Marylanders for Marriage Equality and ACLU of Maryland

Marylanders for Marriage Equality (MDFME) and the American Civil Liberties Union of Maryland (ACLU-MD) seek highly motivated college students for our Marriage Equality Organizing Fellowship Program. Fellows will serve from mid-August through mid-November as volunteer leaders on the campus-organizing component of the campaign to defend the Civil Marriage Protection Act.

ABOUT MDFME:

Marylanders for Marriage Equality is the coalition working for civil marriage equality in the Free State. Having helped to pass the landmark Civil Marriage Protection Act earlier this year, MDFME’s focus now is on defending that law from repeal efforts, and preserving gay and lesbian couples’ freedom to marry. The coalition includes the NAACP-Baltimore Chapter, 1199 SEIU, ACLU-MD, Equality Maryland, and the Human Rights Campaign.

ABOUT ACLU-MD:

The ACLU-MD is the Maryland state affiliate office of the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU), one of the nation’s premier civil liberties and civil rights organizations. The Maryland ACLU was founded in 1931, and currently has approximately 14,000 members and supporters statewide. Our mission is to ensure that all people in the State are free to think and speak as they choose and can lead their lives free from discrimination and

unwarranted government intrusion. The Bill of Rights and the Maryland Declaration of Rights guide our work, and we act without partisanship to achieve these goals.

The Maryland ACLU takes great pride in having an extraordinarily broad agenda. Our organization has taken on major initiatives on behalf of marginalized citizens – those who are racially, politically and economically disadvantaged. For many years, the Maryland ACLU has engaged in a significant effort to secure the freedom to marry for same-sex couples, first with a lawsuit that went to the state’s highest court, then by lobbying to pass the Civil Marriage Protection Act, and now working alongside our partners at MDFME to defend that law.

ABOUT THE POSITION:

Marriage Equality Organizing Fellows will develop the full range of skills necessary to organize their campus and community in order to protect marriage equality in the November election.

Fellows will work directly with the Campus Organizers to:

• Identify and cultivate students leaders on campus;

• Build a coalition of student groups and organizations;

• Recruit and mobilize student volunteers to build support for marriage amongst students and their networks;

• Conduct voter registration drives on campus;

• Use social networks to help magnify our effort and presence on campus;

• Organize and execute large-scale public events, such as rallies, public education forums, and trainings, in coordination with other campaign staff and Organizing Fellows.

QUALIFICATIONS:

• Committed to protecting marriage equality in Maryland;

• Willing to commit 15-20 hours per week for 12 weeks, potentially including some evenings and weekends;

• Excellent verbal communications skills, including an ability to approach people on campus in a friendly and assertive manner;

• Goal-oriented, hard-working, and self-motivated;

• Flexible, and able to work collaboratively as part of a team;

• Able to work with diverse groups of people.

How to Apply

Interested students should send a cover letter and resume to:

Joanna Diamond

Campus Outreach Director, Marylanders for Marriage Equality

Marriage Fairness Field Director, ACLU of Maryland

Joanna.diamond@mdfme.org

diamond@aclu-md.org

240-506-1377