peer health education program. Denezia recently obtained her Master of Arts from Brown University, where she studied Urban Education Policy. Denezia currently serves as the Executive Director of Providence Student Union, a youth-led organization that mobilizes young people in advocating around local issues.

Denezia believes education should function as a foundational community resource and anchor site of social work where youth are empowered and nurtured. She imagines a future of education that centers the full, authentic, and unapologetic version of students. Denezia is a writer, poet, and researcher who enjoys spending her free time attending open mics, taking road trips, and going to the beach!

 
 

Board of Directors

Providence Student Union’s Board of Directors is responsible for sustaining the organization long-term. The Board provides fundraising, financial, and legal support, and helps to supervise and advise the Executive Director. The Board does not make any decisions regarding programming or campaigns; these powers are reserved for our Leadership Team members and membership generally.

 
 
  • Jaya Sarkar, Board Chair

  • Jayda Ives-Williams, Vice Chair

  • Jada Rodriguez, Secretary

  • Michael McGuigan, Treasurer

  • Mahasan Chaney

  • Tashal Brown

  • Jack Rusley

  • Stevent Cleto Garcia