Graduate Intern - National Political Advocacy, Trans Justice Campaign

The ACLU seeks a Graduate Intern for the Trans Justice Campaign within the National Political Advocacy Department of the ACLU’s National office in New York. This internship can be full-time or part-time and is Hybrid.

Qualifying applicants must currently be matriculated graduate students or an equivalent combination of education and/or experience and must be based in the U.S. for the entire duration of the internship.

The Team:

The National Political Advocacy Department (NPAD) works to strengthen the efforts of the ACLU at the federal, state, and local levels of government. The department harnesses the political power that comes from having more than eight million members and supporters, as well as affiliates in every state. By organizing grassroots lobbying and issue campaigns using modern tactics, the ACLU seeks to achieve change as profound in the legislative, administrative and electoral arenas as it has accomplished through the courts.

The Trans Justice Campaign is a team made up of three members who work within the National Political Advocacy Department, ACLU affiliates, national activation network of Trans lead organizations and myriad national and state-based partners to advance a pro-Trans, pro-multiracial democracy agenda. 

What You’ll Do:

This internship is designed to provide interns with the opportunity to learn about intersectional approaches to campaign work (ie. Repro justice, disability rights, immigrant rights, etc.), explore personal research opportunities, and collaborate on political education focused on trans justice issues.  Given the scope of the Trans Justice campaign team, the intern may also receive assignments on emerging needs, to be determined.

Your Day to Day

• Conducting research on issues related to political education topics
• Preparing, producing and developing training or advocacy materials
• Attending meetings to gain firsthand knowledge trans justice campaigns issue area, collaborative work
• Research on relevant federal and state legislative trends impacting the outcomes of trans lives (ie. Housing, healthcare, etc.)
• Support with TJ fellowship program through the development of content, support with logistics, facilitation, etc.

What You’ll Bring:

• Knowledge of government and policy, framework for contextualizing trans justice issues, and understanding of grassroots/community organizing for power building
• Strong research, writing, analysis, and communication skills. The intern will advance research projects to support activation network, political education, community engagement strategies and more
• Organized, willing to learn, proactive; able to balance differing responsibilities and prioritize; able to manage projects and see them through to completion
• Able to work well independently, as part of a team; able to handle confidential information and exercise discretion
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite, ability to apply and leverage technology in advance of advocacy goals is a plus

Future ACLU-ers Will:

• Be committed to advancing the mission of the ACLU
• Center and embed the principles of equity, inclusion and belonging in their work by demonstrating commitment to diversity with an approach that respects and values multiple perspectives
• Be committed to work collaboratively and respectfully toward resolving obstacles and conflict

Internship Logistics:

• Location: Our internship program offers a limited number of remote or hybrid intern positions. This internship can be full-time or part time and is hybrid from our New York office.
• Time Commitment: Full-time (35 hrs/wk) or part-time (10,15 or 20 hrs/wk)
• Internship Duration: Full-time internships span 10 consecutive weeks. Part-time internships span 12 consecutive weeks. This internship has a start date of: Jan. 11th or Jan. 25th, 2027
• Stipend: A stipend is available for students who are lawfully authorized to work. Arrangements can be made with educational institutions for work/study or course credit.
  • Below are the stipend rates:
    • $24/hr for graduate students or equivalent experience.

Why the ACLU:

For over 100 years, the ACLU has worked to defend and preserve the individual rights and liberties guaranteed by the Constitution and laws of the United States. Whether it’s ending mass incarceration, achieving full equality for the LGBTQ+ community, establishing new privacy protections for our digital age, or preserving the right to vote or the right to have an abortion, the ACLU takes up the toughest civil liberties cases and issues to defend all people.

With this commitment in mind, we strongly encourage applications from all qualified individuals without regard to race, color, religion, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, age, national origin, marital status, citizenship, disability, veteran status and record of arrest or conviction, or any other characteristic protected by applicable law.  

To maintain the integrity of our assessment process, please refrain from using AI-powered chatbots, search engines, or real-time assistance tools to generate your CV, cover letter or writing sample (if required). We want to better understand your individual skills and thought processes. If you require AI tools or other assistive technology as a reasonable accommodation due to a disability, please complete the Accommodation Request Form so that we can support an accessible and equitable experience.

If you are selected for an interview, you will receive additional information regarding how to request an accommodation for the interview process.

In order to be considered for this position, all candidates must formally submit an application. The ACLU does not accept unsolicited calls or emails from candidates regarding their application status.