Food and Agriculture 2023 Fellowship Position

Overview:

Friends of the Earth is a hard-hitting, progressive, environmental organization that pulls no punches and speaks sometimes uncomfortable truth to power. It’s an approach that has worked for five decades to produce important victories that help protect our planet and its people. We’re part of Friends of the Earth International, the world’s largest federation of grassroots environmental groups, working in more than 70 countries on today’s most urgent environmental and social issues.

FOE envisions a world where we live within the ability of the planet to sustain life, and in which all people live with dignity, health, and equity. We believe that both environmental crises, as well as widespread social injustice, are intertwined symptoms of flawed ideological, economic, and political systems that are violating peoples’ rights, perpetuating oppression, failing to meet the needs of people, and destroying the planet.

We believe that increasing racial diversity within environmental organizations is critical to the future success of our movement. Our Fellowship program is designed to increase the long-term effectiveness of FOE and the environmental movement by operating an inspiring and fulfilling fellowship program that builds skills and relevant job experience for people of color and members of underrepresented communities.

Arlie W. Schardt was a pioneering voice for the environment and witness to some of the most seminal events in American history as a Time magazine correspondent traveling with Martin Luther King while covering the civil rights movement. Throughout his peripatetic 50-year career, Schardt reported on and acted on behalf of social justice. Al Gore states, “Through his remarkably diverse career, Arlie Schardt lived a life of purpose and impact,” said the former Vice President. “He was a champion for civil rights and an early pioneer of the environmental movement. I valued greatly his commitment to public service and will always be grateful for the invaluable roles he played on my Presidential campaign.” Schardt joined Friends of the Earth (FOE), serving as Chairman of the Board from 2009 until June 2019 when he was named chair emeritus in honor of his service. According to Erich Pica, president of FOE, “Arlie was instrumental in tripling the size of the organization and broadening its mandate to combine his concerns for social and racial justice with environmentalism.”

About the Fellowship:

Each year, we welcome a cohort of five Fellows to work with us full-time for six months. This year the Fellowship program will be a remote position, with the possibility of an in-person retreat in the DC office if/when the offices re-open. Fellows are paid $20/hour and will receive a one-time stipend of $1,000.

Fellows are placed with our Communications, Economic Policy, Food & Agriculture, Climate & Energy, or Program teams. In addition to substantive work with the teams, the Fellowship program also includes networking and career development opportunities.

The fellowship begins in March 2023 and ends in September 2023.

About our Food and Agriculture Team and Fellowship Position:

The Food and Agriculture program works to rapidly transition our food system to one that is regenerative, healthy, and just. Our fellow will assist our Emerging Technology in Agriculture campaign, which works to transform public policy to establish appropriate safety assessment and oversight of GMO agriculture products such as GMO crops, insects, soil, and animals; and to keep poorly regulated GMOs out of our food system.  We work to advance regenerative organic and agroecological farming systems that are inherently healthier and that pose fewer risks for people, pollinators, animals, and the planet. The fellow will assist in conducting grassroots and stakeholder outreach to support our state, federal, and international policy work, help coordinate and participate in meeting and event logistics, conduct research to support public policy campaigns, and draft public outreach materials.

The fellow will become an integral member of our dynamic Food and Agriculture Team and gain valuable skills and experience in research, strategic campaign development, online and traditional media communications, corporate and non-profit engagement, and public outreach, education and organizing on the cutting edge of environmental advocacy.

This position will introduce the fellow to a wide range of colleagues in environmental, social justice and regulatory arenas. The fellow will work in community based, corporate and non-profit circles and can become familiar with how these different entities work.

Responsibilities:

Responsibilities for each Fellowship varies, but typically Fellows:

• Perform research, writing and editing
• Assist with campaign, policy and public advocacy
• Take part in outreach and communications efforts
• Help organize people and events
• Participate in strategy, planning, and campaign meetings

Qualifications:

No specific academic or professional experience is required, but we are looking for people who are passionate about the environment and/or social justice. An environmental background, and previous (volunteer or paid) experience in non-profit organizations, advocacy, political campaigns are pluses.

Qualified applicants must be:

• At least 18 years of age
• Eligible to work in the U.S.
• Committed to environmental and social justice
• Able to work well in team setting
• Motivated, and willing to learn and take initiative
• Able to use Microsoft Office suite products such as Excel and Word, and Google applications

Friends of the Earth is an equal opportunity employer who encourages applications from women, people of color and other members of underrepresented groups who will contribute to the diversity of its staff.