Westchester/Hudson Valley Community Organizer

Westchester/Hudson Valley Community Organizer:

RAPP’s Westchester/Hudson Valley Community Organizer position includes leading RAPP’s community organizing, base building, membership, and leadership development efforts across Westchester and the Hudson Valley in support of our current and future campaigns for parole justice, clemency, and other campaigns. The regional organizer will also help organize community events and engage in legislative advocacy and demonstrations. Because this role covers two regions, applicants must have a valid driver’s license and access to a car.

Primary Duties and Responsibilities:

Grassroots Community Organizing:

• Engage in community outreach that moves people to sign up to get involved in RAPP’s work.
• Organize community events that bring impacted community members together to meet their basic needs and join RAPP.
• Partner with local businesses, religious institutions, and community organizations across Westchester and the Hudson Valley.
• Phone banking follow-up.

Membership & Leadership Development:

• Organize people to become official members of RAPP’s Westchester/Hudson Valley Chapters by attending monthly RAPP new member orientations, including by doing 1:1 meetings that inspire them to join a new member orientation and get involved.
• Work 1:1 with RAPP Westchester/Hudson Valley members on skill-building and plug them into specific areas of RAPP’s work they want to get involved in.
• Check in frequently with RAPP members and leaders with updates, how they can get involved in our work, and what support they need from RAPP.
• Host RAPP monthly, membership meetings in Westchester and/or the Hudson Valley.
• Identify and train RAPP members to become leaders of RAPP's Westchester and Hudson Valley Chapters.

Mobilizing and Advocating:

• Organize RAPP Westchester/Hudson Valley members to attend and participate in rallies, marches, advocacy days, and other demonstrations.
• Recruit, prepare, and empower RAPP Westchester/Hudson Valley members to speak at rallies, marches, demonstrations, with the media, and with elected officials.
• Help organize transportation, materials, and logistics as needed.
• Engage in phone, text, and email outreach to recruit RAPP Westchester/Hudson Valley members to attend rallies, marches, and demonstrations.

Campaigns Work and Coalition Building:

• Attend weekly parole justice and clemency campaign steering committee meetings.
• Manage and expand existing organizational and community-based partnerships across Westchester and the Hudson Valley.
• Find specific ways for organizational partners to support RAPP.

Media:

• Work with RAPP Westchester/Hudson Valley members to empower them to participate in media appearances and written publications such as op-eds.
• Work closely with RAPP’s Policy and Communications Director and Associate.

General RAPP Responsibilities:

• Attend any other RAPP organization-wide meetings and retreats as they come up.
• Work closely with RAPP’s Director, Associate Director, Co-Founder, Community Leaders, and other staff, leaders, and members.
• Work non-traditional hours, including during the evening and on some weekends.

Qualifications:

• Share and commit to RAPP’s fundamental principles, beliefs, and values that all incarcerated people have.
• A passion for, and working knowledge of, social justice and change.
• Demonstrated ability to engage a variety of stakeholders, including communities, coalitions, forums, foundations, and supporters.
• Highly organized and adaptable in an evolving, fast-paced environment, with a focus on clarity and solutions.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills.
• Strong interpersonal skills.
• Strong coalition-building skills and high-level knowledge of incarceration and its toll on older people.
• Experience working in grassroots community organizing.
• Direct personal experience with the criminal legal system is preferred.
• Willingness to work in-person. This is not a remote job and requires work from an office and in the field.
• A valid driver’s license and access to a car, due to regional travel.

Full-time benefits, including health insurance, paid vacation, paid sick leave, and access to a wellness fund.