The gentrification of the Mission District brought a "gang list" that affected young people in a 60-block radius, limiting their freedom of movement and association. Vicente Garcia used his 2007 Young People For fellowship to organize the community to stop the gang list.
Advanced Leadership & Alumni Intern (Winter 2012)
People For the American Way Foundation conducts research, legal, and education work on behalf of First Amendment freedoms and democratic values; monitors, exposes, and challenges the Religious Right movement and its political allies; identifies, trains, and supports the next generation of progressive leaders through its Young People For youth leadership programs and its Young Elected Officials Network; and carries out nonpartisan voter education, registration, civic participation, and election protection activities.
Young People For (YP4) is a youth-driven and youth-led program that brings together young leaders and activists from across the nation who are eager to ensure that progressive voices are heard on critical issues, such as the judiciary, religious freedom, economic justice, civil rights and constitutional protections. This program is designed for serious people who are interested in being leaders and making a difference. Together we are building a long-term network of emerging leaders committed to protecting our nation’s fundamental rights and freedoms.
YP4 has three overarching priorities: 1) to diversity leadership in the progressive movement; 2) to support young leaders to effect change in their communities now; and 3) to ensure that young leaders are sustained in their leadership over the long term. The core of YP4 is our one-year Fellowship Program for progressive college students, which supports and empowers them to create progressive social change on their campuses and in their communities. The Advanced Leadership and Alumni Program works with the alumni of the one-year Fellowship to continue to support their development as progressive leaders and participants in the progressive movement. The Alumni Program also supports the work of the Front Line Leaders Academy (FLLA), a premier campaign leadership development program offered every year by the Young Elected Officials (YEO) Network and YP4 to 20 talented young people from across the country. FLLA provides prospective candidates and campaign leaders the ability to learn from successful political campaign professionals.
Young People For is offering unpaid full- and part-time internships in Washington, DC. We can work with interns to arrange academic credit.
Responsibilities:
- Conduct outreach and support the development of local alumni networks;
- Support logistics and outreach for the Front Line Leaders Academy;
- Research current youth leadership programs, college activism, and leadership development curriculum;
- Conduct and support research on social issues as they affect young people and the alumni network on the local, state, regional, and national level;
- Support the Young People For team to plan and execute the annual National Summit;
- Interns are encouraged to contribute to the YP4 Blog, YP4 social media presences, and to take on special projects and responsibilities that relate to their specific interests;
- Assist Alumni Program staff members with day-to-day communication with and tracking of alumni;
- Perform administrative support and duties as needed.
Qualifications:
- Experience with grassroots, political, student or youth organizing and/or leadership development.
- Ability to work effectively in a fast-paced environment; must be well organized, detail-oriented and able to effectively manage competing priorities and frequent deadlines.
- Excellent interpersonal skills, including ability to work effectively with a variety of people.
- Excellent written communications skills.
- Ability to work independently, with supervision, and as part of a team.
- Familiarity with MS Office applications; experience with online communities and interest in web-based tools to advance progressive causes.
- Familiarity with the progressive community, and a commitment to the issues of Young People For (campus diversity, civic engagement, civil rights, economic justice, education, environmental conservation and justice, healthcare, immigration, international human rights, worker’s right, Native American issues, traditions, and empowerment, and progressive coalition and alliance building).
To apply, please send a resume and a cover letter to Joy Lawson jlawson@pfaw.org.
People For the American Way Foundation is an equal opportunity employer.