Thom Barnes

CEJ’s summer fellow will be engaged in CEJ’s programmatic work while also being expected to participate in administrative and fundraising duties.   

• CEJ’s fellow will be involved, to varying degrees, in CEJ’s primary campaigns. Most notably, our summer fellow will help to plan an accountability session with local members of the NYS Senate and Assembly as well as candidates seeking office in 2010. We aim to turnout 100 – 200 CEJ members and concerned citizens and we will be asking candidates and incumbents to commit to a statewide economic recovery agenda that we are currently finalizing. The fellow will be responsible for drafting invitations to elected officials and candidates, securing a venue, publicizing the event, drafting materials for the media, and doing individual and organizational turnout work. Preparation for this event may include going door-to-door with other CEJ interns and volunteers in a particular election district(s) to promote the event and increase turnout. This event may not take place until after the fellowship is over, but all preliminary work will be led by the summer fellow.
• In addition to working on our statewide campaign work and organizing an accountability session, the student will be asked to help create campaign and website materials related to our living wage initiatives. Specifically, the summer fellow will interview key CEJ leaders and workers to capture and record their stories for use in general promotion and in order to influence decision makers.  The student will also research podcast development to be added to CEJ’s website for the purposes of adding the audio of the above mentioned stories to more widely distribute and promote CEJ’s work and mission.
• Lastly, the summer fellow will be responsible for working alongside other CEJ staff and volunteers to ensure that we meet our summer fundraising goals. This work will include promoting and helping with logistics for our summer fundraising event – the Strike for Justice. 

The Coalition for Economic Justice (CEJ), formed in 1986 by faith and community leaders, is an ongoing coalition of labor, faith, community, academic and student activists and organizations. CEJ engages in collective action to promote strong, sustainable communities and economic justice for all. CEJ’s mission is to build and win dynamic campaigns for living wages, rights at work, accountable economic development, and health care for all, through education, public advocacy and mobilization of members, communities and allies. CEJ is the Buffalo affiliate of the NYS Labor-Religion Coalition and Jobs with Justice.