Communications Intern

UNDERGRADUATE INTERNSHIP OPPORTUNITY

AMERICAN CIVIL LIBERTIES UNION FOUNDATION

The ACLU seeks an undergraduate intern in the Communications Department of the North Dakota, South Dakota, and Wyoming Chapter of the ACLU’s National office in Sioux Falls, South Dakota.

THE TEAM:

The ACLU Communications department at the North Dakota, South Dakota, and Wyoming Chapter creates, maintains, and expands message narratives to engage our supporters and other target audiences, to help protect and expand civil liberties and civil rights, and to illustrate the value and impact of the ACLU’s transformational work. Through our messaging, engagement with newsmakers, our written, video and audio storytelling, and visual identity, we encourage support for the ACLU and help to build a more perfect union.

WHAT YOU'LL DO:

The Digital Communications Intern will help execute the chapter’s storytelling and social media objectives. The role will be instrumental in growing the chapter’s digital presence on key social media platforms, improving how we approach storytelling, and engaging with our social media followers.

YOUR DAY TO DAY:

• Contribute to the day-to-day functions of the communications department, including writing internal and external-facing materials such as social media posts, blogs, and video scripts.
• Develop short-form and long-form digital video stories that educate, motivate, and influence target audiences
• Create digital content for ACLU supporters that is informative, timely, and relevant that features eye-catching graphics and sharable images
• Work collaboratively with colleagues across South Dakota, North Dakota, and Wyoming to stay well informed of organizational priorities
• Provide support for activist engagement tied to advocacy campaigns, legislative activities, or building organizational capacity

WHAT YOU'LL BRING:

• Demonstrated interest in video production, journalism, and audio storytelling. Experience with video editing and experience working in an editorial environment preferred.
• Experience using TikTok, Instagram, Threads, and X (Formerly Twitter) for professional, academic, or extracurricular purposes; experience using these platforms for advocacy or organizing work a plus
• Understanding of the internet and social media trends
• Attention to detail and excellent writing and research skills.
• Able to juggle multiple tasks and prioritize.

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 in-person, remote, or hybrid intern positions. This internship is a hybrid position based in the Sioux Falls, South Dakota office.
• Time Commitment: The internship will be completed on a part-time basis (15 or 20 hours/week).
• Internship Duration: Part-time internships span 12 consecutive weeks and begin September 9 or September 23, 2024.
• Stipend: A stipend is available for students who are lawfully authorized to work and do not receive compensation from other sources. Students with external funding may receive a partial stipend to bring their total funding up to the level of the ACLU’s stipend amount for that term. Arrangements can be made with educational institutions for work/study or course credit. Below are the stipend rates:
  • $20/hour for undergraduate students or equivalent experience and $24/hour for graduate and law students or equivalent experience.

Priority Application Deadline: July 15, 2024

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.

Our Commitment to Equity, Diversity and Inclusion

Equity, diversity, and inclusion are core values of the ACLU and central to our work to advance liberty, equality, and justice for all. For us diversity, equity and inclusion are not just check-the-box activities, but a chance for us to make long-term meaningful change. We are a community committed to learning and growth, humility and grace, transparency and accountability. We believe in a collective responsibility to create a culture of belonging for all people within our organization – one that respects and embraces difference; treats everyone equitably; and empowers our colleagues to do the best work possible. We are as committed to anti-oppression and anti-racism internally as we are externally. Because whether we’re in the courts or in the office, we believe ‘We the People’ means all of us.

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.

The ACLU makes every effort to assure that its recruitment and employment provide all qualified persons, including persons with disabilities, with full opportunities for employment in all positions.

The ACLU is committed to providing reasonable accommodation to individuals with disabilities. If you are a qualified individual with a disability and need assistance applying online, please email benefits.hrdept@aclu.org. If you are selected for an interview, you will receive additional information regarding how to request an accommodation for the interview process.