New date: Responding to Disaster in Working-Class New York: Housing and Community After Hurricane Sandy

New date: Responding to Disaster in Working-Class New York: Housing and Community After Hurricane Sandy

AALDEF Spring 2013 Internships

As seen on the AALDEF website:

SPRING 2013 INTERNSHIPS

Date posted: November 19, 2012
Experience level: For Undergraduate, Graduate, and Law Students

Spring internships are available for the following program areas (open to all unless otherwise noted):

AALDEF Fundraising Events: provide administrative support in preparation for AALDEF’s annual gala. Computer experience with databases, graphics, and web programs are helpful. **Undergraduate students ONLY.  Workstudy grants accepted.**

Anti-Trafficking Initiative: Legal research and writing, organizing/outreach, and legal advocacy for trafficked clients pursuant to the Trafficking Victims Protection Act and other related legislation. Fluency in Indonesian, Hindi, or Bangla highly preferred. **Law students ONLY. **

Economic Justice for Workers: Provide legal advocacy, direct representation, and community education on behalf of Asian immigrant workers experiencing wage-and-hour, retaliation, and workplace safety violations in the restaurant, beauty/nail salon, and domestic worker industries, among others. Undergraduate interns will perform research and community outreach. Fluency in a second language is highly preferred.

Educational Equity and Youth Rights: legal services, policy work, community education, research, and litigation concerning educational equity, juvenile justice, language access, student free-speech and police surveillance, and anti-Asian harassment.

Housing and Environmental Justice: community outreach/education, research, and litigation on gentrification and other land use issues affecting low-income and Asian immigrant communities.

Immigrant Access to Justice: litigation, legal services, and organizing/outreach with communities impacted by 9-11 immigration and law enforcement policies. An additional emphasis on Asian communities’ access to representation and education about immigration policies and practices that may impact them including unconstitutional DHS stops, new deferred action policies for youth, and secured communities.

Voting Rights: legal 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.  

Description of Internships:
Interns are supervised by attorneys and/or AALDEF staff in specific program areas. These internships are not paid positions, but academic credit can be arranged. Interns work anywhere between 8 to 25 hours per week.  Internships usually commence with the start of classes (end of January) through late April/early May.

To Apply:
Any bilingual ability should be stated in the resume. Bilingual ability is helpful but not required. Applications should also state the number of hours the intern is able to work per week and which program area(s) you are interested in. Email applications are accepted. 

Deadline is December 3, 2012. Applications received after deadline will be considered on a rolling basis. Send a resume and cover letter (law students should include a writing sample) to:

AALDEF Spring Intern Search
Asian American Legal Defense and Education Fund (AALDEF)
99 Hudson Street, 12th floor,
New York, New York 10013-2815

Fax: 212-966-4303 or Email: [email protected]

For more information, contact Jennifer Weng at 212-966-5932, ext. 212 or [email protected].

Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) Pro Bono Training

Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) 
 Pro Bono Training

     

Thousands of young immigrants have been approved for “Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals” (DACA). But with an estimated 100,000 undocumented Asian immigrants eligible, we have thousands more to reach. DACA is a Department of Homeland Security directive that gives eligible undocumented youth a two-year pause from the threat of deportation and an opportunity to secure a work permit. For many, this will be the first opportunity to legally work and live in this country.

Many of these immigrants are from the communities served by the various Asian bar associations of New York. Taking on a DACA case pro bono is a discrete way to learn basic immigration law and begin to change the life of undocumented youth.

The Asian American Legal Defense and Education Fund (AALDEF) is seeking pro bono counsel to represent eligible young people applying for DACA. No prior legal experience is required, but pro bono counsel will be required to attend a training prior to taking a case. These cases will help support the work of AALDEF’s youth group for undocumented Asian Americans.

If you are interested in taking a DACA case through AALDEF, please join us for the training on:

Tuesday, November 27 from 6:30pm-8:30pm

at Linklaters, 1345 6th Avenue New York, NY 10105

To register for the training, please email AALDEF at: [email protected].

Please confirm in advance that you are covered by professional liability insurance.

2 CLE credits are being provided by the Asian American Bar Association of New York (AABANY)

For more information about what this new directive means for Asian American communities, see our legal alert.

Generously co-sponsored by:
Asian American Bar Association of New York 
Muslim Bar Association of New York  
Korean American Lawyers Association of Greater New York
South Asian Bar Association of New York
 
 

 

ELECTION DAY 2012: AALDEF YPC Viewing Party

ELECTION DAY 2012: VIEWING PARTY!

AALDEF’s Young Professionals Committee Is Hosting an Election Day Viewing Party at Manhattan Proper!

Come join us as we witness history and watch the election results unfold.

Past and present AALDEF election protection volunteers, meet your fellow volunteers and celebrate your efforts at the polls with AALDEF friends, supporters, and staff!

DETAILS:

November 6, 2012, from 7pm…until the next president is announced!

Manhattan Proper (6 Murray Street between Broadway and Church)

Specials: $4 Drafts All Night, $5 House Wines and $6 Well Drinks (until 9pm)

Questions? Email [email protected]

RSVP on Facebook or to [email protected]

AALDEF Night at the Theater: Hold These Truths

Join the Asian American Legal Defense and Education Fund for a night at the theater!

Hold These Truths

A one-man show inspired by the true story of Japanese American civil rights hero Gordon Hirabayashi.  Agonizing over the forced removal of Japanese Americans to concentration camps during World War II, Gordon journeys toward a greater understanding of America’s triumphs – and a confrontation with its failures.  www.EpicTheatreEnsemble.org/HoldTheseTruths
 

Monday, October 22, 6:30 PM*
Epic Theatre at the 14th Street Y
344 E. 14th Street, NYC

With a special Q&A after the performance with playwright Jeanne Sakata and former Acting U.S. Solicitor General Neal Katyal

Tickets: $35 
To purchase tickets, call 212.966.5932 x212.

* * *

Jeanne Sakata made her playwriting debut with her solo play, Hold These Truths (formerly Dawn’s Light: The Journey of Gordon Hirabayashi), which received its world premiere in November 2007 in Los Angeles. The play was also the inspiration and theatrical centerpiece for the 2009 civil rights symposium on the Hirabayashi case at the University of Tennessee, “Civil Liberties, National Security and the Legacies of the Japanese Removal and Incarcerations.”

Neal Katyal is a partner at Hogan Lovells in Washington, DC.  He previously served as Acting Solicitor General of the United States and as a law professor at Georgetown University Law Center.  Katyal has argued several cases in the U.S. Supreme Court, including Hamdan v. Rumsfeld (2006), a constitutional challenge to the military tribunals at Guantanamo. 

*Note early curtain time. The event will end in time for you to watch the presidential debate that evening!

AALDEF Seeking Tamil Volunteer Interpreter

The Asian American Legal Defense and Education Fund is seeking a volunteer interpreter who is fluent in Tamil to conduct a one-hour phone call.  The consultation may take place by telephone in the evening later this week or early next week.  Interested volunteers should contact Shirley Lin at [email protected] regarding their availability.

Deferred Action for Childhood Arrival Pro Bono Training

Deferred Action for Childhood Arrival (DACA) 
 Pro Bono Training
MuBANY Logo small

An estimated 100,000 undocumented Asian immigrants are eligible for “Deferred Action Childhood Arrivals” (DACA). A new Department of Homeland Security directive, DACA gives eligible undocumented youth a two-year pause from the threat of deportation and an opportunity to secure a work permit. For many, this will be the first opportunity to legally work and live in this country.

  Many of these immigrants are from the communities served by the various Asian bar associations of New York. Taking on a DACA case pro bono is a discrete  way to learn basic immigration law and impact the life of undocumented youth. 

The Asian American Legal Defense and Education Fund (AALDEF) is seeking pro bono counsel to represent eligible young people applying for DACA. No prior legal experience is required, but pro bono counsel will be required to attend a training prior to taking a case. These cases will help support the work of AALDEF’s youth group for undocumented Asian Americans.

  

If you are interested in taking a DACA case through AALDEF, please join us for the training on:

Wednesday, September 5 from 6pm-7pm

at O’Melveny & Myers, 7 Times Square

To register for the training, please email AALDEF at: [email protected]

For more information about what this new directive means for Asian American communities, see our legal alert.

Generously Co-sponsored by:
 
Asian American Bar Association of New York  
 Korean American Lawyers Association of Greater New York
Muslim Bar Association of New York  
South Asian Bar Association of New York

Press Release: NYC Council Unity Map Released

From our friends at AALDEF:

Civil Rights Groups Announce Unity Map for NYC Council Redistricting and 9/4 Press Conference

Thursday, Aug 30, 2012

The Asian American Legal Defense and Education Fund (AALDEF), LatinoJustice PRLDEF, National Institute for Latino Policy (NILP), and the Center for Law and Social Justice (CLSJ) of Medgar Evers College have released the NYC Council Unity Map, a joint proposal for new City Council districts that reflects New York City’s changing demographics and protects the voting rights of Blacks, Latinos, and Asian Americans.

AALDEF, LatinoJustice PRLDEF, NILP, and CLSJ will hold a joint press conference on the Unity Map on Tuesday, September 4 at 12 noon on the steps of City Hall. Please RSVP to [email protected] or 212.966.5932 ex.217.

To read more and see the maps, go to http://bit.ly/unitymaps.

Unity Maps

AALDEF Internships

Asian American Legal Defense and Education Fund

The Asian American Legal Defense and Education Fund (AALDEF) is a 38-year old New York-based national civil rights organization that protects and promotes the civil rights of Asian Americans through litigation, advocacy and community education. AALDEF has a 22-person staff and is supported by foundation and corporate grants, individual contributions, and special events. We receive no government funds. For more information about AALDEF and its current activities, visit our website at www.aaldef.org.
 

Fall 2012 Internships
For Undergraduate, Graduate, and Law Students

Fall internships are available for the following program areas (open to all unless otherwise noted):

Anti-Trafficking Initiative, some policy research and writing related to the Trafficking Victims Protection Reauthorization Act (TVPRA) and other trafficking-related legislation, outreach and community education as well as administrative tasks related to client case files of women and youth trafficking survivors. **Undergraduate students ONLY**

Community Health Care Initiative, community education and outreach in the areas of immigration, government benefits, language rights, health care access and database entry of legal intakes. **Undergraduate students ONLY**

Economic Justice for Workers, litigation, legal research, and advocacy on behalf of restaurant, garment, nail salon, domestic, and other low-wage workers. 

Educational Equity, legal services, policy work, community education, research and litigation concerning educational equity, affirmative action, juvenile justice, post 9-11 hate violence and racial targeting. **Law students ONLY**

Housing Justice Project, community planning research and field work, community outreach, and research and litigation on housing and land use issues affecting low-income Asian immigrant communities. **Urban planning students encouraged to apply**

Immigrant Access to Justice, litigation, legal services, and organizing/outreach with communities impacted by post 9/11 immigration and law enforcement policies. An additional emphasis on Asian communities access to representation and education about immigration policies and practices that may impact them including unconstitutional DHS stops, new deferred action policies for youth and secured communities.  **Law students ONLY**

Voting Rights, legal research and fact development under the Voting Rights Act and Equal Protection Clause challenging anti-Asian voter discrimination, advocacy on bilingual ballots, and state and local election reform; produce reports and organize public forums; work with volunteer attorneys and assist in organizing legal trainings.

Administrative Assistant, provide administrative support in preparation for AALDEF’s annual gala, including: researching for prospective dinner sponsors and silent auction donors.  Computer experience with databases, graphics and web programs are helpful. **Undergraduate students ONLY.  Workstudy grants accepted.**

Description of Internships. 

Interns are supervised by attorneys and/or AALDEF staff in specific program areas.  These internships are not paid positions, but academic credit may be arranged.  Interns work anywhere between 8 to 25 hours per week.  The internship usually commences with the start of classes and ends in early December.

To Apply:

Any bilingual ability should be stated in the resume.  Bilingual ability is helpful but not required.  Applications should also state the number of hours the intern is able to work per week and which program area(s) you are interested in.  Email applications are accepted.  Applications should be received or postmarked by Tuesday, September 4, 2012.  Send a resume and cover letter (law students should include a writing sample) to:

AALDEF Fall Intern Search
Asian American Legal Defense and Education Fund (AALDEF)
99 Hudson Street, 12th floor, New York, New York 10013-2815
Fax: 212-966-4303 or Email: [email protected]

For more information, contact Jennifer Weng at 212-966-5932, ext. 212 or [email protected].

* * *

FALL 2012 Special Events Intern
Undergraduate or Graduate Students

The Special Events Intern will assist in the planning, preparation, and execution of our annual dinner gala and silent auction in February 2013.

Responsibilities include but are not limited to:

·         Assisting with sponsorship development and outreach, writing materials, managing and following up on reservations, ticket sales, and donations.

·         Maintaining databases and files.

·         Preparing and maintaining sponsor/donor solicitations and acknowledgments, mailings, and emails.

·         Assisting with the production of the invitations and dinner programs.

·         Coordinating silent auction/raffle donations, including developing prospects, solicitations and acknowledgment, brochure and silent auction planning, and production.

·         Meeting event deadlines.

Applicants must be self-motivated, have good organizational and writing skills, be detail oriented, able to work independently, organize and coordinate multiple tasks, develop and manage projects in a timely manner, and have database and internet skills. Some fundraising experience is preferable. Knowledge of Microsoft Word and Excel required. Experience using Filemaker is a plus. Flexibility with extra hours around the time of special events is necessary.

This is a temporary part-time position. This position begins September 2012 and will end shortly after the dinner. Hours are flexible. This is an unpaid position. We accept work study grants. Academic credit may be arranged.

To Apply:

Interested applicants should send a resume and cover letter ASAP to:

Attn:  Jennifer Weng
Special Events Intern
Asian American Legal Defense and Education Fund
99 Hudson Street, 12th floor
New York, New York 10013
fax: 212.966.4303
email: [email protected]

For more information, contact Jennifer Weng at 212-966-5932, ext. 212 or [email protected]