tags.new

Intern, State Community Organizer, Mississippi State Office (Summer 2026)

Jackson, MS

The SPLC is seeking a highly motivated Community Organizer intern who is passionate about civil rights!


The Southern Poverty Law Center offers internships to exceptional students enrolled in accredited undergraduate and graduate schools who possess strong academic backgrounds, excellent writing skills, and a commitment to public interest work. The Center is a catalyst for racial justice in the South and beyond, working in partnership with communities to dismantle white supremacy, strengthen intersectional movements, and advance the human rights of all people. As an internationally recognized nonprofit organization, the Center is dedicated to reducing bigotry and oppression through research and public education, outreach, litigation, and advocacy.

Who You Are

Passionate. Demonstrated passion for advancing civil rights and social justice issues, a strong interest in federal, state, and local government advocacy, and ready to partner on producing quality policy research that advances our policy priorities.

Advocate. Desire and drive to work in partnership with communities to dismantle white supremacy, strengthen intersectional movements, and advance the human rights of all people.

Driven. Ability to help our policy team conduct groundbreaking policy research to support advocacy strategies to influence positive change in the lives of communities – particularly Black communities and other communities of color – in the Deep South.

Collaborator. Ability to productively work with others as well as independently.

Impactful. Ability to work effectively and productively with the general public.

Eager. Excited to learn about the issues across the State of Georgia.

Organized. Self-starter who is detailed oriented, with the ability to prioritize, multi-task, and meet deadlines.

Flexible. Able to participate in work events on some weekends and evenings.

Mission, Vision & Values Alignment. Demonstrates an understanding of and a commitment to SPLC's mission, vision and values.

What You'll Do

Work alongside the Mississippi State Office team conducting research and analysis to support state campaign projects and efforts.

Assist the State Director and the state office team in developing persuasive and informative outreach materials, including toolkits, talking points, and campaign plans.

Collaborate and support the team in all projects and meetings.

Uphold our JEDI principles by helping to ensure we uplift the voices of underserved communities within our policy research strategy.

Minimum Qualifications

We are committed to equitable hiring practices; therefore, you must meet the minimum qualifications to be considered for the role.

  • Currently enrolled in an accredited undergraduate or graduate program;
  • Strong academic background; and
  • Excellent research and writing skills.

Compensation & Benefits

The Center pays $17.95 per hour. Interns are expected to work 40 hours a week and there may be an opportunity for supervisor approved overtime.

Where and How You'll Work

This role has the following work designation:

  • Local Remote (Jackson Office): Will work remotely but is expected to attend work-related activities that occur at the SPLC Jackson office or in the states in which the SPLC operates.

  • Telework: Will work at the SPLC Atlanta office at least three days per week and may work two days per week from an alternative work location.

  • This position will report to the State Director, MS.

Other Special Considerations

This job is performed under general office conditions and is not subject to any strenuous physical demands or dangerous conditions.

Due to the high volume of applications received, we are unable to respond to inquiries by telephone.

This position may cause some work to be performed on occasional evenings and weekends.

Interns are expected to begin on June 1st, 2026 A minimum commitment of ten consecutive weeks is expected. We unfortunately are not able to split summers.

To apply, please submit a cover letter and resume by 6:00pm EST on Friday, February 13, 2026.

Disclaimer:

The statements herein are intended to describe the general nature and level of work being performed by the employee in this position. These statements are not intended to be construed as an exhaustive list of all responsibilities, duties, and skills required of a person in this position.

An Equal-Opportunity Employer with a Commitment to Diversity

Southern Poverty Law Center (SPLC) is proud to be an equal opportunity employer, and as an organization committed to diversity and the perspective of all voices, we consider applicants equally without regard to age, caregiver status, color, disability, ethnicity, gender, gender expression, gender identity, marital status, national origin, on the basis of genetic information, political affiliation, pregnancy, or veteran status.

Create a Job Alert

Interested in building your career at Southern Poverty Law Center? Get future opportunities sent straight to your email.

Apply for this job

*

indicates a required field

Phone
Resume/CV*

Accepted file types: pdf, doc, docx, txt, rtf

Cover Letter*

Accepted file types: pdf, doc, docx, txt, rtf


Education

Select...
Select...
Select...

Select...
Select...
Select...
Select...

Will you now or in the future require SPLC to commence (“sponsor”) an immigration case in order to employ you (for example, H-1B or other employment-based immigration case)? This is sometimes called “sponsorship” for an employment-based visa status

Select...

View our Privacy & SMS Policy: https://www.splcenter.org/about/careers/jobs


Optional Demographic Information

SPLC does not discriminate on the basis of sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, race, religion, disability, or other identity characteristic. In order to track the effectiveness of our recruiting efforts and ensure we consider the needs of all staff, please consider answering the following optional questions. These questions are optional, and the information will only be used in its aggregate form and will not be tied to any individual. 

Select...
Select...
Select...
Select...
Select...

Voluntary Self-Identification

For government reporting purposes, we ask candidates to respond to the below self-identification survey. Completion of the form is entirely voluntary. Whatever your decision, it will not be considered in the hiring process or thereafter. Any information that you do provide will be recorded and maintained in a confidential file.

As set forth in Southern Poverty Law Center’s Equal Employment Opportunity policy, we do not discriminate on the basis of any protected group status under any applicable law.

Select...
Select...
Race & Ethnicity Definitions

If you believe you belong to any of the categories of protected veterans listed below, please indicate by making the appropriate selection. As a government contractor subject to the Vietnam Era Veterans Readjustment Assistance Act (VEVRAA), we request this information in order to measure the effectiveness of the outreach and positive recruitment efforts we undertake pursuant to VEVRAA. Classification of protected categories is as follows:

A "disabled veteran" is one of the following: a veteran of the U.S. military, ground, naval or air service who is entitled to compensation (or who but for the receipt of military retired pay would be entitled to compensation) under laws administered by the Secretary of Veterans Affairs; or a person who was discharged or released from active duty because of a service-connected disability.

A "recently separated veteran" means any veteran during the three-year period beginning on the date of such veteran's discharge or release from active duty in the U.S. military, ground, naval, or air service.

An "active duty wartime or campaign badge veteran" means a veteran who served on active duty in the U.S. military, ground, naval or air service during a war, or in a campaign or expedition for which a campaign badge has been authorized under the laws administered by the Department of Defense.

An "Armed forces service medal veteran" means a veteran who, while serving on active duty in the U.S. military, ground, naval or air service, participated in a United States military operation for which an Armed Forces service medal was awarded pursuant to Executive Order 12985.

Select...

Voluntary Self-Identification of Disability

Form CC-305
Page 1 of 1
OMB Control Number 1250-0005
Expires 04/30/2026

Why are you being asked to complete this form?

We are a federal contractor or subcontractor. The law requires us to provide equal employment opportunity to qualified people with disabilities. We have a goal of having at least 7% of our workers as people with disabilities. The law says we must measure our progress towards this goal. To do this, we must ask applicants and employees if they have a disability or have ever had one. People can become disabled, so we need to ask this question at least every five years.

Completing this form is voluntary, and we hope that you will choose to do so. Your answer is confidential. No one who makes hiring decisions will see it. Your decision to complete the form and your answer will not harm you in any way. If you want to learn more about the law or this form, visit the U.S. Department of Labor’s Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs (OFCCP) website at www.dol.gov/ofccp.

How do you know if you have a disability?

A disability is a condition that substantially limits one or more of your “major life activities.” If you have or have ever had such a condition, you are a person with a disability. Disabilities include, but are not limited to:

  • Alcohol or other substance use disorder (not currently using drugs illegally)
  • Autoimmune disorder, for example, lupus, fibromyalgia, rheumatoid arthritis, HIV/AIDS
  • Blind or low vision
  • Cancer (past or present)
  • Cardiovascular or heart disease
  • Celiac disease
  • Cerebral palsy
  • Deaf or serious difficulty hearing
  • Diabetes
  • Disfigurement, for example, disfigurement caused by burns, wounds, accidents, or congenital disorders
  • Epilepsy or other seizure disorder
  • Gastrointestinal disorders, for example, Crohn's Disease, irritable bowel syndrome
  • Intellectual or developmental disability
  • Mental health conditions, for example, depression, bipolar disorder, anxiety disorder, schizophrenia, PTSD
  • Missing limbs or partially missing limbs
  • Mobility impairment, benefiting from the use of a wheelchair, scooter, walker, leg brace(s) and/or other supports
  • Nervous system condition, for example, migraine headaches, Parkinson’s disease, multiple sclerosis (MS)
  • Neurodivergence, for example, attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), autism spectrum disorder, dyslexia, dyspraxia, other learning disabilities
  • Partial or complete paralysis (any cause)
  • Pulmonary or respiratory conditions, for example, tuberculosis, asthma, emphysema
  • Short stature (dwarfism)
  • Traumatic brain injury
Select...

PUBLIC BURDEN STATEMENT: According to the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 no persons are required to respond to a collection of information unless such collection displays a valid OMB control number. This survey should take about 5 minutes to complete.