The Asian Pacific Environmental Network (APEN) is an environmental justice organization with deep roots in California’s Asian immigrant and refugee communities. Since 1993, APEN has built a membership base of Laotian refugees in Richmond and Chinese immigrants in Oakland, and more recently, Asian Americans in South Bay LA. Together, we have fought and won campaigns to make our communities healthier and just places where all people have the resources we need to live full, dignified lives. We are growing our local roots and building power to make decisions at the state level that have real local impact. By building an organized movement, we’re leading a transition away from an extractive economy based on profit and pollution and toward local, healthy, and life-sustaining economies that benefit everyone.

Job Title: Los Angeles Community Organizer

Classification: Full-Time (40 hours per week), Non-Exempt, Work authorization is required

Compensation: $39.42- $41.83

Location: Hybrid, work must be performed in Los Angeles, California

Travel Requirements: 10-15% of time (includes local travel)

Reports To: Los Angeles Organizing Director

Direct Reports: This role does not have supervisory responsibilities

POSITION SUMMARY

The Community Organizer position is a part of APEN’s Los Angeles organizing project, working towards APEN’s vision of building healthy, fair and just neighborhoods. The Community Organizer plays a crucial role in organizing low-income Asian immigrant and refugee communities, developing their leadership to engage in advocacy, campaign, and electoral actions, and providing interpretation and translation to make these processes accessible to members. The position reports to the LA Organizing Director and works with other organizers across APEN’s Oakland and Richmond organizing teams to integrate bold and authentic Asian immigrant and refugee leadership throughout the organization.

The Los Angeles Organizing work will focus on basebuilding in the South Bay (specifically in the City of Carson), member outreach and development and campaign development as a key part of our Just Transitions efforts. Key Strategies we engage in are educating communities on the Just Transitions model, supporting policies and projects that support equitable development in our communities, leadership development, outreach and organizing towards a just and healthy vision for our communities. The job may require some evening and weekend activities.

PRIMARY ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES 

1. Basebuilding: Outreach, Transformative Organizing & Leadership Development 
2. • Contribute to setting organizing goals and plans for recruitment of our core bases which are Filipino working-class adults and Filipino high school aged youth. 
   • Conduct outreach and various activities to gain new members and new constituencies 
   • Ensure member participation in various leadership development and campaign activities that engages members in the Environmental Justice movement
   • Contribute to developing organizing systems and methods 
   • Interpret and translate activities and materials or support interpreters/translators to do so 
   • Coordinate & implement logistics for LA organizing events, programming and activities, including providing transportation, arranging childcare, etc. 
   • Data Management: Document & track the participation of members 
   • Supporting general community members across LA and the South Bay Harbor Gateway region and APEN members in accessing necessary resources within the scope of APEN’s work 
   • Support members to develop core skills and organizing competencies (e.g. public speaking, grassroots fundraising, critical thinking & analysis, campaign strategy, electoral phone-banking) 
   • Work with members to deepen political consciousness (e.g. critical analysis of political context; understanding of the importance of transformative organizing; shared commitment to vision; exposure to different social justice issues)
   • Contribute to culturally relevant and accessible curriculum towards leadership development
   • Support leaders in developing  strong communications and spokespersoning skills 
   • Work with leaders to develop narratives, core messages and create media pieces

1. Project Development and Management
2. • Conduct research on demographics, our organizing region and community resources
   • Leverage relationships with existing resources and models
   • Engage our members in furthering Just Transition strategies
   • Support projects that create local economic alternatives to advance Just Transition*

1. Campaign & Alliance Building 
2. • Support local policy and electoral campaigns, including political strategy development and alliance building
   • Support on research and analysis of policy/legislative changes as needed
   • Work with members to identify progressive campaign demands
   • Support planning and implementing campaign goals and activities 
   • Support members to lead campaign strategy and implementation and serve as potential spokespeople for our campaign work
   • Build relationships, alliances and coalitions to win campaigns, integrating those relationships with APEN’s membership
   • Share, learn and exchange with other social justice allies 

1. Organizational Development

• • Strategy and Planning: Contribute to overall organizational coordination and planning processes, including strategic planning, yearly workplan and budgeting, annual board + staff meeting, bi-weekly staff meetings and component meetings
  • Organizational Culture: Contribute to the APEN culture of team-building, emotional intelligence, feminisms, and leadership development and mirror this commitment in the LA Organizing Team
  • Fund Development:  Engage in grassroots and/or foundation fundraising as needed
  • Communications:  Act as a spokesperson and engage with communications narrative framework as needed
  • Cross Component Support: Support various areas of organizational work, events, or campaigns as identified and participate in organizational committees and teams as needed
  • Supervision: Manage volunteers, fellows, and interns as needed

QUALIFICATIONS

• Commitment to the mission and principles of APEN and social justice; and shares the commitment of indigenous peoples and the broader environmental justice movement to work toward a Just Transition, defined as shifting from an extractive economy to a regenerative economy that provides well being for all.
• 1-3 years of organizing experience working within Social/Environmental Justice movement and/or social service sector
• Experience in project management i.e. anchoring events, programs, tracking tasks and meeting deadlines, coordinating with a team, etc..
• Clear communication skills (written and verbal)
• Self-motivated, responsible, proactive, and disciplined
• Team-oriented, with a commitment to principled struggle
• Outreach and recruitment skills and confidence in talking to strangers about different issues
• Willing to work some evenings and weekends
• Willing to travel

PREFERRED EXPERIENCE

• Comfortable using social media platforms for community engagement
• Familiarity with the Los Angeles region, specifically the South Bay (Carson, San Pedro and Wilmington)
• Facilitation in small to large groups (5 -100 people)
• Working with Asian immigrant and refugee communities, particularly Filipino working-class adults and high school aged Filipino youth
• Supporting community members in building up their confidence to participate in public processes
• Fluency in Tagalog, other Asian dialects and Spanish would be beneficial for the role 
• Experience working with interpretation and translation
• A valid driver’s license and access to a car with valid insurance is required within 1 year of employment

SALARY AND BENEFITS

This is a full-time, exempt position with an hourly rate range of $39.42- $41.83 commensurate with experience. APEN offers a benefits package that includes the following:

• Medical, dental and vision coverage for employee and spouse/dependents
• Health Reimbursement Arrangement (HRA)
• Dependent Care and Health Care Flexible Savings Account (FSA)
• Vacation and sick time
• Paid holidays
• Fully paid 2 week winter holiday
• 401k with 5% employer match
• Professional development
• Commuter benefits
• Sabbatical opportunity 
• APEN is also a family-friendly employer

ACCESSIBILITY AND WORKING CONDITIONS

This position will require applicants to work on a computer daily for long periods of time, and collaborate with colleagues and coalition partners through Zoom, email, and other digital platforms.  APEN will provide a computer and other equipment needed to fulfill basic job responsibilities.

This position will be hybrid requiring 2-3 days of in-person work. In addition, this position will also follow APEN’s COVID safety policies and protocols regarding in-person work. Masks are required to be worn in APEN offices and indoor events, with the exception of eating and drinking. All employees also are required to be vaccinated as part of our safety policy. 

APEN will continue to closely monitor local and state health officials guidance around COVID and any additional guidelines around safety for people to return to offices and gather in-person as needed. 

This position may require work during irregular hours including on nights or weekends, and will require travel within California.  

This position will not require applicants to carry or move heavy equipment, regularly ascend or descend a ladder, or stand or sit for long periods of time.  This position will not require working in hazardous or unusual conditions such as outdoors in inclement weather.  

APPLICATION PROCESS

Applications will be accepted through March 19, we will be holding interviews in March and April, and our target candidate start date is early May. Applications are due electronically by clicking “Apply Now” on the APEN website. Incomplete applications will not be accepted.

The application must include the following:

1. Resume
2. Cover letter describing interest in the Los Angeles Community Organizer position and qualifications

APEN voluntarily recognized the International Union, United Automobile, Aerospace & Agricultural Implement Workers of America, UAW as the exclusive representative of a group of APEN staff members. Please note that this position is a bargaining unit position, represented by UAW.

APEN is an equal opportunity employer and prohibits discrimination and harassment of any type and affords equal employment opportunities to employees and applicants without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, pregnancy, age, national origin, disability status, genetic information, protected veteran status, caste, or any other characteristic protected by law. APEN conforms to the spirit as well as to the letter of all applicable laws and regulations. Queer, transgender, intersex, gender non-conforming, disabled, black and indigenous people of color are strongly encouraged to apply. We encourage applicants to apply even if they don’t meet all the listed qualifications.

*For more information about Just Transition, please reference:  https://climatejusticealliance.org/just-transition/