ACLU-NC Communications Spring Intern 2027

American Civil Liberties Union of North Carolina; Durham (NC); Hybrid; USD 21,000 - 29,000; Part time

Job summary

The American Civil Liberties Union of North Carolina is seeking a Communications Intern to join our team from January 19 through April 30. The internship is open to undergraduate and graduate students studying communications, digital media, or related fields, and requires NC residency.

You will work remotely up to 20 hours per week, with occasional in-person meetings at our Durham office. You’ll support the Communications team on digital advocacy, rapid-response messaging, and social media

Qualifications

• Excellent research, writing and communications skills.
• Attention to detail, excellent organization, and time-management skills.
• Experience creating content for a wide variety of social media platforms (Instagram, Facebook, Threads, TikTok, etc.).
• Familiarity with social media management or design tools (e.g., Adobe Express, Canva, Pally) is a plus.
• Creativity, initiative, and the ability to manage projects independently with guidance.

Responsibilities

• Monitor social media trends and identify opportunities to engage with relevant conversations.
• Create engaging content for social media platforms (e.g., Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn, Threads, Bluesky, TikTok), sometimes responding rapidly to current events.
• Suggest ideas for and help produce TikTok videos to raise engagement on the platform.
• Keep track of and help promote advocacy and legal work advanced by the ACLU-NC.
• Assist with tracking basic social media performance metrics (e.g., engagement, reach) and identifying trends to inform future content.
• Support additional communications projects as needed.

Skills

Research skills

Writing skills

Attention to detail

Organization

Time management

Content creation

Education

Communications major

Tools

Adobe Express

Canva

Pally

Job description

ABOUTtheACLUof NORTHCAROLINA

Whether it’s achieving full equality for LGBTQ+ people, fighting to achieve racial justice, pushing to eradicate our broken and racially biased criminal legal system, defending freedom of speech, religion, and the right to protest, or preserving the right to vote or the right to have an abortion, the ACLU takes up the toughest civil liberties cases and issues to defend all people from government abuse and overreach.

Two critical components of our work areupliftingthe voicesand leadershipof impacted people and applying an anti-racist lens to all aspects of our internal and external functions including but not limited to our issue campaigns, recruitment and human resources, strategic planning, donor and volunteer relations,Boardand committee processes, and deciding what cases to litigate. We are looking for candidates who share our commitment to our values.

The ACLU-NC brings together litigation, legislative advocacy, communications, and organizing strategies to empower communities and achieve ourobjectivesin major issue areas including criminal law reform, racial justice, LGBTQ+ equality, reproductive freedom, and the rights of immigrants. With over 40,000members and supporters across the state, the ACLU-NC has a staff of more than 25 people with an office in Durham.

To learn more aboutourwork, please visit www.acluofnorthcarolina.org and www.aclu.org.

INTERNSHIP OVERVIEW

The ACLU of North Carolina is seeking a Communications Internto join us.A communications internship at the ACLU of North Carolina providesundergraduate/graduatestudents with an opportunity to actively work on multi-media communications and public relations projects addressing a wide variety of civil rights and liberties, including immigrants’ rights, LGBTQ rights, First Amendment, reproductive freedom, and criminal justice reform.Reporting to the Communications Director, the Communications Intern willgain valuable skills frommembers ofthe Communications department, supporting and uplifting our work through integrated advocacy.The Communications Intern will gain hands‑on experience in digital advocacy strategy, rapid-response messaging, and values‑aligned social media engagement within a statewide civil liberties organization.TheCommunications Internwillbe expected toworkremotely up to 20 hoursperweek, from January 19th through April 30th,butmay be asked to occasionally meet in person at our Durham office.

RESPONSIBILITIES

Internsgain valuable experience byworking with theCommunicationsteam on a variety of issues. Responsibilities may include, but are not limited to the following:

• Monitor social media trends andidentifyopportunities to engagewithrelevant conversations

• Create engaging content for social media platforms (e.g., Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn, Threads, Bluesky, TikTok), sometimes responding rapidly to current events

• Suggest ideas for and help produce TikTok videos to raise engagement on the platform

• Keep track of and help promote advocacy and legal work advanced by the ACLU-NC

• Assistwith tracking basic social media performance metrics (e.g., engagement, reach) andidentifyingtrends to inform future content

• Support additional communications projects as needed

EXPERIENCE & QUALIFICATIONS

Thisinternship is opentoundergraduate and graduatestudents studyingcommunications, digital media, marketing,or other relevant subjects.Candidatesmust bea resident ofNorth Carolina and shouldpossessthe following:

• Excellentresearch, writing and communications skills

• Attention to detail, excellent organization, and time-management skills

• Experiencecreating content for a wide variety of social media platforms (Instagram, Facebook, Threads, TikTok,etc.)

• Familiarity with social media management or design tools (e.g., Adobe Express, Canva, Pally,etc) is a plus

• Creativity, initiative,and the ability to manage projects independently with appropriate guidance

• Interest in civic engagement or public policy

• Interest in and commitment to civil right and civil liberties

• Commitmentto ACLU-NC's mission to advance and protect civil rights and liberties

Preferred candidates will have experience or demonstrated interest in one or more of the ACLU of North Carolina's issue areas: voting rights, immigrants’ rights, criminal law reform, reproductive freedom, or LGBTQ+ rights.

COMPENSATION

The salary range for the Communications Intern is $15 per hour for an undergraduate student, or $21per hour for a graduate student, subject to applicable income tax. This position is non-exempt from the overtime provisions of the Fair Labor Standards Act. The ACLU-NC/LF is a unionized employer. The Communications Intern is a temporary position and is not part of the union bargaining unit.

The ACLU-NC is an equal opportunity employer. We value a diverse workforce and an inclusive culture.Recognizing that strict minimum requirements tend to disproportionately discouragewomen and peopleof color from applying for jobs for which they would otherwise be competitive, we encourage all qualified individuals to apply – especially people of color;women; people from low-income backgrounds; people with disabilities; people who identify as LGBTQ+; and people who are formerlyincarceratedor otherwise directly impacted by the criminal legal system.

The ACLU-NC and the ACLU-NCLF is an equal opportunity employer. We value a diverse workforce and an inclusive culture. Recognizing that strict minimum requirements tend to disproportionately discourage women and people of color from applying for jobs for which they would otherwise be competitive, we encourage all qualified individuals to apply -- especially people of color; women; people from low-income backgrounds; people with disabilities; people who identify as LGBTQ+; and people who are formerly incarcerated or otherwise directly impacted by the criminal legal system.