Richmond Community Organizer

The Asian Pacific Environmental Network (APEN) was founded in 1993 to bring together a collective voice among the diverse Asian and Pacific Islander communities to develop an alternative agenda for environmental, social and economic justice, and fight for the right of all people to a clean and healthy environment in which to live, work and play. In pursuit of this vision, APEN revolves around five strategies: building grassroots power, strengthening organizing capacity in API communities, forging strategic alliances, and advancing proactive agendas and policies towards systemic change. 

POSITION SUMMARY

The Community Organizer position is a part of APEN’s Richmond organizing project, working towards APEN’s vision of building healthy, fair and just neighborhoods. The Community Organizer plays a crucial role in organizing low-income Asian immigrant and refugee communities, developing their leadership to engage in advocacy, campaign, and electoral actions, and providing interpretation and translation to make these processes accessible to members. The position reports to the Richmond Lead Organizer and works with other organizers across APEN’s Oakland and Los Angeles organizing teams to integrate bold and authentic Asian immigrant and refugee leadership throughout the organization.

The Richmond Organizing work will focus on basebuilding in Richmond and West Contra Costa County, member outreach and development and campaign development as a key part of our Just Transitions efforts. Key Strategies we engage in are educating communities on the Just Transitions model, supporting policies and projects that support equitable development in our communities, leadership development, outreach and organizing towards a just and healthy vision for our communities. Job may require some travel as well as evening and weekend activities.

PRIMARY ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES 

1. Basebuilding: Outreach, Transformational Organizing, Leadership Sustaining & Development 
2. • Contribute to setting organizing goals and plans for recruitment 
   • Conduct outreach and various activities to gain new members and new constituencies 
   • Ensure member participation in various leadership development and campaign activities that engages members in the Environmental Justice movement
   • Contribute to developing organizing systems and methods 
   • Interpret and translate activities and materials or support interpreters/translators to do so
   • Coordinate & implement logistics for various activities, including providing transportation, arranging childcare, etc. 
   • Data Management: Document & track the participation of members 
   • Supporting general community members and APEN members in accessing necessary resources as is within the scope of APEN’s work 
   • Support members to improve needed skills (e.g. public speaking, grassroots fundraising, critical thinking & analysis, campaign strategy, electoral phone-banking) 
   • Work with members to deepen political consciousness (e.g. critical analysis of political context; understanding of the importance of transformative organizing; shared commitment to vision; exposure to different social justice issues)
   • Set agendas and facilitate member meetings; conduct political education
   • Develop culturally relevant and accessible curriculum and messaging towards leadership development
   • Support leaders in developing narratives, creating media pieces and becoming effective spokespeople for campaigns 

1. Project Development and Management
2. • Conduct research on local demographics, conditions and community resources
   • Leverage relationships with existing resources and models
   • Engage our members in furthering Just Transition strategies
   • Support projects that create local economic alternatives to advance a Just Transition*

1. Campaign & Alliance Building 
2. • Support local policy and electoral campaigns, including political strategy development and alliance building
   • Support on research and analysis of policy/legislative changes as needed
   • Work with members to identify progressive campaign demands
   • Support planning and implementing campaign goals and activities 
   • Support members to lead campaign strategy and implementation 
   • Build relationships,