Racial Justice
Citizen Action of New York (hybrid position)
https://citizenactionny.org
Non-profit, 20+ staff members + members/volunteers
Address: Poughkeepsie
Action Areas: Education Policy and Equity, Environmental Justice and Food Security, Housing Insecurity/Justice, Prison Abolition, Public Health, Racial Justice, Reproductive Rights, Voting Rights
About: Citizen Action of New York is a grassroots membership organization taking on big issues that are at the center of transforming society by:
– Ensuring our children have a quality public education no matter their zip code
– Ending our current system of mass incarceration and establishing a new system of justice
– Holding government accountable to all citizens
– Fighting for guaranteed quality, affordable health care
– Taking big money out of politics by creating a fair elections system
– Aiming to dismantle the historic racist system by promoting racial justice
– Striving for a more progressive tax system to begin to end the runaway inequality in our state
– Addressing the climate crisis and transitioning to a renewable energy economy
– We look for opportunities to accomplish big changes – not small, incremental reforms. We work to elect progressive candidates to office who are committed to these issues. Our power comes from the grassroots: people coming together to push the edge of the possible. – Every new member helps bring New York and America closer to a society that works for all of us!
We envision a world where every person’s basic needs are met. It’s a world filled with love and respect for its people and the planet. It’s a world where democracy reigns and each person is able to reach their fullest potential.
Position Description: Student will contribute to our organization by assisting with:
1) Community outreach through phonebanking, community canvassing, tabling, and social media engagement.
2) Recording, tracking, and submitting weekly data reports to help illustrate & analyze our work in the community.
3) Assisting development of community profiles, policy fact sheets, and other resources to help inform our local advocacy efforts
Desired Skills: Communications – emails, phone calls, in person outreach, Fact-checking, Public speaking/presenting, Research skills, Social media management, Data collection/analysis
Are you interested in getting involved with Citizen Action? Visit here for your next steps.
Adelante Student Voices
Action Areas: Education Policy and Equity, Racial Justice, Immigrant rights
About: Adelante Student Voices supports undocumented students on their unique journeys to higher education, while developing self-advocacy skills so they can create change in their communities. Undocumented young people join Adelante as high school students by participating in a free 10-day overnight program. This program takes place at Vassar College! The Summer Program focuses on access to higher education, organizing and legislative change, and the arts. After the Summer Program members stay involved through committees such as Vision Adelante (a fellowship position focused on legislative campaigns), workshop sessions, and 1:1 college access mentorship. We are a small non-profit with only two staff and a team of volunteers.
Position Description:
This position is ideal for someone who wants to take ownership over a project that excites them. Semester interns typically choose a specific project with Adelante depending on their interests and prior experience. Possible Spring semester projects are:
– Working with the Executive Director to prepare for the Adelante Summer Program. This can include sharing the Summer Program recruitment flier with schools and community orgs; outreach to potential workshop leaders/ curricular development; planning college tours; interviewing applicants to our free program.
– Helping to mentor undocumented students in our network, in particular high school seniors with specific tasks such as helping them apply for scholarships and college.
– Mobilizing community members to our first annual Youth Advocacy Day in Albany
– Helping staff to chaperone trips (example, to a lobby day in Albany or on a college tour)
– Fundraising/ development, especially for our scholarship fund
– Assistance with social media. We are most active on Instagram @AdelanteStudents
Desired Skills: Bilingual Spanish-English or Bilingual with another language, Communications – emails, phone calls, in person outreach, Previous experience working with young people
Hours: 4hrs/week
Positions Available: 1
Are you interested in getting involved with Adelante? Visit here for your next steps.
Celebrating the African Spirit
https://celebratingtheafricanspirit.org/
Non-profit, 15 – 20 team members
Address: Family Partnership Center, 29 N Hamilton, Poughkeepsie, NY
Action Areas: Education Policy and Equity, Expression, Arts, and Culture, Racial Justice
About: The mission of Celebrating the African Spirit is to acknowledge, articulate, research and commemorate the lives of enslaved Africans in Poughkeepsie, New York.
Our work is rooted in the reality that slavery existed in the MidHudson Region, and in Poughkeepsie from the earliest days, and enslaved adults and children were major contributors to the growth of what is now the City of Poughkeepsie and the Mid-Hudson Region. The works, language and traditions of Africans, both enslaved and free, are part of the legacy, which is American history, and should be taught to, and treasured by, all Americans. This lack of knowledge contributes to ongoing denial regarding the consequences of centuries of slavery, our violent and racist past, and the pervasiveness of racism and inequality in America today.
Our many projects are centered around visibilizing so-called “hidden histories,” K-12 education and mentoring, (particularly PMS and PHS), and social justice-related collaborative City of Poughkeepsie initiatives.
Position Description:
Cultivating and fostering relations with middle and high schoolers and families, young people and elders; helping design, plan, and implement after school projects; supporting specific CAS initiatives (i.e., Poughkeepsie Middle and High School visits, Kwanzaa, Black History Month events/displays).
Desired Skills: Communications, Graphic design, Previous experience working with people young and old, Public speaking/presenting, Research skills, Social media management
Hours: 4hrs/week, 8hrs/week
Are you interested in getting involved with Celebrating the African Spirit? Visit here for your next steps.
Arlington Parters Against Racism (ON PAR) – hybrid position
About: ArlingtON PAR (Partners Against Racism) is a community group committed to engaging in equity work in the Arlington Central School District. This group was founded by 4 women (3 Vassar professors and 1 corporate manager). Our group is comprised of roughly 20 members and we meet monthly via zoom. We attend Board of Education meetings and speak during the public comment period. We have our own podcast that features the experiences of families and students within the school district. We also work directly with teachers and administrators in the district on initiatives such as author visits. Moreover, we help draft policies in the district regarding equity. Interns are welcome to collaborate and support any of these efforts. Moving forward, we would like to increase and improve our media presence.
Position Description:
- Research of relevant equity related policy issues.
- Drafting of speeches to give during public meetings.
- Management of social media and outreach plans.
- Drafting of policies.
- You will track the hours you spend on the tasks you’re given. Coordinate meetings with your supervisor as well as your faculty sponsor.
- Some of the work you do will be presented during biweekly meetings for the group to discuss.
- Understand that this position requires flexibility. It’s common for us to come across. information that demands our attention and our agenda will accordingly switch for a few days.
- This is for credit and so while your supervisors will work with your schedule to the best of their abilities it’s still expected that you complete tasks you’re assigned.
Desired Skills: Communications – emails, phone calls, in person outreach, Public speaking/presenting, Research skills, Social media management, Writing, Data collection/analysis
Are you interested in getting involved with ON PAR? Visit here for your next steps.
End the New Jim Crow Action Network (ENJAN)
https://endthenewjimcrow.blogspot.com/
Volunteer-run, City of Poughkeepsie
Action Areas: Prison Abolition, Racial Justice
About: End the New Jim Crow Action Network (ENJAN, pronounced “engine”) advocates locally and statewide to end mass incarceration, including both unjust imprisonment and the larger web of laws, rules, policies, and customs that control people labeled as criminals outside of prison walls. Because people of color are unfairly and disproportionately targeted by all levels of the criminal justice system, we focus on opposing practices driven by institutional racism to build a powerful movement (or “ENJAN”) for change. One of our focuses is court watch in which we train students to attend city or county court to observe and report on what is happening “in the name of the people.”
Position Descriptions: Students can be either ENJAN interns or Court Watchers.
1) The ENJAN intern is responsible for attending bi-monthly meetings, taking and distributing meeting notes, completing research for current projects, assisting with events and outreach efforts (including attending city council, criminal justice council, and county legislature meetings), helping to liaise with other local groups and organizations, and supporting ongoing operations and projects. Current projects include police reform in the City of Poughkeepsie, election forums on criminal justice issues, and the school-to-prison pipeline. Must be available to attend meetings on Wednesday evenings.
2) Court Watchers are responsible for supporting the court watch project. Duties include preparing forms for court watching, attending court and recording data, attending weekly meetings to process what is happening in light of readings on criminal legal issues, and for writing or editing court watcher blog posts for the website, and contributing to social media (including Instagram0. In addition, court watch interns may also be asked to conduct outside research on matters related to the courts, criminal justice, etc. Must have availability to attend court at least one day per week. Poughkeepsie city and county courts are typically in session from 9 am to 12 noon, M-F.
Desired Skills: Bilingual Spanish-English, Copywriting, Fact-checking, Research skills, Social media management, Data collection/analysis
Hours: 4hrs/week or 8 hrs/week
Are you interested in getting involved with E.N.J.A.N.? Visit here for your next steps.
Prisoners’ Brain Trust – remote work
Non-profit, 1-5 team members
Based in Poughkeepsie, NY
https://www.instagram.com/prisonersbraintrust
Action Areas: Prison Abolition, Racial Justice, Voting Rights
About: The Prisoners’ Brain Trust (“PBT’) embodies people directly impacted
by the prison industrial complex’s many harms. Our members are a combination of queer/trans, cis-hetero, Black, Brown Indigenous People of Color, and white anti-racist/anti-authoritarian partners. Each member brings their full carceral and personal experiences into our work to dissect ow policies impact and intersect our lives and communities. Prisoners’ Brain Trust addresses toxicity associated with the patriarchal structure; provides gender & sexuality training, political education, and leadership development; hones public speaking/debate skills; and offers moral/emotional support through the community.
Spring 2026 Position description coming soon!
Are you interested in getting involved with PBT? Visit here for your next steps.
Mid-Hudson Antislavery History Project – hybrid position
https://mhahp.vassarspaces.net/
Address: Our meeting location is First Congregational Church-UCC, 269 Mill Street, Poughkeepsie, NY 12601
Action Areas: Expression, Arts, and Culture, Racial Justice, Local History
The mission of MHAHP can be summed up as follows:
– Researching the history of slavery and antislavery in the Hudson Valley
– Interpreting and sharing this history
– Placing this local history in the broad context of racial slavery in the Americas, the African American experience, and the legacy of this history today
We are committed to social justice through helping the public understand the history of the past. We understand that history to be inclusive of the many people who contributed to the development of the culture, infrastructure, and economy of what is now the United States
Position Descriptions:
If you are interested in an inclusive approach to American History, Black History, Geography, Public History, Design or related topics, we think our Internships will be of interest to you.
Below are the projects and programs that we think would be of interest to interns and supportive of our work
– Researching and writing about the local history of enslavement, abolition, and the formation of Black communities in the late 18th and early 19th centuries that were places of sanctuary and sites significant to a movement for Black self determination.
– Creating story maps of people and places of significance to the local history of enslavement, antislavery, and the Underground Railroad
– The Oh, Freedom! Quilting Project – creating community commemorative quilts on the history of slavery and antislavery and developing exhibitions
– Design: Web and exhibition design and development, and program-related posters, newsletters and flyers
Our internship goals include working with students to help us develop public history programs and to build student skills both academic and job-related. We see internship as a two-way street.
Desired Skills: Writing, Graphic design, Research on local history, GIS/Mapping, , Exhibition development, Sewing and Quilting
Hours: 4hrs/week, 8hrs/week, We are open to working with students based on their availability
Are you interested in getting involved with MHAHP? Visit here for your next steps.
Exodus Transitional Community
Non-profit, 1-5 team members
Address: 97-99 Cannon Street, Poughkeepsie, NY 12601
Action Areas: Education Policy and Equity, Environmental Justice and Food Security, Expression, Arts, and Culture, Housing Insecurity/Justice, LGBTQAI+ Rights, Mental Health Access and Support, Public Health, Racial Justice, Reproductive Rights, Voting Rights, Legal Access
About: With a firm belief in human resilience, Exodus Transitional Community delivers innovative programming tailored to adults and youth affected by the justice system, and advocates for a society in which all can achieve social economic, and spiritual well-being.
Position description: Students will play a pivotal role in supporting and enhancing our mission to reintegrate individuals affected by the justice system into society. The intern will contribute by assisting our case managers with client intakes assessments and follow-ups to ensure that each individual receives personalized support tailored to their needs. helping connect participants with essential resources such as housing, employment opportunities, educational programs and mental health services.
Desired Skills: Bilingual Spanish-English, Communications – emails, phone calls, in person outreach, Copywriting, Fact-checking, Public speaking/presenting, Research skills, Web design, Writing, Data collection/analysis
Hours: 4 hrs/week or 8 hrs/week
Positions Available: 3
Are you interested in getting involved with Exodus? Visit here for your next steps.
The Peace Education Center of the Hudson Valley (remote work or travel to Kingston)
Non-profit, 1-5 team members
Address: YWCA Ulster County, 209 Clinton Ave, Kingston, NY 12401
Action Areas: Education Policy and Equity, Environmental Justice and Food Security, Expression, Arts, and Culture, Racial Justice, peace, justice, climate change
About: The mission of the Peace Education Center of the Hudson Valley is to empower individuals and organizations to create and sustain ecologically-minded, just, and peaceful communities.
Founded by The Rev Dr Leonisa Ardizzone in 2023, the Peace Education Center of the Hudson Valley offers programs and dialogical space for youth, families, educators, religious professionals, and community members.
Position Description: Assist with Peace-Builder day camp for elementary and middle school kids, and grant writing and community outreach.
Desired Skills: Bilingual Spanish-English, Communications – emails, phone calls, in person outreach, Previous experience working with young people, Writing, (Bilingual is not required, just helpful)
Additional Requirements: Driver’s license would be great if students could be on site in Kingston for part of the time.
Hours: 4hrs/week, 8hrs/week
Are you interested in getting involved with the Peace Education Center? Visit here for your next steps.
Mediation Center of Dutchess County
https://dutchessmediation.org/mediation-restorative-justice/restorative-justice/
Non-profit, 1-5 team members
Address: 205 South Ave, Poughkeepsie, NY 12601
Action Areas: Youth and Community needs, Racial Justice, Education Policy and Equity, Mental Health Access and Support
About: The fundamental principles of a Restorative approach are that all humans:
- Wish to be in good relationship with others;
- Need to feel a sense of belonging in order to thrive;
- Need to feel seen and heard in order to feel they belong;
- Are more likely to consider the impact of their actions on others if those challenging their actions are those with whom they are in good relationship; and
- Have the capacity to be accountable for their actions when they are supported through a non-judgmental process of self-reflection and perspective-taking.
Position description: Helping structure the internship (building systems, data collection)
- facilitating/helping with circles
- write circles (restorative and community-building)
- Creating a resources and guide (for community, colleges, age groups)
- Shadowing/Observing
- Sharing insights, perspectives, and ideas
Desired Skills: Communications – emails, phone calls, in person outreach, Graphic design, Previous experience working with young people, Previous experience in this field, Public speaking/presenting, Research skills, Social media management, Web design, Writing, Data collection/analysis
Hours:4hrs/week
Are you interested in getting involved with the MCDC? Visit here for your next steps.
The Growing STEMZ Foundation
Non-profit, 1-5 team members
Address: 295 Mill St. Poughkeepsie, NY 12601 & Poughkeepsie City Schools
Action Areas: Education Policy and Equity, Environmental Justice and Food Security, Expression, Arts, and Culture, Mental Health Access and Support, Racial Justice, Equity in STEM Education
About: The Growing STEMz Foundation is an organization dedicated to empowerment for communities through STEM/STEAM education via consulting, program development, professional development, tutorials, parent engagement and more.
Collaboration with others and Expressive Arts meets Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics, are the hallmarks of our mission. We envision community engagement through project based experiences and developing 21st Century Skills for a competitive global marketplace. We advocate for Educational and Environmental Justice, Equity in STEM Education, and Social Justice.
Our ideal customers are students, educators, and parents. Our ideal partnerships will lead to increased exposure, learning, and college/career readiness for urban, underserved and marginalized communities in STEM.
Position Description:
- Informal direct teaching (Teachers Assistant) via Science LABs, Science Club, Science Research in Elementary School Environment.
- Audit Teacher Planning Meetings
- Develop Youth Workshops (STEAM, Field Research)
- Assist in Planning and Coordinating STEM FEST Event May 2025
- Conduct and analyze surveys and questionnaires for organizational development
- Conduct Materials and Resources Inventory (develop a system)
- Enhance Organization Social Media
- Outreach
Desired Skills: Bilingual Spanish-English, Fact-checking, Gardening/farming experience, Previous experience working with young people, Social media management, Data collection/analysis, Familiarity with STEM ideals
Hours: 4hrs/week
Are you interested in getting involved with The Growing STEMZ Foundation? Visit here for your next steps.