Hello all!
I'm Remington Zhi (they/them), and I’m in my third year at the University of Waterloo, double majoring in Pure Math and Mathematical Physics, with a minor in Addictions, Mental Health, and Policy. I was recently elected as Vice President of the Waterloo Undergraduate Student Association (WUSA). I’m also thrilled to be joining the Ontario Undergraduate Student Alliance (OUSA) Steering Committee this year, and I'm incredibly grateful for the opportunity to advocate alongside such a passionate and committed group of student leaders from across the province.
I had been organizing and advocating in my communities long before I ever got involved in student government. From the first protest my mom took me to when I was 9 years old, to co-organizing my first rally at 14, I have spent over a decade learning how change happens, building coalitions, and pushing for a more equitable world. I’ve worked across party lines to fight for better housing and public transit, and I’ve organized as a disability self-advocate to make sure marginalized communities are never left behind. These experiences continue to shape how I approach student government, with both a principled understanding of broader struggles for justice, and strategies that drive results.
At the University of Waterloo, I found my first campus home in the Pure Math, Applied Math, and Combinatorics and Optimization Club, where I helped build an inclusive community in my own program sowhere all students could feel welcome, no matter their background. Before long, I joined the Mathematics Society (MathSoc), advocating for strong academic supports, advancing conversations around mental health and accessibility, and building connections across programs and faculties to foster a Waterloo campus where students feel at home and connected. Outside of school, I was a part of the campaign to stop transit frequency cuts and restore night transit service, and was elected to the Board of Waterloo Co-operative Residence Incorporated, the largest housing co-op in North America!
Eventually, I joined WUSA because I believed in the power of taking my grassroots organizing experience in grassroots organizing and using it to benefit a wider student community. As Vice President, I’m committed to making sure that student voices are not only heard at decision-making tables, but acted upon.
That’s why I’m so excited to be part of OUSA this year. I’ve seen how student-led advocacy at the campus level connects directly to provincial policy. I’ve also seen how powerful it can be when students organize across institutions, support each other, and fight for shared goals. I’m looking forward to learning from the brilliant student leaders across Ontario, and to doing my part to ensure all students—especially those pushed to the margins—are represented in the decisions that affect them most.
I know there’s a lot of work ahead, but I also know that none of us is in this alone. I can’t wait to see what we can build together.
Solidarity,
Remington