2012 SUMMER UNDERGRADUATE INTERNSHIPS

Founded in 1974, the Asian American Legal Defense and Education Fund (AALDEF) is a national organization that protects and promotes the civil rights of Asian Americans. By combining litigation, advocacy, education, and organizing, AALDEF works with Asian American communities across the country to secure human rights for all.

Summer interns attend weekly brown bag lectures on a range of public interest legal topics along with interns from other legal defense funds and civil rights groups. The summer program is ten (10) weeks, beginning approximately June 4th through August 10th. The position is unpaid. However, in previous years many AALDEF interns have been successful at securing independent funding and work-study funds may also be available. Academic credit can be arranged.

Voting Rights Intern: research and fact development under the Voting Rights Act and Equal Protection Clause challenging anti-Asian voter discrimination, advocacy on bilingual ballots, and the redrawing of local, state and federal district lines; produce reports and organize public forums; assist in organizing legal trainings; help prepare for multi-state election monitoring of the 2012 Presidential Elections; conduct voter registration drives..

NJ – Asian American Legal Project Intern: Undergraduate interns gain valuable experience working alongside attorneys in NJ-AALP’s advocacy efforts. Responsibilities include conducting community outreach, education, and direct-action organizing with Asian immigrant workers and community members in New Jersey; performing client intake and legal interpretation; and coordinating client referrals. Bilingual ability in Gujarati, Hindi, or Korean is highly preferred.

Youth Rights and Educational Equity Intern: Responsibilities include community outreach and presentations with Asian American youth groups, public education policy research, assistance with client intakes and general support for projects on educational equity, juvenile justice, affirmative action, and post 9-11 hate violence and racial targeting.

Housing & Environmental Justice Project: responsibilities include community outreach and research on land use, community planning, and anti-displacement issues.

Office Assistant: Responsibilities include data entry, organizing press clippings, answering phones, doing mailings, assisting with fundraising and other events, and performing general clerical duties. Other responsibilities include providing support for community education and outreach projects and acting as an interpreter/translator. Computer experience with databases, graphics and web programs is helpful.

Requirements: Candidates must be detail-oriented and possess strong writing skills. Spoken and written knowledge of Korean, Bangla, Chinese, or another Asian language is a plus.

Qualified applicants should indicate which internship they are applying for and send a resume and cover letter by Monday, February 6, 2011 to: