Brennan en español Fellow

The Brennan Center for Justice at NYU School of Law is a nonpartisan law and policy institute that seeks to improve the systems of democracy and justice in the United States. We work to hold our political institutions and laws accountable to the American ideals of democracy and equal justice for all. Among our core priorities, we fight to protect voting rights, end mass incarceration, strengthen checks and balances, and preserve constitutional protection in the fight against terrorism. Part think tank, part advocacy group, part cutting-edge communications hub, we start with rigorous research. We craft innovative policies. And we fight for them — in Congress and the states, the courts, and in the court of public opinion.

The Center will launch a new, one-year fellowship program in 2024 aimed at enhancing public understanding of the barriers to voting, and of the heightened disinformation risks, that Latino communities in the country face this election year. The goal is to offer trustworthy information and resources to Latino organizations, press and voters, with a particular emphasis on informing the bilingual and Spanish-speaking public and strengthening relationships with key Latino organizations and media outlets.

Brennan en español (BEE), the Spanish-language initiative of the Brennan Center, launched in April 2022 to share Brennan’s analysis and expertise with the more than 40 million people in this country who speak Spanish, particularly the millions of Latinos who speak only Spanish. BEE’s Spanish-language website (brennancenter.org/es) offers translated Brennan Center reports, explainers, blog posts and original content that are particularly relevant to Latino audiences. BEE also reaches audiences directly through social media channels, including Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, LinkedIn and X (formerly Twitter), and it enters partnerships with Latino organizations and news outlets to share the Brennan Center’s writings, produce events and educational panels, and make Brennan experts available for press interviews and briefings.

The Stakes for Latinos Today
The Brennan Center’s work to combat gerrymandering, restrictive voting laws, disinformation, government surveillance and threats to our elections and democratic institutions is a primary focus of BEE. Brennan’s outreach efforts in Spanish also aim at sharing factual election information with Latino youth, new citizens, and other first-time voters.

The BEE Fellow will contribute to public understanding of the threats posed to the growing Latino electorate by the barrage of new state laws that restrict voting by mail and other access to the polls, the misuse of artificial intelligence to spread disinformation specifically targeting Spanish-speakers, and other efforts to deny people of color political power, while at the same time reinforcing the vision of how our democratic institutions should work and what needs to be done so we have fair elections in 2024.

Position
This position will report to the Vice President for Program Initiatives and work directly with the Editor in Chief, Brennan en español. In addition, the position is part-time (24 hrs. a week) for one year beginning in April.

For the duration of the fellowship, the Fellow will have access to the Brennan Center’s institutional resources and opportunities to collaborate with staff and leadership to advance the organization’s strategic priorities, including ongoing projects related to the election and briefing others on the progress of their work. They will also collaborate with Brennan staff through in-person and virtual meetings.

The Fellowship is open to lawyers fluent in spoken Spanish who would serve as a spokesperson for the Brennan Center for the Spanish-language press this election year. The Fellow would also produce writings in English to help educate the public on election-related and other Brennan Center issues and do short videos and media interviews, primarily with Spanish broadcast outlets.

Note: The Brennan Center operates on a hybrid schedule, with employees currently required to work in the office a minimum of three days per week. The schedule and number of required in-office days are subject to change. This position may be based at our headquarters in New York City or in our Washington, D.C. office.

Examples of responsibilities are:

Producing written products in the form of articles, opinion pieces (for media outlets), blog posts, and other suitable formats delving into what is at stake for Latinos and other communities of color.

Producing at least one white paper on an election-related subject to be determined during the fellowship year.

Appearing as a spokesperson for BEE and the BCJ in both live and recorded interviews with news media.

Appearing in TikToks and videos for targeted social media audiences produced by the Brennan Center.

Participating in the planning and execution of events relevant to the Latino community, including Facebook Live and Brennan Center Live events.

Other activities that advance the fellowship program’s goals.

Qualifications:

JD with experience in democracy issues.

English and Spanish fluency

Broadcast and print media training and proficiency preferred. (Please provide examples of past interviews or media appearances and writing samples.)

Availability to do media hits from 10am-6pm ET, and in the evening and/or on weekends as needed.

Application Process:
Proposal submissions are due by April 15, 2024.
To apply, please visit >>HERE<< and upload the following documents: (1) a cover letter, (2) resume, (3) a proposal, which should be a brief description of a potential white paper project (no more than three pages), and (4) contact information for three references.  Applications without all listed materials will not be considered.  Those with questions on how to frame a successful proposal may contact Mireya Navarro, editor in chief of Brennan en español, or John Kowal, the Brennan Center’s Vice President for Program Initiatives, by email at john.kowal@nyu.edu.

Applications will be considered on a rolling basis, and decisions will be made as soon as an appropriate candidate is identified.  We prefer applications be submitted through our website.  If you have difficulty uploading these items, email them to brennancenterjobs@nyu.edu with “BEE Fellow” in the subject line.

The Brennan Center is committed to advancing Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion in the workplace. We continuously work with our staff to find new ways to increase diversity and to build and cultivate an inclusive and equitable work environment, where everyone can be their true self and feel a strong sense of belonging. As such, we seek to hire employees who have a commitment to and/or experience with diversity, equity, and inclusion. In addition, we expect employees to participate/contribute with DEI initiatives or activities with recruitment, retention, and workplace culture.

Compensation and Benefits:
The pro-rated salary range assigned for this position is $92,000 – $111,000 (based on part-time status).  We determine our salary ranges based on market competitiveness and internal equity for each job. The salary offered a selected candidate will be contingent upon the candidate’s experience, qualifications and internal equity considerations. Additionally, we offer a very robust and competitive array of benefits such as a generous time off program, 401k plan, and comprehensive health insurance (medical, dental, and vision).

Note: The Brennan Center is committed to public health and to the safety and wellbeing of our colleagues and visitors.  As such, we have adopted a policy requiring all employees working in the New York and Washington, DC offices to be vaccinated against COVID-19, including having a booster, or to meet the legal guidelines for an exemption.