Narrative Storyteller

Promise of Justice Initiative; New Orleans (LA); On-site; USD 50,000 - 70,000; Full time

Job summary

The Promise of Justice Initiative in New Orleans seeks a Storyteller to translate interviews, historical records, and genealogical research into compelling campaigns that educate the public and shift narratives. The Storyteller will work closely with the Associate Director of Storytelling to fight belief systems and advance decarceration and ending the death penalty.

Applicants should have strong writing and design skills, experience in graphics or animation, and a commitment to racial justice.

Qualifications

• 2-4 years graphic design and/or animation experience.
• 2-4 years in journalism, mitigation or investigation, communications, or multimedia content creation, ideally with a focus on social or legal justice.
• Strong writing, graphic design, and the ability to synthesize complex data.

Responsibilities

• Work closely with the Associate Director of Storytelling and in collaboration with all PJI teams.
• Build and Maintain Storytelling Infrastructure: Develop systems to store, categorize, and track all assets related to Storytelling.
• Graphic or Animation Design: Use imagery to tell complex and nuanced stories in ways that are engaging and effective.
• Content Creation: Produce multimedia content including articles, podcasts, short films, zines, reports, and social media campaigns.
• Archival research: Conduct archival and genealogy research, make records requests, analyze information, and organize records.
• Narrative Strategy: Develop strategic messaging that builds support for PJI’s decarceration work and end to the death penalty.
• Interviewing & Research: Conduct trauma-informed interviews with incarcerated or formerly incarcerated individuals and communities.
• Advocacy & Campaigns: Collaborate across departments to translate stories into campaigns and mobilize communities.
• Support Communications and Fundraising: Assist Communications and Development in creating materials.

Skills

Graphic design

Animation

Journalism

Writing

Multimedia

Job description

Compensation & Details

Compensation: $50,000-$70,000. Salary levels are guided by PJI’s Collective Bargaining Agreement and based on years of relevant or direct experience. Start Date: ASAP. Location: New Orleans, Louisiana. This is an in-person office. Occasional travel is required. Deadline: Position is open until filled. Priority will be given to applications received before September 15th, 2026.

About PJI

The Promise of Justice Initiative (PJI) is a New Orleans-based organization that stands at the forefront of the fight for the liberation, freedom, and autonomy of Black people and all those targeted and touched by the criminal legal system and mass incarceration. PJI moves life-changing work: Because racism and mass incarceration are entrenched and pervasive foes, PJI’s approach is multifaceted, including collective action, legislative advocacy, civil and criminal litigation, and reframing narrative discourse. We challenge the notion that prisons keep us safe and that people with convictions should have no rights. We fight for freedom for people sentenced to die in prison. PJI blocks harmful legislation and pushes for dignity-advancing legislation. PJI partners on and co-strategizes social movement work with hundreds of currently incarcerated people. We advance the voices of survivors of violence and challenge the death penalty. Our work builds powerful authentic stories, pushes counter-narratives, and changes discourse. The world that PJI pushes for is one where the legal system recognizes freedom and dignity as universal rights and that embodies an ethos of transformation, restoration, and safety.

Summary of Position

The Storyteller works closely with the Associate Director of Storytelling to build stories that fight belief systems and the dominant narratives and policies that have led to the acceptance of state violence and the criminalization of people, Black people in particular, as a legitimate, acceptable, and effective social and economic government project. The Storyteller will translate interviews and complex historical information, public records, and genealogical research into compelling, accessible campaigns to educate the public and shift cultural narratives. The Storyteller will be experienced in graphics and/or animation.

Who We Are Looking For

This work is hard on every level. PJI optimistically and strategically fights for a better future and requires staff who are committed to one another and to people who are incarcerated or otherwise harmed by the criminal legal system. PJI is committed to hiring smart, talented, skilled people who have directly experienced the issues that we fight against. People who are formerly incarcerated, survivors of violence, working class, LGBTQ+, and people of color, particularly Black, are all strongly encouraged to apply. Individuals who are Louisiana natives, or who are otherwise from rural communities in the South, are encouraged to apply. You will be a great fit if you work hard, possess a deep commitment to dismantling harmful narratives that dehumanize incarcerated people, and believe that people with lived experience are central to storytelling/narrative change work. PJI focuses on a handful of key issue areas. Among them, you should be committed to ending the death penalty and ending mass incarceration in Louisiana.

Responsibilities of the Position

• Work closely with the Associate Director of Storytelling and in collaboration with all PJI teams.
• Build and Maintain Storytelling Infrastructure: Develop systems to store, categorize, and track all assets related to Storytelling.
• Graphic or Animation Design: Use imagery to tell complex and nuanced stories in ways that are engaging and effective.
• Content Creation: Work with the Associate Director and other staff on the production of multimedia content including but not limited to articles, podcasts, short films, zines, reports, and social media campaigns.
• Archival research: Conduct archival and genealogy research, make records requests, analyze information, and keep excellent records and organizing systems.
• Narrative Strategy: Contribute and develop strategic messaging that builds support for PJI’s decarceration work and an end to the death penalty.
• Interviewing & Research: Assist in conducting ethical, trauma-informed interviews with incarcerated and formerly incarcerated individuals, their families, experts, and communities.
• Advocacy & Campaigns: Collaborate closely across all PJI departments to transform individual stories into tools for legislative action and community mobilization.
• Support Communications and Fundraising: Assist Communications Associate and Development department in creating materials when needed.

Key Qualifications

• 2-4 years graphic design and/or animation experience
• 2-4 years in journalism, mitigation or investigation, communications, or multimedia content creation, ideally with a focus on social or legal justice.
• Strong writing, graphic design, and the ability to synthesize complex data.

Exceptional candidates will have/be:

• From Louisiana
• Narrative change experience
• A deep commitment to racial justice, decarceration, and ending the death penalty in Louisiana. Centering the lived experiences of those targeted by the criminal legal system.
• Ability to translate materials for diverse audiences, including young people, especially with school curriculum development.
• Animation experience