Fall 2026 Racial Justice Intern

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.

About the role

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.

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

Responsibilities

• 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.

Requirements

• 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 is a plus.
• Demonstrated interest in and some familiarity with issues related to civil rights, civil liberties, and racial justice.
• Comfort communicating in group settings strongly preferred.

Pay

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 ACLUM

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.