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
www.adelantestudentvoices.org Action Areas: Education Policy and Equity, Racial Justice, Immigrant rights About: Adelante is a safe space for undocumented students in NYS to explore their legal status and routes to college with their peers and professional staff. Members join our network by attending a summer session and continue to develop their educational roadmap through mentorship and quarterly reunions. We also work with students to research new policy directions and offer consulting to colleges and universities that wish to welcome more undocumented students. Members become involved in legislative and institutional campaigns to contribute to a just New York State Position Descriptions: Adelante Student Voices is seeking up to four semester interns who are passionate about education, immigrant rights, youth leadership, and community organizing. This internship is ideal for students who want meaningful hands-on experience supporting undocumented youth while learning about nonprofit leadership, higher education access, and advocacy. Interns become part of a small, collaborative team where they will receive mentorship, professional development, and training from Adelante staff. Throughout the semester, interns will gain practical experience while contributing to projects that directly impact undocumented students and their families across the Hudson Valley. College Access Support Position- Work directly with undocumented high school seniors and transfer students as they navigate the college admissions process.
- Assisting students with college essays and personal statements.
- Supporting students with the Common Application and college research.
- Helping students understand application timelines and admissions requirements.
- Learning about and assisting with New York State DREAM Act applications and financial aid opportunities available to undocumented students.
- Connecting students with scholarships and helping them prepare scholarship applications.
- Training will be provided on college admissions, financial aid, and best practices for supporting undocumented students.
- Work may take place remotely, at the Adelante office in Poughkeepsie, or at the Adriance Memorial Library in Poughkeepsie.
- Support Adelante’s youth organizing initiatives by helping plan programs and community events that empower undocumented youth to become advocates for themselves and their communities.
- Supporting the planning and implementation of Power Weekend (October 9 to 11), Adelante’s annual leadership retreat focused on youth organizing, advocacy, and community building.
- Assisting with Youth Organizing Committee meetings and helping coordinate campaigns and community events.
- Supporting outreach efforts to students, alumni, and community partners.
- Assisting with workshops focused on immigrant rights, civic engagement, leadership development, higher education, and organizing.
- Past Power Weekend workshops have included:
- Know Your Rights
- Youth Organizing in the Hudson Valley
- Story of Self
- The Life Cycle of a Campaign
- Public Narrative
- Immigrant Rights in New York State
- Legislative Advocacy
- Interns may also have opportunities to attend advocacy events, legislative visits, college tours, or community meetings throughout the semester.
- Support Adelante’s growing work with immigrant families by assisting staff during family preparedness clinics and legal resource clinics.
- Responsibilities may include:
- Helping families register for clinics and workshops.
- Connecting students and families with community resources.
- Assisting with appointment scheduling for legal, medical, educational, or social service providers.
- Translating school forms, outreach materials, and community resources.
- Following up with students and families after workshops or referrals.
- Helping organize resource materials and educational packets.
- Interns will gain experience working alongside community partners and organizations that provide legal and social services to immigrant communities.
- Work alongside Adelante’s Case Manager to support undocumented students experiencing barriers related to education, health care, housing, food access, transportation, or immigration related stress.
- Responsibilities may include:
- Scheduling follow up meetings with students.
- Helping connect students to campus and community resources.
- Maintaining resource lists and referral information.
- Supporting wellness initiatives and student check ins.
- Assisting with confidential administrative tasks while learning ethical practices around client support.
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 Poughkeepsie High Schoolers), and social justice-related collaborative City of Poughkeepsie initiatives that connect past to present, from efforts around the public school system, to housing, police transparency, and more.
Position Description:
Cultivating and fostering relations with high schoolers and families, young people and elders; designing and producing outreach materials; helping design, plan, and implement projects; supporting specific CAS initiatives (i.e., Poughkeepsie Middle and High School visits, Kwanzaa, Black History Month events/displays, Juneteenth, Frederick Douglass Day).
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
Volunteer-run, 30+ team members
Address: Town of Poughkeepsie
Action Areas: Education Policy and Equity, Expression, Arts, and Culture, Racial Justice
About: ArlingtOn PAR is a group of action-oriented anti-racist community members and parents in the Arlington Central School District dedicated to equity and institutional diversity. We amplify the voices, experiences, and needs of marginalized groups to ensure they are represented, understood, and responded to.
Position Description: Students will support the organization by building our capacity to support educational justice in our community. Here are some examples of work that might be expected of a CEL student or Intern:
- Communications: Supporting OnPAR’s communications through their website, social media, and presentations
- Membership: Connect with current members; recruit new members
- Data Collection: Partnering to interview or lead focus groups or discussions with community members, high school students, teachers, and/or administrators about equity work, youth opportunities and realities, the future of the ACSD, and the future of K-12 education in Dutchess County more broadly
- Data Analysis and Writing: Conduct research and engage in scholarly and policy writing
- Program Support: Directly support the planning and hosting of in-person and virtual middle and high school racial justice enrichment opportunities
- Advocacy: Attend and participate (virtually, and occasionally in-person) in ACSD school board meetings and local public meetings as needed; Support OnPAR to provide advocacy support for community members/children when issues arise
Spring 2026 projects included: further developing relevant annual celebrations and youth enrichment programs; hosting an in-person OnPAR community event; research and policy writing
Desired Skills: Communications – emails, phone calls, in person outreach, Copywriting, Fact-checking, Previous experience working with young people, Public speaking/presenting, Research skills, Social media management, Writing, Data collection/analysis
Hours: 4hrs/week
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 office is located at the First Congregational Church-UCC, 269 Mill Street, Poughkeepsie, NY 12601 We regularly meet interns on Vassar Campus. Internship meetings switch between in person and on line.
Action Areas: Local history – research, programming, and archival work, racial justice, website maintenance and design, using the arts to help share hard history.
About: MHAHP’s mission includes the following:
– 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
Position Descriptions: In the coming year we are preparing for the 2027 Bicentennial of the abolition of chattel slavery in New York State. We are looking for interns who would be interesting in working on the following projects:
Developing a web-based history collaborative for public historians, regional history societies, and non-academically based researchers. The work involves research and working with local historians on the history of slavery and antislavery in the Hudson Valley. We are also looking for someone with technical skills to set up an interactive website for the project.
Archiving 19th century primary source documents from the First Congregational Church in Poughkeepsie that was founded in 1837 as an antislavery church.
Working on MHAHP’s website including help with maintenance of the site and designing and posting new information. This position could involve both technical work and writing for public audiences.
Oh, Freedom! Quilting Project, working with local organizations and quilters to create community based commemorative quilts on the history of enslavement and the antislavery movement in the Hudson Valley. This would include supporting the local projects and working on descriptive text for brochures.
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 internships as a two-way street.
Desired Skills (some combination of the skills below including an interest in developing additional skills):
- Research
- Writing
- Web management
- Graphic design
- Archival work with primary sources
- Work on public commemorative art projects
Hours: 4hrs/week, 8hrs/week, We are open to working with students based on their availability
Positions Available: 4
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:We deliver innovative programing 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, Fact-checking, Research skills, Social media management, Writing
Hours: 4 hrs/week
Positions Available: 5
Are you interested in getting involved with Exodus? Visit here for your next steps.
The Peace Education Center of the Hudson Valley (DBA: Peace Museum & Learning Lab) – hybrid position
Non-profit, 1-5 team members
Address: 730 Broadway, Kingston, NY 12401
Action Areas: Education Policy and Equity, Expression, Arts, and Culture, LGBTQAI+ Rights, Racial Justice
About: Empowering individuals & organizations to create ecologically-minded, just, and peaceful communities. PECHV has recently opened the Peace Museum & Learning Lab (only the second dedicated peace museum in the US!
Position Description: We’re looking for folks who would like to be part of these projects: 1) Exhibition research and planning; 2) developing activities and curricula that connect to exhibits; 3)research schools & teachers, community groups, peace & justice networks, grants & foundations; 4) grant writing/editing; 5) program planning; 6) promotion and marketing; 7) co-teaching programs for children.
Desired Skills: Communications – emails, phone calls, in person outreach, Copywriting, Previous experience working with young people, Social media management, Writing,
Additional Requirements: access to a car to drive to Kingston
Hours: 4hrs/week, 8hrs/week
Positions Available: 1 -2
Are you interested in getting involved with the Peace Education Center? Visit here for your next steps.
Mediation Center of Dutchess County – at capacity for the Fall semester, please check back for Spring
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.
After Incarceration – remote work
Fiscally sponsored project of the Movement Strategy Center, a 501(c)(3) non-profit, 1-5 team members
Address: 140 South Street, Newburgh, New York 12550
Action Areas: Environmental Justice and Food Security, Expression, Arts, and Culture, Housing Insecurity/Justice, Prison Abolition, Public Health, Racial Justice, Voting Rights, Legal Access
About: After Incarceration centers nontraditional approaches to social justice. We believe the people closest to harm are often closest to the solutions. Our mission is to accelerate the personal and professional growth of formerly and currently incarcerated community members while disrupting cycles of violence through healing, education, leadership development, and community building.
Our work combines Kingian Nonviolence, restorative practices, mutual aid, civic engagement, workforce development, and public education. We organize trainings, reentry support, community dialogues, pilgrimages to historic civil rights sites, and grassroots initiatives that help people transform lived experience into community leadership.
Our culture is rooted in respect, consent, accountability, and the belief that people are more than the best or worst thing they have ever done. We invest in relationships, radical imagination, and collective responsibility, working to build the Beloved Community while addressing the historical and contemporary harms created by incarceration, violence, and exclusion.
Position Description:
The student will support After Incarceration’s public education, storytelling, and community engagement efforts. Responsibilities may include developing digital marketing campaigns, creating social media content, assisting with email outreach, conducting audience research, and helping expand awareness of our programs and initiatives.
Students will also contribute to documentary development projects by assisting with research, story development, interview preparation, media organization, transcription, archival work, and basic video production tasks. Through this work, students will help document community experiences, preserve movement history, and amplify the voices and perspectives of formerly incarcerated people and communities most impacted by the criminal legal system.
The position offers opportunities to gain experience in grassroots organizing, strategic communications, digital media, documentary storytelling, and social justice advocacy.
Desired Skills: a willingness to witness our humanity
Hours: 4 hrs/week or 8 hrs/week
Are you interested in getting involved with After Incarceration? 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.