People’s Action Institute (PAI) has created a one-year fellowship for emerging talent in the social change field to support our local & state campaigns to end mass incarceration. The Restorative Justice Fellow (RJF) will support participatory action research projects that address the school-to-prison pipeline, sentencing reform and more.

The PAI Decarceration Campaign is organizing directly-impacted communities as part of an emerging movement to end the era of mass jailing and imprisonment. Mass incarceration has achieved the opposite of its purported mission – perpetuating instead of reducing crime and violence. As a result, poor and working class communities are less safe and our nation’s historic anti-black racial caste system has been upheld. There are 2.2 million people in cages in the U.S. and 100 million with “criminal records” who are disproportionately people of color.

Responsibilities

• Provide direct support to participatory action research projects, including writing, analysis, and creation of reports and presentation materials.
• Support PAI affiliate decarceration campaigns, including traveling to cities and towns to oversee research, participate in grassroots actions and work as part of a team with local grassroots leaders.
• Produce a final written report that combines the analysis and achievements of the various local research projects and campaigns and draws bigger lessons on how PAI can advance restorative justice policies (particularly in K-12 school districts across the country).

Qualifications

• Familiarity with restorative justice policy, particularly in the context of reforming K-12 school discipline policy
• Familiarity or experience with participatory action research
• Strong research, analysis and writing skills
• Entry-level social change or community organizing experience
• A deep commitment to racial, gender and economic justice
• A good team player

There is a preference for being geographically based near one of the PAI offices, which are in Chicago, Seattle and Washington. This job will also require regular travel.

Salary and Benefits

Fellows will receive a one-year salary of $35,000, full health insurance coverage, vacation and earned sick time.

Application Process

Please send a cover letter, resume, writing samples and references to jobs@peoplesaction.org. References must include at least one direct supervisor. PAI is an Equal Opportunity Employer. People of color, women and LGBTQ people are strongly encouraged to apply.