Wilson Center for Social Entrepreneurship: Asian American Federation - Policy Intern

Organization Name: Asian American Federation

Internship Role: Policy Intern

Website: http://aafederation.org/

Location: 120 Wall Street, 9th Floor, New York, NY 10005

On-site/ Hybrid/Remote: TBD

Length of Internship: 35hrs/week for 8 weeks (280 hours total)

Compensation: $16.00/hour - total of $4,480.00

About the Organization: Established in 1989, the Asian American Federation (AAF) is a pan-Asian nonprofit leadership organization that represents the collective voice of 70 community-based organizations (CBOs) serving 1.3 million Asian Americans, the fastest-growing population in New York City. Our mission is to raise the influence and well-being of the pan-Asian American community through research, policy advocacy, public awareness, and organizational development.

AAF is one of the strongest leadership voices advocating for better policies, services, and funding that lead to more justice and opportunity for Asian immigrants, one of New York City's poorest and most underserved communities. Our leadership role helps us strengthen more than 20 ethnic groups—diverse in language, culture, and religion—that make up New York’s Asian community.

This is a unique opportunity for a highly organized, motivated college or graduate student to learn about the ins-and-outs of policy advocacy in a nonprofit setting. Reporting to the Associate Director of Advocacy & Policy, the Policy Intern will provide assistance on a number of AAF’s program areas focused on the Asian American community, such as immigration, mental health, and small business recovery and support. The Intern will gain hands-on experience in implementing advocacy strategies and exposure to the short-term and long-term impacts of policy decisions. Responsibilities include but are not limited to:

·      Track and analyze local, state, and federal budget and legislation that impact the Asian American community, especially in New York

·      Draft testimonies, remarks, and public comments for advocacy activities such as legislative hearings and rallies

·      Monitor and attend relevant city and state legislative hearings

·      Liaise with elected officials’ offices through written correspondence and by phone

·      Outreach to member organizations and partner advocacy groups to collect information on community needs

·      Organize and plan logistics for upcoming AAF events relating to advocacy work

·      Assist Associate Director of Advocacy and Policy and Associate Director of Development & Communications in developing messaging for traditional and social media as needed

Preferred Skills: Applicants interested in this internship opportunity should have an interest or background in public policy, public administration, immigration, and/or working with marginalized groups. Additional skills include:

·      Excellent verbal and written communication skills

·      Facility with Facebook and Twitter

·      Strong research skills, able to synthesize complex information into meeting notes, memos, and summaries

·      High degree of self-motivation, ability to take initiative, prioritize with minimal supervision, and work independently as well as function as a member of a team

·      Strong analytical skills and ability to work well under pressure while juggling multiple tasks simultaneously

The ideal candidate would have the ability to communicate in an Asian language, have prior experience working with community organizations, nonprofits, and/or elected offices and possesses a strong interest in issues related to the Asian American community such as social justice, immigration, and community engagement.