The New York League of Conservation Voters (NYLCV) is the only statewide environmental organization in New York that fights for clean water, clean air, renewable energy, and open space through political action. We’re non-partisan, pragmatic, and effective. Along with its sister organizations, the NYLCV Education Fund, NYLCV PAC, and NYLCV Gives Green, we educate the public about a broad range of important issues, evaluate the performance of elected officials, and endorse and elect by campaigning for the passage of laws during the legislative season and candidates in the electoral season.
Description
Climate change is not only an environmental issue, it is a public health and social justice issue too. People of color and people with low incomes are disproportionately affected by the impacts of climate change. Additionally, as climate change impacts become more apparent, low income people of color will also feel the effects first and will lack the resources to properly protect themselves. Even prior to the climate crisis, racial injustices have been evident throughout our natural and built environments. For instance, polluting facilities such as bus depots, landfills, or power plants are most often sited in communities of color, resulting in adverse public health impacts that can have serious knock-on effects across a variety of wellbeing indicators. Yet in spite of this, the indigenous, immigrant, low-income, and communities of color on the front lines of the climate and environmental crises are often excluded from conversations about possible solutions. NYLCV recognizes that in order to adequately address climate change, we must include environmental justice communities in these conversations.
The New York League of Conservation Voters (NYLCV) is seeking a fellow to help us expand our work on environmental justice. This will be accomplished by developing meaningful relationships with organizations in New York that work in and/or with environmental justice communities. These relationships will directly help us broaden our audience, inform our advocacy efforts, and engage a more diverse pool of clean energy and climate voters during the 2022 elections in NYS and beyond. We will also work specifically on voter engagement and turnout in environmental justice communities and develop a program to build the conservation voter movement in these areas. The ideal candidate has familiarity with partnership building, get out the vote efforts, is passionate about environmental justice, and has a broad knowledge of the environmental issues New York faces.
Responsibilities
The Equitable Policy and Programs Fellow will report to the Senior Vice President and work closely with the Associate for NYC Programs, the Program Coordinator, and the State Policy Associate. Responsibilities include:
- Support work done by the newly formed Green Our City Now coalition, which seeks to educate and engage the new members of the NYC Council on priority environmental justice issues.
- Assist in partner outreach for programs such as candidate forums, policy forums, and educational forums.
- Create and maintain mutually beneficial partnerships with new community partners and groups focused on racial, social, and economic justice and help build partner capacity to engage in environmental issues.
- Support NYLCV staff with the Clean School Bus Campaign.
- Assist with integrating a racial and economic justice focus on our civic engagement programs during the 2022 elections.
- Help to develop and run a voter registration campaign targeted at environmental justice communities.
Qualifications
- Strong writing skills
- Strong research skills
- General interest in environmental issues such as climate change, open spaces, transportation, and public health
- General interest in social and environmental justice
- Familiarity with New York a plus
- Experience with get out the vote and campaigns a plus
- Candidate has completed a bachelor’s degree at an accredited university
Details
Location: New York City
NYLCV’s headquarters are located in downtown Manhattan. This position will require travel occasionally to periodic events and programs throughout New York City and elsewhere in the State.
NOTE: NYLCV is currently operating on a hybrid work setting.
Length and Compensation: This is a paid, project-based fellowship that lasts for a year with a potential extension dependent on performance and available funding. Compensation is $18-20/hour based on experience and the fellow will be expected to work 40 hours per week.
NYLCV is committed to building a diverse and inclusive team. We strongly encourage BIPOC candidates to apply.
Applications will be reviewed as they are submitted. Please send a cover letter and resume to: fellowships@nylcv.org