Who We Are

Rashanda (she/her) was born and raised in New Haven, CT. A first generation college graduate, Rashanda has devoted her life’s work to educational advocacy on behalf of BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, and other people of color) students and those in other historically marginalized communities. To that end, Rashanda has worked for over a decade developing innovative programs that promote equity in educational opportunity and advance fundamental human rights protections.

Inspired by a deeper commitment to advocacy and aspiration to challenge laws and policies that have historically disenfranchised too many communities of color, Rashanda attended the University of Miami School of Law. While there she was selected as a Public Service Fellows through the Miami Scholars Program and a Fellowship through Center for Ethics & Public Service. She was also the Managing Editor of the Race and Social Justice Law Review.

While interning at the University’s Human Rights Law Clinic, Rashanda represented a client in the Inter-American Court of Human Rights in Washington, DC and participated in a National “Working Group” with the U.S. Dept. of Justice, Office of Civil Rights, Office of Violence Against Women, and other federal agencies to ensure that the U.S. enacted stonger laws and policies to protect the rights of victims and survivors of domestic violence. She also co-authored the first county-wide (Miami-Dade County) Resolution in the country, declaring freedom from domestic violence as a basic human right.

Returning to Connecticut, Rashanda has continued her educational advocacy efforts on both state and national levels where she worked to ensure that all students have access to a high quality education, regardless of their race, ethnicity, household income or zip code. She currently serves on the Hamden Racial and Ethnic Disparity Workgroup, the JJPOC Education Subgroup, the CT PTA and is Co-Chair of the NAACP Legal Redress Committee.

Kierra (she/her) is a Black and Afro-Caribbean woman born and raised in the Bronx, New York. She moved to Connecticut as an elementary school student, eventually graduating from New Haven Public Schools where she was a student athlete and musician. While attaining her B.B.A. in Marketing and Management Information Systems from Temple University, she became dedicated to the movement surrounding teaching an accurate, all-encompassing version of Black Studies in classrooms. She was a co-organizer with the Black and Brown Coalition at Temple and an active member of The Saturday Free School in North Philadelphia, where she began studying the Black radical tradition.

Post-university, Kierra began substitute teaching at NHPS in order to continue her life-long role of working with young people within her community. She started working with SEJ as a young person herself in early 2019, fueled by her passion for social justice and educational equity, especially pertaining to Black youth.

Outside of her SEJ work, she mentors teenagers and sits on the Board of Directors for a family-oriented non-profit in Chicago. She is also a published poet and enjoys writing personal essays.

Marleny Nieves Viñas (She/Her) is from New Haven, Connecticut; her parents hail from Puerto Rico and Republica Dominicana. She attended Achievement First Amistad High School and Wilbur Cross High School as a student in New Haven. She first got involved with SEJ during her early high school career and decided that she wanted to become a dedicated member shortly after attending a series of member meetings, where she learned historical information that wasn’t taught to her in schools. She also met new people who also attended different New Haven Public Schools and established lifelong friends and community with SEJ.

Something she hopes to do throughout her life is continue to strive for higher education. She wants to be financially knowledgeable and enjoy life to the fullest by taking some risks. In her spare time, she likes to play video games, hang out with friends, and try new foods.

Kierstin Turnbull (she/her) was raised in Connecticut and identifies as West Indian and Black American. She is currently completing her Bachelor’s degree in Sociology and Business Administration with a concentration in Marketing.

Kierstin became involved with Students for Educational Justice (SEJ) as a young person in high school, drawn by her commitment to the organization’s mission. She worked with the organization by creating art work and helping the Leadership Team whenever needed. She continued her passion for social justice and educational equity during her time at Cornell University, but decided to return to connecticut.

Throughout her academic journey, she has been deeply involved in educating young people, having worked as a facilitator and supervisor at the Yale Peabody Museum. There, she was able to educate visitors and lead educational activities for school children. In this role, she found an interest in organizing workshops and interactive sessions that fostered a love for learning and critical thinking among young students. She designed and led programs that highlighted the contributions of Black scientists and historians, connecting these lessons to broader themes of racial justice and representation. During the COVID-19 pandemic quarantine, Kierstin’s dedication to education and mentorship was further demonstrated through her creation of newsletters, podcasts, and interactive videos to keep the community informed and engaged. She developed content that explored the intersections of science, history, and social justice, ensuring that educational resources remained accessible during challenging times. This initiative not only provided valuable information but also maintained a sense of community and continuity for students and their families.

Outside of work, Kierstin is an artist with a emphasis on graphic design. She often takes commissions for book covers, paintings, and other art pieces that convey powerful messages. Her artwork reflects her passion for social justice and offers a creative outlet for expressing diverse perspectives. While she often integrates themes of racial equity, empowerment, and cultural pride into her pieces, she also loves to break free of the norm and create beautiful fantasy pieces.

Looking ahead, Kierstin aspires to continue her advocacy for educational equity and social justice, aiming to make a lasting impact on her community. Through her work with SEJ and her various professional and artistic endeavors, Kierstin is committed to creating a more just and equitable society for future generations.

Millena (she/her) was born and raised in Danbury, Connecticut. She is a first generation American as both of her parents were born and raised in Minas Gerais, Brasil. Millena holds firmly onto her Brasilian heritage as she has continuously advocated for Latino and Immigrant rights throughout her community.

Millena has her Bachelors Degree in Political Science with a minor in Conflict Resolution and Sociology from Western Connecticut State University. Soon after receiving her undergraduate degree, she went on to complete her Masters in International Peace and Conflict Resolution at American University in DC.

Together with her experience in advocacy and academic career, she found a passion for understanding the structural violence that exists throughout the school systems in the United States. A lot of her research throughout her academic career, focused on understanding why our public school systems struggle the way they do and suggest solutions.

Community is a big part of Brasilian culture so outside of work, Millena loves to hang out with her family and friends. While away from Brasil, she has her own little community here that allows her to remain connected to her roots.

Millena aspires to continue her work in fighting for equity in education for all students, as well as fighting for the Latino community as well. As stated before, community is important to her so she hopes to be able to continue to fight for a more equitable future for generations to come.