Democracy Fellowship – Congress Watch

Help Pass Legislation to Advance Voting Rights, Curb Big Money in Politics & Combat Corruption with the Declaration for American Democracy

Housed in Public Citizen’s CongressWatch Division, the Declaration for American Democracy is an anti-oppression coalition of over 240 organizations working together to make the promise of democracy real for all of us.

We believe our democratic systems, institutions, and leaders must reflect, represent, and respect the diverse, multicultural nation that we are and have always been. For democracy to work for us, it must include all of us. As America’s diversity continues to grow, so must our democracy. And in order to make progress on issues Americans care about, we must have a democracy that is representative and responsive to the American people.  

We are seeking a Summer Fellow to help advance the mission of the coalition: to pass transformative democracy legislation on a national level. Fellows on our team will work about 20 hours a week for 8 weeks.

Fellows will have the opportunity to gain experience both in national advocacy efforts as well as to get in depth training in community organizing so that they can organize their own communities around sweeping democracy reform. 

For years, we’ve seen our democracy and the power of the people diminish each day, with legislatures across the country ramping up voter suppression efforts targeting communities of color and corporate and big monied interests corrupting our politics. We saw this culminate on January 6th in the violent attack on our Capitol, but our democracy held – this time. We have an opportunity to rebuild and transform our democracy for the better, into one that truly represents the American people, join us!

Responsibilities include but are not limited to:

• Attending regular weekly training sessions and team meetings
• Working with activists around the country, including locally and in key states, to get them involved in strategic campaigns;
• Organizing campus and/or local community with skills gained through training
• Building a coalition of local allies in democracy work
• Meeting directly (or virtually) with members of Congress
• Planning and hosting events (virtual or socially distanced) in support of democracy reform
• Develop issues and/or organizing expertise through dedicated assignments;
• Conduct social media and online outreach to build campaign visibility and assisting with press outreach and events;
• Research and write on current topics regarding our work.

Qualifications:

• Passion for democracy reform
• Interest in learning more about organizing (no prior organizing experience is required)
• Ability to be both a strong team player and to be self driven in your work
• Strong communications skills a plus

To Apply

To apply for a paid internship, please send a resume and a short cover letter (no more than 500 words) to christine@dfadcoalition.org by March 25th at 5pm/ET. In acknowledgement that many internships are unpaid and therefore are only available to students from higher income levels, we prioritize applicants that demonstrate financial need. To do that, please outline your need for financial support in your cover letter. If you have completed the FAFSA, please also submit a copy of your Student Aid Report (SAR). The pay for this position is $17 per hour. 

DFAD is committed to a work environment based on equal opportunity and a value of a diverse and inclusive workforce. To this end, DFAD welcomes and encourages applicants of color, people in the LGBTQ+ community, those of varying socioeconomic status, and women to apply.