Dar a Luz to Empower Farmworkers in Pregnancy and Postpartum

Internship description: The Center for WorkLife Law (WLL), housed at the University of California Hastings Law, is one of the nation’s leading nonprofit research organizations devoted to advancing gender, racial, and class equity in the workplace and education. One of the Center’s primary areas of impact is women’s health and economic security, including advocacy around pregnancy, maternal child health, lactation, and COVID-19. The Internship is particularly well-suited for students interested in gender and racial equity, health equity, workers’ rights, and law and public policy. The Intern may be involved in all aspects of the Center’s work, including participating in strategy sessions, researching policy, and contributing to articles and reports.

The Intern will work closely with the Center’s team of attorneys and social science researchers. Projects will include the Pregnant at Work initiative which provides pregnant, postpartum, and breastfeeding employees and their healthcare providers with critical information to prevent workplace discrimination and to ensure equitable health outcomes; as well as the Pregnant Scholar initiative - the nation’s only legal resource center on the rights of pregnant and parenting students, who are more likely to be people of color, women, and first generation students. Additionally, the Intern may conduct research for the Center’s Bias Interrupters program, which advances research and practical tools to tackle racial and gender bias in employment.

The Intern will also contribute to the Center’s initiative Dar a Luz: Legal Rights for Farmworkers in Pregnancy and Postpartum, which empowers farmworkers to access the paid leave they need to avoid exposure to agricultural toxins during pregnancy and the postpartum period. Research has linked prenatal pesticide exposure to agricultural toxins to a wide range of detrimental health effects and impacts on infants such as pre-term birth, developmental disorders, and lower IQ. Historically, farmworkers have been unable to access paid time off for their health and the health of their babies. Dar a Luz is changing this reality.

The Intern may also contribute to the Center’s COVID-19 initiatives to support the economic security and health of vulnerable workers and caregivers by helping them understand and access their rights to workplace accommodations, leave, income replacement, and job security (to learn more about some of the workers we assist, see our recent New York Times Op-Ed).

Tasks intern will work on:

• Collaborate on development, translation, and distribution of culturally conscious educational materials, such as Know-Your-Rights sheets
• Research and assist with drafts and edits for articles, op-eds, and blog posts
• Draft and post news entries, press releases, and updates to WLL website and social media
• Conduct social science research and/or data analysis to support ongoing research projects
• Support Center events, such as the annual leadership academy and webinars
• Administrative duties such as coordinating and scheduling outreach opportunities and meetings with partners, maintaining detailed agendas and minutes, and data entry and management
• Participate in and have opportunity to lead weekly staff meeting, and contribute to program strategy discussions

Organization needs:

• Bachelor’s degree or students in the classes of 2023 or 2024, particularly in a field of study relevant to the research being conducted such as political science, social work, sociology, psychology, gender studies, race and ethnic studies, etc.   
• Two years of research or experience in a professional/nonprofit setting preferred.

Skills required:

• Lived experience expertise or familiarity with the challenges facing people of color, low-income and/or immigrant families, and family caregivers;
• Demonstrated interest in gender and racial justice;
• Demonstrated excellence in writing, including writing with an academic tone, as well as the ability to generate clear and engaging text for lay audiences;
• Ability to credibly, clearly, professionally, and reliably communicate with colleagues – both orally and in writing;
• Ability to perform duties with high degree of initiative and professionalism,
• Excellent organizational skills, attention to detail, and record-keeping habits,
• Experience reading academic material and keeping accurate and detailed notes,
• Familiarity with Microsoft Office and ability to pick up other software and applications quickly,
• Ability to work independently and as part of a team,
• Willingness and desire to support the work of others, and
• A commitment to WLL’s values.

Category: Non-profit organization

Institutional logistical comments: Work can be conducted remotely. Intern is welcome to join WorkLife Law staff in office when open, depending on pandemic restrictions. Reliable access to internet and computer required.