Fall 2025 Partnerships & Organizing Internship

ArchCity Defenders (ACD) is a holistic legal advocacy organization that combats the criminalization of poverty and state violence especially in communities of color. ACDs foundation of civil and criminal legal representation social services impact litigation policy and media advocacy and community collaboration achieves and inspires justice and equitable outcomes for people throughout the St. Louis region and beyond.

ArchCity Defenders envisions a society liberated from systems of oppression where the promise of justice and racial equity is realized; communities where our approach to public safety prioritizes investment in well-being health and transformation without relying on criminalization and incarceration; and people living freely in their communities thriving regardless of their race or income.

ArchCity Defenders is working on broad-based change to the St. Louis regions criminal legal system. One way we advance this agenda is through the use of impact litigation. To effectively argue civil rights impact cases it is necessary to have extensive knowledge of legal precedents state and federal statutes and county and municipal ordinances.

Although impact litigation has become one effectivetool for change ArchCity Defenders remains dedicated to representing our clients and changing the lives of our clients on an individual basis. To this end we provide direct representation in housing consumer family criminal municipal and other areas of the law.

ACDs Partnerships & Organizing Team (formerly Community Collaborations) assists people directly impacted by systems of oppression to get civically engaged through political education and organizing and seeks an intern with an enthusiastic desire to assist and serve others. A successful intern needs to be assertive independent persistent empathetic proactive and flexible. They will need to take initiative use problem-solving skills see projects through to completion and become a strong advocate for themselves and others. Helpful skill sets would be prior organizing experience graphic design and/or administration skills.

Please note that this internship may require hours that include nights and/or weekends.

Responsibilities:

• Conduct one-on-one interviews with impacted people
• Assist in coordinating one-on-one meetings with elected ocials
• Participate in or facilitate political education training
• Assist with planning and content and/or the facilitation of Movement meetings Townhalls or other group meetings
• Assisting with planning and content of Campaign/Movement Member Kickbacks
• Participate in plan and/or facilitate community canvassing
• Participate in plan and/or facilitate community outreach events
• Engage in phone and text banking
• Planning/Facilitation of prep meetings for those testifying at BOA committee meetings
• Attending Board of E&A and Board of Aldermen meetings note-taking and report-backs
• Attend strategy and organizing meetings as assigned
• Support the mission of ACD and work with staff to support that mission through social work services
• Any other duties as assigned to help the team do its best work

Qualifications:

• Excellent interpersonal written and verbal communication skills
• Basic administrative skills
• Detail-oriented approach to working in a team-driven organization
• High capacity for problem solving and self-direction and the ability to work independently within time constraints
• Flexible and able to respond appropriately to ACDs changing needs
• Commitment to racial and economic justice and systems change
• Cultural awareness and sensitivity toward diverse populations; awareness of structures of power privilege and oppression

Important Information:

• We plan to host Fall 2025 interns in person and they are required to work in-person in our office in Downtown St. Louis. However that plan is subject to change to remote work at any time due to public health requirements work locations and expectations and school-related policies and procedures.
• Fall 2025 interns must be able to work part-time for 8-12 weeks this may vary to meet the needs of the students and ACD staff.
• Due to the potential for conflicts of interest (among other reasons) we are not able to accept interns or practicum students who seek to simultaneously engage in more than one internship while working with ACD.
• ArchCity Defenders is an equal opportunity employer and strongly encourages applications from people of color persons with disabilities women LGBTQIA and gender non-conforming applicants.

Cover Letter & Writing Sample Submission Instructions:

• Please submit your cover letter as a single PDF file that includes your cover letter followed by a writing sample.
• Your writing sample should illustrate your professional writing ability. While were not looking for a specific type of sample or number of pages it is ideal to submit a sample that is relevant to the role you are applying for. You may attach an existing piece of work or something newly drafted to the end of your cover letter.