Communications Intern

The ACLU of Arizona works to advance equity and dismantle systemic injustice through legal action, policy advocacy, and mobilizing our communities to protect the civil rights, liberties, and dignity of all Arizonans.  The ACLU of Arizona invites applications for a 3-month Communications Internship from June to August (Summer), September to November (Fall), and February to April (Spring). 

INTERNSHIP OVERVIEW

A communications internship at the ACLU of Arizona provides students and recent graduates with an opportunity to actively work on multimedia and public relations-related projects on a wide variety of civil liberties issues, including immigrants’ rights, LGBTQ+ rights, First Amendment rights, voting rights, reproductive freedom, and criminal justice reform. The communications intern will be supervised by the ACLU of Arizona Communications team. A commitment of approximately 10 weeks is requested, although the specific length and terms of the internship will be negotiated when an offer is made. This internship is paid, with a stipend of $15 per hour worked. Work will be approximately 12 hours per week.  

Applications are reviewed on a rolling basis with seasonal cut-off dates below: 

• Summer internship application deadline: June 1, 2025 
• Fall internship application deadline: August 1, 2025 
• Spring internship application deadline: January 5, 2026 

Location: Arizona, Phoenix preferred with virtual or hybrid options available 

ROLES & RESPONSIBILITES

The responsibilities of the Communications Intern will include: 

• Researching Arizona’s traditional and new media landscape as it relates to issue priorities 
• Tracking current events pertinent to the organization’s agenda 
• Tracking media coverage of ACLU issues and initiatives 
• Contributing to the production of social media, including short form writing, graphics, and video 
• Updating the ACLU of Arizona’s website 
• Assisting with communications campaigns, public education initiatives, and other projects by conducting research, drafting outlines, building lists, and supporting the distribution of materials 
• Performing other duties integral to the ACLU of Arizona’s mission 

INTERNSHIP OUTCOMES 

The communications intern will walk away with practical experience that can be applied towards a future career in communications and advocacy, and gain exposure to policy, legal, and organizing programs. Along with other day-to-day tasks, the communications intern will gain practice in producing a variety of public-facing material from start to completion, such as: 

• Social media assets that turn complex information into simple, digestible graphic carousels.  
• Storyboarding, scriptwriting, and recording video content, 
• Drafting a blog post independently or in collaboration with program staff, 
• Preparing public education information for printed formats, and 
• Other completed deliverables based on the intern’s skills, interests, and career goals. 

EXPERIENCE & QUALIFICATIONS

• College students studying graphic design, digital media, marketing, journalism, communications, mass media, or advertising, or recent graduates of related programs are encouraged to apply. 
• Excellent research, writing and communications skills. 
• Strong attention to detail, organization, and time-management skills. 
• Applicants must be computer savvy, preferably having a familiarity with Canva, Microsoft Office Suite, video editing, and website content management systems. 
• Demonstration of news gathering and show an aptitude for visual and written storytelling.  
• Enthusiastic, creative, and has the ability to work independently. 
• An interest in political science, civic engagement, communication and media relations, nonprofit advocacy, and current events.  
• Commitment to civil liberties, civil rights, social justice, and to the mission of the ACLU of Arizona. 

HOW TO APPLY 

Applicants are asked to submit a cover letter, resume, and 2 writing and/or multimedia samples. Please write “Communications Internship” along with your semester preference (Spring, Summer, or Fall) in the subject line of your email. No phone calls or walk-ins, please. The cover letter should include your availability and your specific interests in civil liberties. Please submit all materials to communications@acluaz.org.

The ACLU is an equal opportunity employer. We value a diverse workforce and an inclusive culture. The ACLU encourages applications from all qualified individuals without regard to race, color, religion, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, age, national origin, marital status, citizenship, disability, veteran status and record of arrest or conviction.   

The ACLU undertakes affirmative action strategies in its recruitment and employment efforts to assure that persons with disabilities have full opportunities for employment in all positions. We encourage applicants with disabilities who may need accommodations in the application process to contact: info@acluaz.org. Correspondence sent to this email address that is not related to requests for accommodations will not be reviewed. Applicants should follow the instructions above regarding how to apply. 

ABOUT THE ACLU 

With ACLU affiliate offices in all 50 states, Washington, D.C., and Puerto Rico, the ACLU fights tirelessly in the courts, legislatures, and through community engagement to ensure that all individuals’ rights are protected. We are a passionate, highly motivated group of lawyers, public policy experts, lobbyists, community organizers, and fundraisers, and we’re looking for exceptional talent to join our team. 

The ACLU of Arizona comprises two separate corporate entities, the American Civil Liberties Union of Arizona and the ACLU Foundation of Arizona. Both the American Civil Liberties Union and the ACLU Foundation of Arizona are statewide organizations with the same overall mission; they share office space and employees. The ACLU of Arizona has two separate corporate entities in order to do a broad range of work to protect civil liberties. This job posting refers collectively to the two organizations under the name “ACLU-AZ.”  To learn more about the work of the ACLU, please visit www.acluaz.org and www.aclu.org.