SONG is looking for a part-time  organizing fellow to help advance and lead our Free From Fear Campaign taking on the municipal court system in Atlanta, GA. 

SONG’s Atlanta based Free From Fear Campaign is working to unify Black, working-class, immigrant and LGBTQ people to reform the City of Atlanta’s Municipal Court System through the:

  1. Elimination of Failure To Appear Warrants
  2. Establishment of fines and fees based on income
  3. Expanded dignified community service options

Traffic tickets and low level misdemeanors for Black and immigrant communities are part of the police and profiling dragnet. The City of Atlanta raises over 24 million in income annually off Black and working class communities – doing little to protect and serve Black and working class communities! The issue of fines and fees and over-policing is now a national issue and we’re working to hold Atlanta’s elected leadership accountable.

What you would do:

  • Plan and facilitate “Hot and Ready” SONG member leader campaign meetings twice a month
  • Co-develop and bottom-line execution of campaign plan and strategy with SONG staff and member leaders
  • Build base and collect stories
  • Run community events and develop relevant materials
  • Support and execute media and communications work  with SONG staff and member leaders
  • Recruit, retain and build the “Hot and Ready” crew

What we are looking for in you:

  • Deep desire to learn grassroots community organizing and facilitation
  • Desire and willingness to engage a variety of stakeholders including grassroots people, judges, administrators and elected officials
  • Good attitude and good communication skills
  • Strong demonstrated work ethic
  • Willingness to talk to strangers and people that don’t look like you, walk like you, talk like you etc. [ability to build across race, class, gender]
  • Good and demonstrated follow-through
  • Ability to work independently
  • Some experience helping build and/or maintain teams and groups of people
  • Currently based in Atlanta

A big part of SONG’s vision is the idea that people must speak for themselves. We strive to make our hires a reflection of this. In order to be accountable to those we work with, the leaders we support must be a part of the communities we are based in.  Therefore, transgender, lesbian, gay, bisexual, queer, same-gender loving, two spirit, gender non-conforming, working class, people of color, rural, and immigrant people are all strongly encouraged to apply. Priority will also be given to SONG members and political family.

What you would get: 

  • Link up into a SONG Regional Fellowship Program
  • Connection and leadership development with other LGBTQ folks running Free From Fear Campaigns throughout the South
  • Nitty gritty campaign development
  • Facilitation, direct action, event planning and community organizing skills
  • $15/hour plus a cell phone stipend
  • 10-20 hours a week based on your availability, capacity, other work, etc. 
  • Length of contract 6 months with possibility to extend to 1 year
  • Position open until filled. 

READY TO APPLY?

To apply for this position please send answers to the following questions as an attached Word document (.docx) to: kindred@southernersonnewground.org with “Atlanta Organizing Fellow” in the subject line. In addition to these questions, please include a resume, a one-page cover letter, and two references of people you have worked with closely.
  1. Why are you interested in working with SONG and what do you feel you can learn from working with SONG?
  2. What involvement have you had in the Atlanta Free From Fear Campaign so far, if any?
  3. What community organizing and campaign organizing experience do you have?
  4. Please look at the ‘What Are We Looking For In You’ section. How do you feel you meet this criteria and what specific skills can you offer?