Community Organizer

Essie Justice Group•South Pasadena, CA

2d•$70,000 - $74,000•Hybrid

About The Position

Essie Justice Group (Essie) is a powerful community of women and gender nonconforming people with incarcerated loved ones, working to dismantle the US incarceration system—the most egregious driver of racial and gender injustice today. Our community includes cisgender and transgender women, formerly incarcerated people, elders, and young people across California and beyond. After eleven years of building an active membership across California and beyond, Essie is deepening its base-building and leadership development strategies with the 1 in 4 women with incarcerated loved ones to propel bold decarceration agendas across the nation. We seek to transform the criminal legal system and create a Black feminist future rooted in care, equity, community safety, and liberation. In a period of continued organizational growth, Essie seeks a people-oriented, adaptable, and highly motivated Community Organizer to help us implement campaigns to upend systems of control and confinement. The person filling this position believes deeply in people power and is passionate about supporting the leadership development of those most impacted by the criminal legal system. The Community Organizer is a key member of Essie’s team, responsible for supporting the day-to-day implementation of our organizing programs and campaigns. This role involves recruiting and engaging members, helping them participate in programs, committees, and campaign activities, and supporting their growth into leadership roles. The Community Organizer assists with campaign tactics such as press events and meetings with elected officials, helps track member participation and retention trends, and contributes to outreach efforts like canvassing and phone banking. They also provide logistical support for meetings and events, help produce member- and partner-facing materials, and support staff in maintaining strong relationships with community allies—all in ways that reflect Essie’s values of care, equity, and empowerment.

Requirements

2-3 years of experience in organizing (community-based, issue-based, electoral, and/or labor); previous experience in decarceration advocacy is a strong plus.
Commitment to supporting the leadership of women and gender expansive people with incarcerated loved ones and our families.
Excellent time-management, organizational, and event-planning skills.
Effective writing, editing, and verbal communication skills.
Track record as a collaborative team player who excels in managing multiple projects and is comfortable working in a fast-paced and non-traditional work environment.
Adept with Mac operating systems, Google Suite, and MS Office Suite (especially Excel, PowerPoint, and Word).
Commitment to the beliefs and values of Essie with a demonstrated passion for progressive politics, specifically in gender justice, race justice, and ending mass incarceration.

Responsibilities

Member Recruitment and Retention: Support the recruitment of women with incarcerated loved ones to join Essie’s membership and help maintain an engaged, welcoming community.
Assist in recruiting new members and stewarding participation of existing members in Essie's programming and campaign tactics, tracking participation and turnout goals.
Assist in stewarding participation of existing members in Essie’s programs and campaign activities, tracking participation and turnout goals.
Help monitor member retention trends and suggest strategies to improve engagement.
Learn members’ strengths, stories, and interests to support their leadership development through committee participation and other opportunities.
Assist in organizing meetings and gatherings in ways that are engaging, inclusive, and aligned with Essie’s values.
Help identify and reduce barriers to member participation through logistical support and problem-solving.
Member Activation & Campaign Engagement: Assist with implementing campaign activities, such as direct actions, rallies, press events, or meetings with elected officials, following the campaign strategy.
Support members in planning and executing campaign activities and help prepare them for public speaking or advocacy opportunities.
Participate in canvassing, phone banking, and other outreach efforts to engage the community and grow membership.
Help produce member- and partner-facing communications and materials.
Support staff in maintaining relationships with select partners and community allies.