Yuri Kochiyama Fellowship

The Opportunity

Established in 2016, the Yuri Kochiyama Fellowship empowers formerly incarcerated Asian & Pacific Islander immigrants to engage in advocacy bridging movements against incarceration and deportation. Under the supervision of the Community Advocacy Manager, the Fellow will work with attorneys and advocates on campaigns against deportations and providing support to community members in removal proceedings. Many of our clients are refugees who fled the war and genocide from Cambodia, Vietnam and Laos. Our efforts to support impacted communities combine legal action with community-driven solutions, aiming to stop imminent deportations and ensure that community members receive both fair legal representation and robust community support. The Fellow will play a crucial role in coordinating with grassroots organizations, organizing community outreach and Know Your Rights (KYR) presentations, and contributing to broader policy and advocacy efforts. Prior experience in advocacy and willingness to take part in public speaking is desired.

The Organization

Asian Law Caucus (ALC) is the nation’s first legal and civil rights organization serving low-income, immigrant, and marginalized Asian, Arab, Middle Eastern and Pacific Islander communities. Since 1972, ALC has fought to protect access to affordable housing in San Francisco’s Chinatown, litigated high-profile civil rights cases, advocated for the passage of landmark policy changes, and provided an array of services to low-income immigrants and communities of color. Today, with a staff of 60 we bring together legal services, community empowerment, and policy advocacy to fight for immigrant justice, economic security, and a stronger, multiracial democracy. Our work is rooted in the San Francisco Bay Area and California and expands to states across the country, including places where immigrant, Asian, Arab, Middle Eastern, and Pacific Islander communities are rapidly growing.

Responsibilities

Day-to-day activities in this dynamic fellowship position include:

• Coordinate with grassroots organizations in California and other states to support Cambodian and other Southeast Asian community members facing removal orders and deportation
• Organize and facilitate KYR presentations and community events to educate and support impacted individuals, ensuring materials are culturally and linguistically sensitive, reflecting the backgrounds and languages of Southeast Asian communities
• Coordinate logistics and materials for outreach events and workshops, ensuring accessibility for diverse Southeast Asian community members
• Conduct research on community organizations and legal resources to broaden the support network and enhance outreach efforts
• Work closely with the Community Advocacy Manager and other community advocates across programs to achieve broader organizational priorities and goals
• Support anti-deportation campaigns, including participating in legislative visits, conferences, panels, press conferences, and other public forums to advocate for immigrant rights and raise awareness about the fellowship’s work
• Represent ALC in local and statewide coalitions, networks, and movement spaces, actively engaging with allied organizations on issues of immigration and criminal justice
• Coordinate with legal teams and provide non-legal support to incarcerated or formerly incarcerated immigrants, maintaining morale and communication
• Attend regular check-ins with supervisors, as well as staff, team, and organization-wide meetings and training sessions, as required

Qualifications

• Prior experience in prison, criminal justice, or immigrant rights advocacy, including coalition-building and policy work desired
• Strong commitment to social, racial, and economic justice, with a focus on underserved communities, and a commitment to ending the violence, mass criminalization, and incarceration of BIPOC communities
• Excellent oral, written, and presentation skills; ability to convey complex issues clearly and build consensus
• A desire to work collaboratively and respectfully with people from different communities and backgrounds
• Strong interpersonal and organizational skills
• Understanding of Southeast Asian immigrant communities; proficiency in a Southeast Asian language is desired but not required
• Creative thinker with the flexibility to work independently and as part of a team
• Familiarity with Google Suite, including Google Doc and Gmail, and Sharepoint; comfortable using smartphones and computers
• Ability to work some weekends and evenings, as scheduled in advance