Bay Area Climate Justice Fellowships 2023: Developing Environmental Justice and Water Curriculum for East Palo Alto

Overview

Our Mission: We exist to uplift Latino families in East Palo Alto and the mid-peninsula through community education, leadership development, and advocacy.

Our Vision: Nuestra Casa envisions a vibrant East Palo Alto community united around shared values, a multicultural community working together to ensure that all its residents are integrated and have access to the American Dream. Our families pave the road for other generations to follow through their participation in civic engagement activities and collaborative community actions. 

Who We Are: Nuestra Casa has been serving the needs of the immigrant Latino population of East Palo Alto and surrounding communities since 2002. Our organization rose out of a community assessment conducted by a group of local activists who were concerned about the growing needs of the rising immigrant population. Today, Nuestra Casa is positioned as the premier Latino serving nonprofit in our community. Over the past five years, our growth has allowed us to expand our services and programming into neighboring communities like Menlo Park (Belle Haven region) and Redwood City. Through our advocacy efforts, we also reach other communities in San Mateo County.

At Nuestra Casa, we welcome our community to a place that feels like home. We stand by their side to help them navigate institutions, build people’s power, and use their voice to shape a new, more equitable community. Our programs transform our leaders into advocates actively engaged in our local economy, school district, and civic life. Together, we will build a community that leaves no one behind.

About the Fellowship

Nuestra Casa is looking for a creative, energetic, and assertive individual to support the Environmental Justice Academy and/or the Water Justice program. Depending on interest, the student can support either or both of these programs and is welcome to participate in our broader environmental justice efforts serving East Palo Alto and surrounding communities, including edible food rescue and disaster planning and mitigation.

Our Environmental Justice Academy organizes and empowers community residents to take ownership of their advocacy abilities. Participants build their environmental understanding incrementally as a cohort during the process.The goal is to ensure frontline communities’ inclusion in discussions and policies related to climate change. Nuestra Casa is well known for adapting all of our workshops to local cultural identities, including Pacific Islander, African American, and Latino/x.

• Support transition of the Academy into a hybrid model that would provide students with mixed opportunities to learn including in-person field trips where placed-based education can occur

• Develop curriculum for the EJ Academy translating science on environmental issues into approachable material for community 

• Create curriculum for Nuestra Casa’s Water community task force

  • Create a curriculum focused around water justice and equity for residents that is factual and easy to understand.

  • Create social media posts that are factual and educational about water justice

  • Attend water task force meetings and engage with the community (this will be virtual)

• Connect with community members and inform them about Water Justice

  • Create educational materials to be used at community outreach events and help in the planning process when applicable.

  • Provide assistance to Stanford Projects that involve the recruitment of community members.

  • Research information required for Environmental Justice projects as needed.

• Attend Water Justice meetings that focus on state and federal policy with the intention of taking notes and informing the water coordinator of any significant finding.

• Support other small administrative projects at Nuestra Casa if time permits. For example, data entry of program results into Salesforce to help track our reach and impact, and supporting team members with other small tasks as needed.

Preferred qualifications: 

• All levels are welcome to apply (undergraduate, Masters or PhD level) 

• Some knowledge of Spanish is preferred, but this internship is open to anyone

• A background in environmental studies, environmental science, political science or another related field is suggested but not required.

• Strong passion and commitment to social and environmental justice.

• Knowledge of issues of immigrant communities and low income people.

• Ability to engage a diverse community for social justice.

• Strong organizational and communication skills.

• Ability to work effectively as part of a team.

Stipend

Undergraduate and coterm Cardinal Quarter Fellows receive a base stipend of $6,500 to support living expenses during the fellowship. Financial aid and supplemental funding may be available to students who qualify (learn more here). Students in the 2-year Masters program will receive a stipend of $8,500 and PhD students will receive up to $5,000 for a part-time role.