JOB POSTING: Community Organizer

Community Organizer Job Description

 

BACKGROUND AND MISSION

For over 25 years, Asian Americans Advancing Justice | Chicago has worked to bring together the Asian American community and create change in our communities. We are deeply committed to grassroots community organizing and we invest in the leadership of grassroots community members through trainings, community education, civic engagement, and collaborative issue-based campaigns. In order to strengthen our work and transform the inequities in our city, state, and Midwest region, we work with multiracial coalitions that emphasize racial equity, accountability to those most impacted, and an infrastructure of grassroots leadership. Our advocacy work focuses on promoting racial, economic, and immigrant justice, including initiatives in the areas of voting rights, language access, and immigrant rights. 

As part of the national Asian Americans Advancing Justice affiliation, Advancing Justice | Chicago is a leader in the nationwide Asian American movement. Regionally, Advancing Justice | Chicago is prioritizing the Midwest, and collaborating with partners across the Midwestern states to tackle common struggles and build power. 

POSITION DESCRIPTION

The I Speak Power (ISP) Community Organizer will be primarily responsible for building a powerful base of adult English language learners in the South Asian community. The Organizer will incorporate civic education and organizing training into regular workshops for adults with moderate to advanced English comprehension in order to build deep individual relationships and cultivate grassroots leaders.

The Organizer will facilitate regular workshops at 1-3 Pan-Asian Voter Empowerment (PAVE) Coalition member organizations, but will partner more collaboratively with one PAVE organization to invest in deeper leadership development and co-design base-building strategies. We see the current moment, in the wake of the 2020 Census, as a strategic moment to invest in I Speak Power and continue the momentum built from census outreach and November 2020 civic engagement efforts.
 
Key Responsibilities:

  • Build power by cultivating one-on-one relationships with limited English proficient (LEP) community members and investing in their individual leadership development;
  • Identify issues that motivate and impact LEP community members, organize them to take action on these issues, and align issue-based campaigns with the strategy of the partner organization and Advancing Justice;
  • Support and co-develop issue-based campaigns that center the experiences and leadership of directly impacted LEP community members, including, but not limited to, language justice;
  • Collaborate with the staff at relevant PAVE host organizations to craft and execute base-building strategies;
  • Develop ISP programmatic components and facilitate a series of workshops at 1-3 PAVE organizations throughout the year;
  • Manage all administrative duties for ISP, including managing memoranda of understanding for relevant sub-grants, tracking participation, reporting on deliverables, etc.;
  • Assist development staff in program-related fundraising;
  • Collaborate with other staff on organization-wide initiatives.

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    Qualifications:

  • Strong commitment to racial equity, immigrant rights, social justice, and grassroots leadership development;
  • Proven track record of building relationships with people from diverse backgrounds, such as recent immigrants/refugees, seniors, and communities of color;
  • Collaborative work style;
  • Ability to be a team player and communicate effectively with external partners;
  • Ability to be flexible and adapt to changing circumstances;
  • Ability to take initiative, work independently, and think creatively;
  • Past experience working with Asian American or limited English proficient communities, which can include personal life experience;

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    Preferred qualifications:

  • Language skills in a South Asian language;
  • Past experience, volunteer or paid, with community organizing;
  • Past experience with facilitating workshops or community education;
  • Familiarity or past experience with civic engagement or Get-Out-The-Vote efforts;
  • Familiarity with issues/barriers encountered by different language communities.
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    Compensation
  • This is an exempt, full-time position. The salary range is $40,000-$43,000 based on experience. Advancing Justice | Chicago offers a full benefits package, including fully covered healthcare, vision, and dental insurance, generous paid time off, life insurance, and short-term disability insurance.
      • Inquiry and application process:
       
      Applications should be submitted electronically via email to Grace Pai (she/her) gpai@advancingjustice-chicago.org  and include:

    • Letter of interest/cover letter
    • Resume
    • Two references
      • Please include “Community Organizer” in the subject line of your email. The priority deadline for consideration is March 7th. Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis.

    Asian Americans Advancing Justice | Chicago is an equal opportunity/affirmative action employer.  All qualified persons are encouraged to apply, regardless of race, color, creed, ethnicity, national origin, ancestry, age, height, weight, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, disability, marital or domestic partner status, or religious affiliation.