GRAHAM WINDHAM

Graham provides innovative and life-changing tools and resources for children, young adults, and families who face some of the most difficult obstacles caused by poverty, racial injustice, and lack of access to educational opportunities, living wage employment, quality healthcare, and affordable housing.

We collaborate with communities and strong partners to create and implement strategies so everyone can lead healthy, joyful, and successful lives.

Graham has been a change maker for over 200 years, and its demonstrated initiatives have been replicated across New York City and nationwide. Graham has a long legacy of child welfare services, and is reckoning with the harm Black and brown families and communities have suffered in the name of child safety. Today, with an array of supports and services in Brooklyn, Harlem, and the Bronx, Graham seeks to address the root causes of child welfare involvement: poverty and structural racism.

Advocacy and Public Policy Associate

NEW YORK, NY
Hybrid or Remote: Hybrid (2 days in-person); occasional travel to other sites in Brooklyn, the Bronx and Harlem to meet with officials
Supervisor: Chief Strategy Officer and General Counsel


JOB DESCRIPTION

The Weil Legal Innovator will play a pivotal role in Graham's advocacy work and advancing the policy objectives most important to our community, while also supporting Graham's impactful daily work. The WLI will report directly to Graham’s Chief Strategy Officer and General Counsel and will take the lead on researching policy issues, designing bold alternatives, coordinating and attending meetings with elected officials, community members, and thought leaders, developing advocacy strategies, and advancing strategic initiatives. The WLI will also provide support to Graham’s General Counsel, conducting research on pertinent legal topics and helping to improve and implement policies across the organization.

 

RESPONSIBILITIES

  • Coordinate, prepare briefings for, and attend meetings with legislators.
  • Develop white papers and make recommendations to the Graham leadership team on actions to take on pending legislation.
  • Conduct outreach and plan events with community leaders and elected officials.
  • Support the development and execution of advocacy strategies.
  • Research and co-design alternatives to the child welfare system and potential pilot programs.
  • Attend and report back on conferences, convenings, public hearings, and community events.
  • Provide concrete assistance on legal matters involving health, safety, privacy, litigation, compliance, tax, finance, governance, employment, and more.

 

AREAS OF ADVOCACY FOCUS

  • Addressing the root causes of involvement in the child welfare and other punitive systems (e.g., the federal child tax credit, universal childcare, NYC and NYS housing subsidies, Cash Transfer Initiative for youth aging out of foster care).
  • Addressing systemic biases in child welfare (e.g., through determining how to join with parent activists on legislation/policy changes, such as redefining child neglect so as not to punish families for poverty and ending anonymous (versus confidential) reporting policy to deter false and malicious reports).
  • Expediting permanency for youth in foster care by focusing on expanding mediation as an alternative to Family Court.
  • Expanding education and employment opportunities for youth who are living in under-resourced communities.
  • Equitable, just salaries for human services staff.

 

DESIRED SKILLS

  • Excellent writer and editor.
  • Outstanding verbal communication skills.
  • Keen analytical skills.
  • Strong ability to conduct research and summarize findings clearly for an executive audience.
  • Eagerness to learn and willingness to jump in and complete many types of assignments.
  • Excellent time management and organizational skills.
  • Ability to work independently and meet deadlines.
  • Ability to work collegially with a wide range of people.
  • Must have a passion for Graham’s mission and pillars.

Community Advocacy Associate

NEW YORK, NY
Hybrid or Remote: Hybrid (2 days in-person mostly at the Family Enrichment Center in the Bronx and surrounding neighborhoods)
Supervisor: Senior Director for Community Leadership Development and General Counsel


JOB DESCRIPTION

The Weil Legal Innovator will make a concrete, meaningful impact in Graham’s Bronx communities by amplifying community voice and connecting community members with key resources that address their concerns—material, legal, and informational. 

The Weil Legal Innovator will work deep within Graham’s Bronx community as a community liaison and advocate. The WLI will report jointly to Graham's Senior Director for Community Leadership Development and General Counsel and will make a concrete, meaningful impact in the areas around Graham's Bronx sites, by amplifying community voice through listening sessions and events with elected officials and other leaders, expanding awareness of, and access to, available resources like housing subsidies and cash transfer initiatives, promoting educational and employment opportunities, identifying legal issues and connecting individuals with legal services in areas of immigration law, orders of protection, eviction defense, etc., and lifting up the community's concerns through Graham's advocacy work and through partnerships with other community activists.

 

RESPONSIBILITIES

  • Engage in radical listening with community members to learn what changes the community would most like to see; work with community members to advocate for said changes.
  • Coordinate events to bring together community members and elected officials.
  • Become informed about pertinent resources that are available to the community, particularly migrant families, and expand awareness of those resources (e.g., housing subsidies, cash transfer initiatives).
  • Identify and foster relationships with pro bono legal organizations; secure legal services for community members to address their specific concerns (e.g., in areas of immigration, orders of protection, eviction defense).
  • Work closely with Graham families to share information about education and employment opportunities, particularly those for youth living in under-resourced communities.
  • Work within the community to expand their knowledge of equitable, just salaries in various fields, trades, and professions.
  • Partner with Graham’s advocacy team to inform their priorities and lift up community concerns.

 

DESIRED SKILLS

  • Excellent writer and editor.
  • Outstanding verbal communication skills.
  • Keen analytical skills.
  • Eagerness to learn and adapt and willingness to jump in and complete many types of assignments.
  • Excellent time management and organizational skills.
  • Ability to work independently and meet deadlines.
  • Ability to communicate effectively with different audiences.
  • Ability to work collegially with a wide range of people.
  • Must have a passion for Graham’s mission and pillars.

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