We Have an Opening for a Communications Associate

The Equal Justice Society is seeking a communications generalist with strong writing, event management and online social media skills for a short-term contract position compensated at $10,000 for a minimum of three months. (Share this on Facebook and Twitter.)

EJS is a national strategy group heightening consciousness on race in the law and popular discourse. Using a three-pronged strategy of law and public policy advocacy, cross-disciplinary convenings and strategic public communications, EJS seeks to restore race equity issues to the national consciousness, build effective progressive alliances, and advance the discourse on the positive role of government.

The Communications Associate contractor will be responsible primarily for:

• Assisting with a national communications convening in late June 2010;
• Conceiving and generating content for our website and social media channels;
• Developing HTML emails for our email subscribers; and
• Writing drafts of backgrounders, media releases, op-eds and other outreach materials.

Other responsibilities may include:

• Helping execute EJS’s communications message, strategy, and program, and recommending and driving communication priorities and action;
• Supporting our media relations, including conceiving and developing story concepts; drafting releases, articles and opinion pieces; expanding media contacts; supporting press events and spokespersons, and monitoring media coverage and effectiveness;
• Researching media coverage and issues related to race, media and popular culture, and issues related to EJS’s law and public policy initiatives; and
• Improving internal tools for communications management.

Qualities expected of all EJS staff and consultants include integrity, high professional standards, and commitment to progressive social change, to our mission, and to working successfully with diverse colleagues, clients and collaborators. Cooperation, candor, flexibility, resilience, optimism, curiosity and sense of humor are valued. The successful candidate will likely bring:

• Two or more years of relevant responsibility in communications, online media, community education and outreach, policy and/or media work;
• Excellent written and oral communication, including ability to master complex issues and convey information clearly for varied audiences;
• Excellent organizational skills and the ability to manage multiple priorities and projects, to work well in teams, and to handle deadlines and changing priorities;
• Event management experience, specifically with developing convenings or conferences focusing on strategic content, process assessment and coalition building;
• Intermediate or better knowledge and use of social media, including Facebook and Twitter;
• Knowledge of the legal and legislative sectors, education and economic justice issues, development and/or advocacy coalition work;
• Basic knowledge of HTML; and
• Experience editing and manipulating digital media.

To apply, email EJS Director of Communications Keith Kamisugi introducing yourself and how you fit the criteria for the contract position, along with links to your blog, LinkedIn profile and/or Twitter profile. Email to kkamisugi@equaljusticesociety.org by Friday, April 16, 2010. Please do not send resumes or other attachments, and no phone calls.

Download a PDF of this announcement at http://www.box.net/shared/b5djhsacb1.

Calif. Attorney General Says Prop. 209 Unconstitutional in Some Cases

UPDATE: Article by the San Francisco Chronicle’s Bob Egelko.

California State Attorney General Jerry Brown today filed a brief (PDF) with the state Supreme Court today opining that article 1, section 31 of the California Constitution (Prop. 209) is unconstitutional as applied in certain circumstances.

The letter brief was filed in response to the Supreme Court’s request for an opinion regarding Coral Construction v. City and County of San Francisco, a case pending before the Court concerning whether San Francisco’s attempt to remedy longstanding exclusion of minority- and women-owned businesses in its public contracting violates article I, section 31.

The letter stated: “To the extent that the prohibitions against race- and gender-based discrimination in article I, section 31 of the California Constitution (hereafter referred to as section 31) are aligned with the prohibitions enforced under the Equal Protection Clause of the Fourteenth Amendment of the United States Constitution, section 31 is constitutional.

“However, to the extent that section 31 is interpreted more broadly to bar race- or gender-conscious programs that would be permissible under the Fourteenth Amendment, it violates the Equal Protection Clause of the federal Constitution, pursuant to Washington v. Seattle School Dist. No. 1 (1982) 458 U.S. 457 (Seattle) and Hunter v. Erickson (1969) 393 U.S. 385 (Hunter). To that extent, section 31 would create an unequal political structure based on race and gender that is not narrowly tailored to achieve a compelling governmental interest.”

“It is unclear precisely what governmental interest section 31 was intended to serve,” the letter also stated. “If it is the interest in protecting all Californians from discrimination based on race or gender, that is concededly a compelling governmental interest. However, there appears to be no factual basis to support a governmental interest in denying preferences that are permissible under the Fourteenth Amendment.

“Ironically, by effectively disadvantaging racial minorities and women in the political process, without an evident compelling governmental reason for doing so, section 31 seems to accomplish the very evil it purported to eliminate, viz. racial and gender discrimination.”

The Equal Justice Society and the Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights of the San Francisco Bay Area, on behalf of a coalition of more than 60 organizations and individuals advocating against the constitutionality of Prop. 209, applaud Attorney General Jerry Brown for his position on this issue.

We will continue to argue that the state Supreme Court should take this opportunity to strike down Prop. 209, an initiative responsible for much harm to communities of color, women and to California as a whole.

Download the Attorney General’s letter