Social Justice/School Site Organizer
Based in Oakland, California
Starting salary: $54,000 plus full medical/dental and pension
To be considered for this position, applicants must submit a resume and cover letter to: karen@mlkfreedomcenter.org. Your cover letter should clearly address your interest in this specific position. Candidates who do not submit a cover letter will not be considered for the position.
The Martin Luther King Jr. Freedom Center (Freedom Center) brings best practices from our nation’s civil rights and organized labor movements to the forefront in community education, training, and practice, building strong community partnerships with proven results. The Freedom Center organizes individuals and organizations of diverse ages, races and socioeconomic backgrounds, working side-by-side for a healthy democracy. Join the Freedom Center team to be part a personally-transforming effort to strengthen democracy. See www.mlkfreedomcenter.org, MLK Freedom Center YouTube Channel and www.facebook.com/mlkfreedomcenter.
This Organizer position supports and facilitates parent, student and educator leadership and action. Organizers help build power with a focus on one-on-one recruiting, home visits, and developing community structures for long term policy influence. Position organizes outreach, policy action and communications through community leadership development.
This position’s civic engagement focus is the Oakland/Alameda County region, as well as regular travel to Sacramento, Contra Costa County, and San Jose/Santa Clara Counties.
Responsibilities:
School Site Organizers develop relationships, resources, and power with school administrators and educators, parents, community and faith-based leaders, elected officials, and students in tune with values and principles of nonviolence and civil rights. Ethical leadership coaching provides a framework for self-change, as team members develop the capacity to both give and receive coaching with the students, and with other team members. Responsibilities focus on outreach meetings with administrators, educators, community leaders, etc. listed above, home visits with parents and guardians, extensive phone calling, attending community events together with parents and students, popular education through organizing student participation in weekly classes, organizing adult and youth advocacy, etc.
Requirements:
∙ Live within 30 minute commute to Freedom Center offices, located at Merritt College campus in Oakland.
∙ A driver’s license, a car, automobile insurance on that vehicle, and phone.
∙ One (1) year of experience working in a legislative office, campaign office, union organizing effort, or in a similar outreach environment.
∙ Work irregular hours, including evenings and weekends
∙ Capacity to travel. Expenses covered.
∙ Work with individuals and communities of races and ages different than one’s own
∙ Personal commitment to justice for working people
∙ Strong self-initiative and outgoing attitude
∙ Model self-change and demonstrate personal transformation
∙ Excellent oral and written communication skills
∙ Ability to lift 10 pounds
Desirable Qualifications:
∙ Experience in positions with the following types of employers is highly valued: legislative offices, labor unions, electoral campaigns, advocacy organizations, etc. For instance, as a legislative aid, labor rep, shop steward, or similar.
∙ Bilingual or multilingual is an asset.
Salary, Benefits:
Salary $54,000/year plus benefits comprehensive fully paid medical and dental benefits for employee after one month, Simple IRA, and mileage reimbursement. Travel costs are covered.
How to Apply:
To be considered for this position, applicants must submit a resume and cover letter to: karen@mlkfreedomcenter.org. Your cover letter should clearly address your interest in this specific position. Candidates who do not submit a cover letter will not be considered for the position.
AFFIRMATIVE ACTION EMPLOYER
The Martin Luther King Jr. Freedom Center is an affirmative action employer and encourages applications from all qualified candidates without regard to race, creed, color, marital status, gender, sexual orientation, religion, age, national origin, political affiliation, honorably discharged veteran or military status, or the presence of any real or perceived sensory, mental, or physical disability.