Farmworker Association of Florida
Apopka, FloridaThe mission of the Farmworker Association of Florida is to build power among farmworkers and rural low-income communities to respond to and gain control over the social, political, economic, workplace, health and environmental justice issues that impact their lives. The vision is a social environment where the contributions, dignity, and worth of farmworkers are acknowledged, appreciated, and respected through social, economic, and environmental justice. This includes a vision in which farmworkers are treated as equals and are not exploited or discriminated against based on race, ethnicity, immigration status, gender or socio-economic status; video and photography skills helpful.
In addition to assisting with social media postings and updates, the intern will assist with service learning and immersion projects with student, youth and church groups; helping document and catalog cases of wage theft; help conduct follow up on cases of pesticide exposure of farmworkers; help community members apply for food stamps, medicaid and other services; could involve interviewing immigrants on their experiences of racial profiling, harassment, etc. for documentation of discrimination.
- Specific Skills Needed: Bilingual capacity (English/Spanish or English/Creole); good social media skills (Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, blogging, etc.); computer skills, such as facility with Microsoft Word, Excel, Power Point, and other programs; good organizational and coordination skills; ability to work independently and in a team setting; ability to work with people and in a busy environment; ability to create flyers, write press releases, etc. a plus.
- Number of Intern Placements: 1
- Internship Time Frame: June through August
No free housing is available for interns who don’t live in/around Apopka, Florida. Contact UUCSJ if you have interest in finding low-cost housing in the area.
The selected intern will need access to a car, as public transportation is not widely available.
Interns are eligible for a stipend of no more than $1,500 from UUCSJ to assist with food, local public transit, and incidentals, depending on a variety of factors. Applicants are encouraged to seek other sources of funding, including grants from colleges and foundations, congregational support, and Faithify, or other crowd sourcing fundraisers.
As Farmworker Association of Florida is always responding to community needs and changing situations and policies, an intern should be very flexible, adaptable, willing to adjust and change direction, and willing to dive into different tasks as circumstances dictate. Experience with doing research is helpful. A knowledge of and passion about systemic and institutional underpinnings of social justice issues is very helpful, though there will be many opportunities for learning, as well.
