Writing for Liberation Lead

Organization: Empowerment Avenue Society

Location: Remote; Bay Area preferred (occasional travel may be required)

Contract Term: 6-month contract, with possibility of extension or transition to full-time employment. A formal review will be conducted after three months to ensure mutual fit between the contractor and Empowerment Avenue.

Engagement: Estimated 30 hours per week, flexible schedule

Compensation: $38.46/hour, not to exceed $30,000 total for the contract period

Reports to: Leadership Team

Contract Start Date: September 1, 2025

About Empowerment Avenue Society

Empowerment Avenue Society works to normalize the inclusion of currently and formerly incarcerated writers and artists in mainstream creative spaces. We bridge the gap between incarcerated creators and the outside world through direct support, institutional partnership, and narrative shift. Our programs center creative proximity as a strategy for decarceration and public safety.

Contract Overview

The Writing for Liberation Lead leads Empowerment Avenue’s national writing program, supporting incarcerated writers in getting published, paid, and read widely. This person will offer editorial support, recruit and manage volunteers, scout and recruit new writers, build relationships with editors, guide editors through the process of working directly with incarcerated writers, guide incarcerated writers through the pitching and publication, and track stories through the publishing process by internally maintaining a database. A strong background in freelance journalism — especially writing, pitching, and working across a range of publications — is essential.

This contract role combines editorial skill, movement values, and relationship-building to center incarcerated voices in public discourse.

Key Responsibilities

Pitching Process Guidance

• Help writers develop and refine pitches tailored to specific outlets
• Guide writers through the full publication cycle — from ideation to editing to publication

Media Partnership Development

• Cultivate and sustain relationships with editors, journalists, and media platforms
• Advocate for inclusive editorial practices and ensure fair compensation for incarcerated contributors
• Strategically place stories that support abolition and narrative shift
• Recruit, train, and manage volunteers working with incarcerated writers
• Coordinate volunteer relationships and onboarding process, as outlined in project scope

Program Management

• Maintain a clear pipeline of stories, pitches, and publications
• Track submissions, editing timelines, and payments
• Maintain a database of all submissions and publications

Narrative

• Work across programs to align editorial output with Empowerment Avenue’s broader campaigns and initiatives
• Share stories with organization to leverage the published stories as advocacy tools

Qualifications

Required:

• 3+ years experience in journalism or publishing, including freelance writing and pitching to major outlets
• A portfolio of published work across multiple platforms (or supporting the publication of others’ work)
• Experience working directly with incarcerated or system-impacted individuals
• Excellent writing, editing, and interpersonal communication skills
• Commitment to abolition, racial justice, and creative equity

Preferred:

• Lived experience with incarceration or the criminal legal system
• Familiarity with challenges faced by incarcerated writers (e.g. mail delays, tech barriers)
• Experience with trauma-informed editorial practices and/or restorative storytelling

Compensation & Contract Terms

• This role is structured as a 1099 independent contractor under California law.
• The contractor will provide their own equipment, workspace, and manage their tax obligations.
• Empowerment Avenue will not provide benefits, insurance, or tax withholding.
• The contractor is not subject to EA’s day-to-day control and may provide services to other clients, so long as it does not create a conflict of interest.
• Deliverables and timelines will be agreed upon in a formal Independent Contractor Agreement.
• There may be an opportunity to explore a transition to an employee position after the contract period, depending on organizational needs and mutual fit.

To Apply

By our initial review date of August 15, 2025, please submit:

• A resume
• A brief cover letter that speaks to your editorial values and movement alignment
• 2–3 writing samples and/or links to published work (including edited pieces, if applicable)

EEO Statement:

Empowerment Avenue is committed to creating a workplace rooted in equity, dignity, and inclusion. We do not discriminate based on race, color, religion, gender, gender identity or expression, age, national origin, disability, marital status, sexual orientation, or military status in any of our activities or operations. This includes hiring, selecting volunteers or vendors, and providing services.

We value the diverse strengths, lived experiences, and perspectives that each person brings to our work. Individuals from traditionally marginalized communities, including those who are system impacted, are especially encouraged to apply.

Learn more about us @ empowermentave.org.

If you have any access needs or accommodations for the interview process, please don't hesitate to email us at hello@empowermentave.org. Requests will have no impact on the selection process.