ABOUT THE JOB

The American Civil Liberties Union Foundation of Florida (ACLU of Florida or ACLU-FL) seeks a RAISE fellow that works within the Field Department to achieve the organization’s goal of protecting the liberties that define our democracy. This position will be hybrid (remote and in-community), the position must be based in Florida. This is a part-time temporary position for a limited duration of 20 weeks, and it is not covered by the collective bargaining agreement between ACLU-FL and the National Organization of Legal Service Workers, International Union UAW, Local 2320.

The American Civil Liberties Union Foundation of Florida is an affiliate of the national ACLU, a national public interest organization devoted to the defense of the Bill of Rights. For over 100 years, the ACLU has served as the nation’s primary protector of the liberties that define our democracy. The organization implements its vital civil liberties mission in all 50 states in large part through affiliate entities such as the ACLU of Florida.

The ACLU of Florida, the state’s largest civil rights and civil liberties organization, employs litigation, public policy advocacy & organizing, and public education to protect and promote a broad range of constitutional values and individual rights, such as freedom of speech, racial justice, right to privacy, religious liberty, criminal justice reform, voting rights, reproductive rights, LGBTQ+ rights, disability rights, and immigrants’ rights. The ACLU of Florida litigates a broad range of constitutional cases in federal and state courts through direct representation, amicus briefs, and by submitting administrative complaints to state and federal agencies.

RAISE OVERVIEW

RAISE stands for Rapid Response Alliance for Immigrant Safety and Empowerment. RAISE is a network of advocates, volunteers, community partners, civil rights attorneys, and immigration law experts who have compiled crucial resources to support our immigrant communities throughout Florida.

Due to the onslaught of attacks on immigrants’ civil rights and civil liberties, this coalition was formed to respond to the ongoing needs of the communities we serve. The RAISE hotline is a Florida statewide immigrant support hotline where community members can report immigration raids and stops. By calling the hotline, anyone in the community can report any sightings of ICE, CBP, Florida Highway Patrol, or any other agencies involved and trained legal observer volunteers will dispatch to verify and document the encounter. Other services that can be requested include free legal assistance for an individual who has been detained, a volunteer support and accompaniment to immigration court hearings, and/or support for upcoming check-ins with ICE. You can learn more about RAISE by visiting www.raise.is or reading our press release here.

WHAT YOU’LL DO

Under the direction and supervision of the Program Manager and in collaboration with the ACLU-FL Field team, the RAISE fellow will support the RAISE observer volunteer network and recruitment by hosting up to 4 trainings a month, inputting data, leading partner/volunteer lead meetings as needed, hosting new partner/volunteer on-boarding sessions, and providing constant communication and real-time support for field developments. While this position entails work in a range of tools/software, we do not expect the RAISE fellow to have previous experience with these tools and will train them accordingly.

YOUR DAY TO DAY

• Host up to 4 RAISE training sessions a month to grow the statewide legal observer volunteer base.

• Update and maintain volunteer data on a weekly basis.

• Host partner/lead volunteer meetings as needed for coordination and decision-making.

• Recruit new volunteer leaders or partner organizations to expand the RAISE network across Florida.

• Host on-boarding training sessions with new volunteer leaders or partner organizations joining the RAISE network.

• Develop and maintain relationships with partner organizations and volunteer leaders.

• Provide real-time support for field development and volunteer coordination.

• Scale outreach efforts for RAISE hotline by working with partner organizations and volunteer leaders.

• Record Tik Toks for social media education on RAISE hotline.

• Support community research projects like power mapping business, faith, and nonprofit outreach within different communities.

• Center the voices and leadership of directly impacted people in all organizing programs.

• Communicate with the Program Manager and Field Team regarding RAISE-related needs and updates.

FUTURE ACLU’ERS WILL

• Be committed to advancing the mission of the ACLU of Florida and the broader civil liberties movement.

• Center and embed the principles of equity, inclusion, and belonging in their work, using a personal approach that values all individuals and respects differences in race, ethnicity, age, gender identity and expression, sexual orientation, religion, ability, and socio-economic circumstance.

• Be committed to working collaboratively and respectfully toward resolving obstacles and conflict.

WHAT YOU’LL BRING
While no one person will have all of the qualities enumerated below, the successful candidate will bring many of the following qualifications and attributes:

• Willingness to learn and think creatively.

• Strong communication skills, and confidence to interact with community members of all backgrounds. A willingness and ability to speak in public and to facilitate meetings and trainings.

• Displays a high level of empathy.

• Experience managing multiple projects and ability to adapt to changing circumstances.

• A history of working collaboratively and successfully with people from diverse racial and ethnic backgrounds and a broad range of ideological positions and religious views.

• A flexible team player who works collaboratively and shares responsibility and credit.

• Unwavering commitment to the mission and goals of the ACLU of FL, including a demonstrated commitment to racial justice and civil rights, and a familiarity with civil rights issues that are currently confronting Floridians.

• Willingness to work a flexible schedule, including some evenings and weekends.

• Fluency in Spanish is a plus but not required.

COMPENSATION

The ACLU of Florida is committed to equity, transparency, and clarity in pay.

Time Commitment: The fellowship requires a part-time commitment of 25 hours per week between the hours of 9am and 7pm M-F, and occasionally on weekends.

Fellowship Dates: November 9th - March 31

Compensation: $20 per hour

Additional Information: Fellows will be reimbursed for any mileage incurred for pre-approved travel.

WHY THE ACLU OF FLORIDA

Founded in 1955, the ACLU of Florida has spent seven decades defending and preserving the individual rights and liberties guaranteed by the Constitution and laws of the United States for the people of our state. Whether it's ending mass incarceration, achieving full equality for the LGBTQ+ community, establishing new privacy protections for our digital age, or preserving the right to vote or the right to have an abortion, the ACLU of Florida takes up the toughest civil liberties cases and issues to defend all Floridians.

We know that great people make a great organization. We value our people and know that what we offer is essential not just to their work, but to their overall well-being. At the ACLU of Florida, we offer a broad range of benefits designed to support the whole person — from time away to focus on the things that matter, to comprehensive healthcare coverage, retirement planning, and opportunities for professional growth and development.

OUR COMMITMENT TO ACCESSIBILITY, EQUITY, DIVERSITY & INCLUSION

Accessibility, equity, diversity, and inclusion are core values of the ACLU of Florida and central to our work to advance liberty, equality, and justice for all. For us, these are not just check-the-box activities, but a chance to make long-term, meaningful change. We are a community committed to learning and growth, humility and grace, transparency and accountability. We believe in a collective responsibility to create a culture of belonging for all people within our organization — one that respects and embraces difference, treats everyone equitably, and empowers our colleagues to do their best work. We are as committed to anti-oppression, anti-ableism, and anti-racism internally as we are externally. Because whether we’re in the courts or in the office, we believe ‘We the People’ means all of us.

With this commitment in mind, we strongly encourage applications from all qualified individuals without regard to race, color, religion, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, age, national origin, marital status, citizenship, disability, veteran status and record of arrest or conviction, or any other characteristic protected by applicable law.

If you need an accommodation to participate in the application or interview process, or to perform the essential functions of this job, the ACLU of Florida will provide one. We make every effort to ensure that our recruitment and employment efforts provide people with disabilities full opportunities for employment in all positions, and we undertake affirmative action strategies to help make that a reality.

HOW TO APPLY

To apply for the RAISE Fellow position, visit this link. All attachments should be in Microsoft Word or PDF format.

This job description provides a general but not comprehensive list of the essential responsibilities and qualifications required for the [Job Title] position. It does not represent a contract of employment. The ACLU of Florida reserves the right to change the job description and/or posting at any time without advance notice.