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PROGRAMS 

• Affordable Housing, Community Development, and Environmental Justice
  Interns will work with professional staff on a variety of projects dealing with housing development, housing policy, housing advocacy, environmental justice, and community-based approaches to climate change, policy, and planning.
   
• Food Studies and Urban Agriculture
  Interns will participate in a 2-week orientation course to learn about urban agriculture basics and food justice in Los Angeles that includes classroom activities as well as a series of experiential field trips where students engage in hands-on learning activities, and will then be placed at one of the urban agriculture organizations for an 8-week internship. Students will work alongside urban farmers and gain experience in urban food production methods, community engagement and workshops, as well as marketing, sales, and food assistance acceptance. â€‹â€‹â€‹â€‹
   

• Public Health and Street Medicine
  Interns will be placed with frontline public health organizations and clinics that serve vulnerable populations in Los Angeles. Students will work with staff from partner sites on projects related to the mission and goals of the organization. Students may work on projects related to women’s health, health education, nutrition and physical activity, healthcare access, street medicine and/or food assistance program enrollment.
   

• Immigration Rights and Social Justice in Los Angeles
  After a 2-day orientation/workshop to working with immigrant populations and community-based partner organizations, interns will be placed in an immigration-focused partner organization in Los Angeles for 8 weeks. During those 8 weeks, interns will work with staff to address matters such as legal immigrant rights, education, housing, work/employment, family, and health.  The particular work will depend on the mission of the partner organization. 

*New this summer*

• Global Immigration Rights and Social Justice Internship: Greece
  Interns will be based in Greece and work directly with communities impacted by the refugee crisis in Greece, contributing to education, social services, and other vital support initiatives. This hands-on experience offers students the chance to make a tangible impact while gaining deeper insights into global migration, displacement, and social justice. Internships will focus on the following. Interns will work full time with host organizations to gain hands-on experience in refugee support and humanitarian aid. Students will develop cross-cultural communication skills and contribute meaningfully to addressing global injustices.  
   
• Los Angeles and the Olympics
  Interns will work in the City of Los Angeles’ Mayor’s office and local community-based organizations engaged in planning for the Olympic and Paralympic Games in Los Angeles in 2028. Interns will work on a variety of projects dealing with current and future transportation and transit infrastructure, housing policy, tenant and housing advocacy, environmental justice, and community-based approaches to sustainability.  Placements will include the Mayor’s offices of Transportation Infrastructure and Sustainability as well as transit and community-based organizing and advocacy organizations.
   

The Occidental students selected for this internship will be paid a $6,000 study grant, will be provided with room and board on campus [based on income, but with a maximum payment of $150 (tbc) per week for the summer], and will work full-time for a community-based non-profit organization in Los Angeles. Additional funds for travel expenses may also be available. The number of internship slots will depend on the level of funding the program can raise.

Interns will be required to:

• Work full-time for 10 weeks from May 27, 2025 to August 1, 2025
• Present at the URC Summer Research Program Conference on July 30, 2025
• Participate in weekly seminars with faculty mentors and other interns to discuss assigned readings and reflect on the internship experience
• Keep a journal
• Write a final paper

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PROGRAM ELIGIBILITY

Open to all majors! All current students returning in the Fall semester are eligible to apply. Past recipients may apply to other program areas. Students graduating in May 2025 are not eligible. 

Affordable Housing
Must be interested in issues of affordable housing, homelessness, community development, improvement of conditions in low-income neighborhoods, environmental justice, and climate justice.

Possible Organizations:

• Alliance of Californians for Community Empowerment () 
• Asian Pacific Islander Forward Movement ()
• Coalition for Economic Survival ()
• East Los Angeles Community Corporation ()
• East Yard Communities for Environmental Justice ()
• Esperanza Community Housing ()
• LA Community Action Network ()
• LA Voice ()
• Los Angeles Alliance for a New Economy ()
• Neighborhood Housing Services ()
• Pacoima Beautiful ()
• Southern California Association of Non-Profit Housing ()
• Strategic Action for a Just Economy ()
• Strategic Concepts in Organizing and Policy Education ()

Food Studies and Urban Agriculture
Must be interested in food systems and urban agriculture production and how urban agriculture can address issues of food access, food security, and diet-related diseases.

Possible Organizations:

Public Health and Street Medicine
Must be interested in public health and have completed Introduction to Public Health; or or Global Public Health before the start of the summer internship program.

Possible Organizations:

• Saban Community Clinic ()
• Every Woman Counts (LA County) ()
• Foothill Unity Center Client Services Department ()
• Koreatown Youth and Community Center ()
• Planned Parenthood Pasadena and San Gabriel Valley ()
• Healthcare in Action ()
• Active San Gabriel Valley ()
• Essential Access Health ()
• Kedren Health ()
• LA County Board of Supervisors, Office of Holly J. Mitchell (2nd district) ()

Immigrant Rights and Social Justice in Los Angeles
Must be interested in legal immigrant rights, education, housing, work/employment, family, and health.

Possible Organizations:

• American Civil Liberties Union—Southern California (ACLUSOCAL)- ( )
• Anti-Recidivism Coalition (ARC) - ()
• Asian Americans Advancing Justice-LA- ( )
• Central American Resource Center (CARECEN)- ( )
• Coalition for Humane Immigrant Rights of Los Angeles (CHIRLA)- ( )
• Immigrant Legal Resource Center (ILRC)- ( )
• Interfaith Refugee & Immigration Service (IRIS) - ()
• International Rescue Committee (IRC)- ( )
• Korean Immigrant Workers Alliance (KIWA)-
• National Immigration Law Center (NILC): ( )
• Legal Aid Foundation of Los Angeles (LAFLA)- ( )
• Mexican American Legal Defense Fund (MALDEF)- ( )
• Muslim Public Affairs Council (MPAC) - ()
• Immigration Center for Women and Children (ICWC)- ( )
• Los Angeles Center for Law and Justice- ()
• Kids in Need of Defense (KIND)- ()
• LACBA Immigration Legal Assistance Project- ()

*New this summer*

Global Immigration Rights and Social Justice Internship: Greece
Students will be working with Solidarity Now and Metadrasi organizations, organizations that provide social services, legal support, and educational opportunities for refugees, immigrants, and stateless individuals and families inside and outside of refugee camps.

Areas that the students will be engaging in include:

• Education and English Language Teaching:
  • Conduct English lessons for minors or adults.
  • Facilitate recreational activities with children.
     
• Interpretation Support:
  • Assist with Arabic, Farsi, French, or Urdu interpretation.
  • Collaborate with services such as reception or social services.
  • Support data collection for ongoing research initiatives.
     
• Women’s Activities:
  • Potential involvement in Female Friendly Spaces, focusing on supporting women through organized activities and services.

Preferred Attributes:

• Students with a commitment to social justice and global issues.
• Demonstrated interest in refugee rights, education, or humanitarian aid.
• Proficiency in relevant languages (Arabic, Farsi, French, or Urdu) is highly desirable but not mandatory.
• Strong interpersonal skills and the ability to work collaboratively in diverse environments.

Los Angeles and the Olympics
Placements will include the Mayor’s offices of Transportation Infrastructure and Sustainability as well as transit and community-based organizing and advocacy organizations.

Preferred qualifications:

• Strong writing and research skills
• Ability to set priorities and manage time
• Ability to take initiative
• Ability to work independently and in teams 
• Strong interpersonal skills and ability to work in diverse environments
   

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HOW TO APPLY - Deadline is January 28, 2025 at 5:00 PM. 

 

We'll need the following information: 

1. Your name, º£½ÇÉçÇø ID#, major, class (frosh, sophomore, junior), GPA, name of a faculty member who can serve as a reference, your method of transportation for the summer (personal vehicle, public transit, ride-share, or carpool), and whether you will need campus housing during the 10-week program;
2. Identify the program you are applying for and list the three organizations that interest you the most. Note: You may apply to more than one program but must submit a separate application for each; 
3. A 250-500 word statement (PDF or MS Word) explaining why you are interested in the program you are applying for, what skills will you bring (e.g. fluent in Spanish, proficient in Photoshop, etc), and what do you hope to learn at the internship site; share your future educational and professional plans and how this internship can help to support these plans. Also include information about any other related internship or volunteer experiences;
4. Your resume (PDF or MS Word); and
5. Your º£½ÇÉçÇø transcript (unofficial is acceptable).

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Meet our 2024 summer interns:

Affordable Housing, Community Development, and Environmental Justice
Program is supported by the President's Office, Politics Anderson, The Barack Obama Scholars Program, and Citizens Business Bank. Faculty mentor: Martha Matsuoka

Food Studies and Urban Agriculture
Program is supported by the USDA NIFA: AFRI REEU Program. Faculty mentor: Sharon Cech

Public Health
Program is supported by The Ralph M. Parsons Foundation, The Barack Obama Scholars Program, and º£½ÇÉçÇø Community Health Engagement Fund. Faculty mentor: Jessica Dirkes

Immigrant Rights & Social Justice
Program is supported funded by an anonymous donor. Faculty mentor: Mary Christianakis and Malek Moazzam-Doulat

Our 2024 Partnering Organizations