Immediate Openings: Metro-Detroit Gandhi Fellowship

Deadline to Apply: Application deadline is June 28th. Term of fellowship will last from July 15th November 29th. Organization Overview: Michigan United is a statewide coalition of faith, labor, civil rights, business, and social service organizations working together for racial and economic justice through community organizing. We are currently focused on campaigns to: Promote a just, fair, Comprehensive Immigration Reform (CIR) that prioritizes families, human rights, and the positive contributions of immigrants. Defend the civil rights of immigrant workers, families and students.

Position Description: Now that the US Senate has introduced a comprehensive reform bill, our job is to make sure necessary amendments are made and that the House of Representatives passes a corresponding bill. The summer months will see some of the strongest fighting across the country to ensure the passage of a CIR bill. The reason we are at this point is because so many immigrants from all communities have come out of the shadows to tell their stories in public. We must continue to identify affected individuals and families, and lift up their stories so that we can ensure an immigration system that responds to needs of our community- namely adequate sibling visas, H-!B visas, the diversity visa lottery, adequate worker protections, and an attainable path to citizenship. The Gandhi Fellowship is a 5-month service, organizing, and leadership development program for immigrant youth ages 18-24 in Metro-Detroit. Fellows will be tasked with working as a team to conduct extensive outreach into the community. Fellows will liaise with selected partners in the community (Bangladeshi, Indian, Bhutanese, Pakistani, Nepalese, Sri Lankan, Chinese, Filipino) to engage, educate, and recruit interested families and applicants. Specific target areas include Oakland, Wayne, and Macomb counties. In order to help Fellows perform their duties, they will participate in an ongoing training program to learn how to craft a public narrative to motivate others toward action, to learn the history of and challenges facing the social justice movement, and to develop a systems-based analysis of the power structures at the local, state, and federal level. All applicants are required to attend a day long, pre-program training on June 29th in Ann Arbor OR Kalamazoo.

The Gandhi Fellowship is a recruitment and training program for emerging organizers and leaders of the immigrant rights and social justice movements. Fellowship graduates will be connected with other professional development opportunities, job opportunities, academic support, and join a growing alumni network started with the 2012 Democracy Fellows. This program is supported by South Asian American Voices for Impact (SAAVI), and the Cynthia Estrada Foundation. Requirements and Expectations: Fellows must: Have a strong knowledge of the South Asian American community in metro-Detroit, some experience in community work, and be passionate about making change Be effective working with a culturally, religiously, and economically diverse group of partners, members, and staff Be responsible, timely, and committed to professionalism Be an effective communicator, with desire to improve at public speaking Be a proficient speaker and writer of Hindi, Urdu, or Bangla, in addition to English Fellows will be responsible for: Working with a community partner to set up and facilitate CIR info sessions in places of worship (gurudwaras, temples, mosques, churches), cultural/linguistic groups, businesses, professional groups, and community organizations Going door-to-door to identify supporters, register voters, and mobilize supportive voters Learning best practices for community organizing and building the campaign for Comprehensive Immigration Reform in targeted communities Participating in group meetings and professional development opportunities Completing regular reports and documenting activities in the community Hours, Compensation, and Directions to Apply: Fellows will work approximately 15-20 hours/week (some evenings and weekends), receive a total award of $2,500 to support their learning. It is also possible to award monthly rate directly to a school as a scholarship for current college students. Please send resume and cover letter to: evan@miunited.org with Gandhi Fellowship in the Subject line. For more information, please call Evan Major at 313.377.5795 or Prasanna Vengadam at 248.330.5269 www.facebook.com/MichiganUnited www.miunited.org www.saa-vi.org