Washington D.C. – January 27, 2009: The Sikh American Legal Defense and Education Fund (SALDEF) is the oldest and largest Sikh American civil rights and advocacy organization in the United States. SALDEF interns are involved with a range of activities from general organizational support to lobbying Congress and meeting with elected and appointed officials.
Washington DC. A very limited number of part-time or remote (outside of Washington DC) internships are offered.
SALDEF offers to undergraduate and graduate students a range of opportunities designed to introduce Sikh American youth to community and policy-based advocacy, with each program area differing in emphasis. Additionally, summer interns will have the opportunity to attend weekly lectures on a range of topics along with other D.C. interns from other legal defense funds and civil rights groups.
Legal Research Interns (2 positions)
Intern(s) will conduct legal research on issues relating to religious freedom under the supervision of SALDEF’s Legal Director. The Intern(s) will be encouraged to develop writing projects for submission to law reviews and other legal periodicals. Applicant must be enrolled at an accredited law school, have excellent research and writing skills, and must be mature, responsible, and goal-oriented.
Legislative Interns (2 positions)
Intern(s) will be intimately involved with lobbying on National and State legislation. Functions include organizing lobby visits with Congressional offices, drafting official correspondence supporting specific legislation, and engaging in an innovative legislative strategy on hate crimes, religious freedom, racial profiling, and immigration. Applicant must be highly self-motivated and mature. Legislative experience is not necessary.
Communications Intern (1 position)
Intern will work with SALDEF staff to develop a comprehensive professional communications strategy with the goal of expanding SALDEF’s reach into the community and relationships with national and international media outlets. Applicant must have some background in Journalism, Communications, or a comparable field. Experience in advanced Web 2.0 initiatives required.
Development Interns (2 positions)
Intern(s) will work with senior SALDEF staff assisting in the design and implementation of a development strategy to grow SALDEF’s organizational capacity and community outreach efforts. Applicant must have experience in Business, Management or comparable field.
All SALDEF interns will have the opportunity to be mentored by national civil rights leaders/attorneys and attend events with congressional/coalition partners. College credit for internship has also been arranged in the past. Stipends are available only on a case-by-case basis.
Interested applicants should send a cover letter with references, resume, and 5-page writing sample to:
SALDEF
C/O: Internship Coordinator
1413 K Street NW, 5th Floor
Washington, DC 20005
Faxes accepted at (202) 318-4433 internship@saldef.org
Please distribute this to your family, friends and at the local Gurdwara. (A global call by SALDEF).
