Fall 2026 Racial Justice Intern

Summary

The ACLU of Massachusetts (ACLUM) is seeking an intern for the Fall of 2026 to join its Racial Justice Program (RJP) team. The RJP aims to preserve and extend civil rights and civil liberties for and to segments of the population who have historically been denied those rights on the basis of race, ethnicity, or national origin. The RJP intern will be responsible for research, writing, and policy advocacy support on a host of issues related to racial justice and the inequities facing people of color in the Commonwealth, including but not limited to voting rights, reproductive rights, criminal legal reform, LGBTQ+ and gender rights, and environmental justice—all with a lens toward racial equity.

This internship will run for 10-12 weeks, starting in early September, with a work schedule of 10-20 hours per week. This intern will report to ACLUM’s Racial Justice Program Director and work with staff members across the organization, as assigned. 

Applications will be reviewed until the position is filled.

Essential Duties

• Support ACLUM’s racial justice efforts, public policy work, and advocacy campaigns through research, writing, and event support. Related activities may include participation in voter registration drives and public education events, as well as staffing ACLUM outreach tables at public events.  

• Collaborate with internal advocates, communicate with external stakeholders, and attend community meetings and events on ACLUM’s behalf, as assigned.  

• Take notes at internal and external meetings, and report learnings to the Racial Justice Program Director and the broader Field team. 

Job Qualifications

• Applicants should be current college students who will have completed their first year of school before the internship commences. 

• Strong research, writing, and organizational skills required. 

• Proficiency in Spanish, Portuguese, or Creole, a plus. 

• Applicants should have a demonstrated interest in and some familiarity with issues related to civil rights, civil liberties, and racial justice. 

• Comfort communicating in group settings strongly preferred. 

Compensation

For students not also receiving school credit, this internship will pay $18 per hour. For students receiving school or work study credit, this internship will be unpaid.

About the ACLU of Massachusetts

The ACLU of Massachusetts (ACLUM) was founded in 1920 and is an affiliate of the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU), a nationwide, non-profit, non-partisan membership organization that works to preserve and expand the freedoms guaranteed by the Bill of Rights. Through strategies of litigation, advocacy, public education, and grassroots activism, we strengthen and expand public understanding of racial justice, juvenile justice, LGBTQ rights (including equal marriage), women's rights, criminal justice issues, equal opportunity, free speech and assembly, privacy rights, religious liberty, students' rights, voting rights, and reproductive rights.

ACLUM is an equal opportunity/affirmative action employer and encourages women, people of color, persons with disabilities, members of the LGBTQ community, and formerly incarcerated people to apply.

This position is based in Boston, MA and eligible for a hybrid work schedule, being in-person an average of three days per week, with the ability to be in the office on any given day as needed and assigned. Residency in Massachusetts or within a 60-mile radius of Boston in a contiguous New England state is required. ACLUM has a Covid-19 vaccine mandate, and candidates receiving a job offer will be required to show proof of being fully vaccinated against COVID-19 prior to commencing employment. Exemptions to this requirement will be considered on a case-by-case basis in accordance with applicable law. Applicants should be aware that fully remote work will not be deemed a reasonable accommodation.