Human Rights & Social Justice

The American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees (AFSCME) is currently recruiting undergraduate sophomores and juniors into their Social Justice summer 2020 internship program, the Union Scholars Program.

The Union Scholars Program is a joint program between AFSCME and Harvard University. AFSCME, the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees is one of the largest labor unions, fighting for workers’ rights, fighting against privatization, and fighting for equality. AFSCME represents over 1.4 million public service workers. We all have a family member who is: a child care provider, nurse, sanitation worker, emergency medical technician-these are all public service jobs that we fight to protect and provide every day.

The Union Scholars Program is a 10-week summer internship where students get a chance to gain hands-on organizing experience with our members. Students get a glimpse of what it’s like to be part of and even work for a labor union. Students will talk to workers about gaining a voice on the job, fair wages and benefits, and building power in the workplace.

Responsibilities:

Organize on a campaign, under the direction of your Supervisor and mentor
Workplace visits
House visits
Complete Weekly Reports (to be submitted to Program Coordinator)
Submit videography footage (to be submitted to Program Coordinator)
Report to and take direction from Supervisor
Collaborate with mentor on projects

Qualifications:

Undergraduate Sophomore or Junior
Person of Color (here for details)
At least a GPA of 2.5 or higher
A valid driver’s license

Benefits:

$4000 Stipend
Up to $6000 scholarship, based on financial aid need
Paid housing
Paid transportation

Look at what previous participants have said about the program here.

By participating in the Union Scholars Program, students can travel the world while earning money for college, as well as gain meaningful work experience to help them consider future opportunities.

For more information and to apply, visit afscme.org/unionscholars. All applications are due by February 28, 2020.

At Texas Civil Rights Project, we are Texas lawyers for Texas communities, boldly serving the movement for equality and justice in and out of the courts. We use our tools of litigation and legal advocacy to protect and advance the civil rights of everyone in Texas and we partner with communities across the state to serve the rising movement for social justice.

Our efforts have helped countless low-income and otherwise marginalized Texans and have widely advanced equality and justice. Today—with dozens of high-caliber attorneys and professionals around the state and an extensive network of pro bono counsel and community allies—TCRP is among the most influential civil rights organizations in Texas.

Primary roles & responsibilities of the Intake Specialist Intern:

Conduct short informal interviews with TCRP’s potential clients by phone
Refer potential clients to appropriate resources
Schedule and conduct formal initial intake interviews by phone
Process intake-related mail
Maintain potential client files with our intake management system
Work on other case or investigation-related projects as available or assigned

TCRP has proudly hosted BDP students for years in formal/for-credit, and informal/non-credit internships and volunteer opportunities. Bridging Discipline students are highly encouraged to apply for this position.

To apply, please send your current resumé and a brief statement of your interest in the position, and please also let us know if you are seeking a for-credit or non-credit internship. Applications are accepted on a rolling basis for all semesters.

Contact: Rolando Pérez at rolando@texascivilrightsproject.org