Meiklejohn Civil Liberties Institute

MCLI Interns – 2011

Being an Intern at MCLI

Founded in 1965 the Meiklejohn Civil Liberties Institute (MCLI) is accepting applications for internships.

MCLI is an organization that works to enforce Human Rights law in the United States. To do this MCLI organizes with social movements, monitors human rights violations and reports them to international monitoring bodies, and facilitates public and continuing education through events and publications.

MCLI has always been part of a multi-generational movement, inspired by elders and youth alike. Our mission to build the leaders of tomorrow’s movements centers around our tradition of training interns. MCLI now boasts over 400 intern alumni, many of whom now practice law, teach, and/or work for non-governmental organizations domestically and internationally.

Interns are taught to analyze a broad range of issues using a human rights framework. MCLI interns learn the difference between human rights as a concept and human rights as a reality in their own communities by participating in MCLI training workshops, attending public meetings, observing demonstrations and rallies, shadowing a Board Member, keeping a journal of reflections, researching and writing reports on human rights violations in the United States, and meeting with community members and other non-governmental organizations.

MCLI interns will have the opportunity to be mentored by renowned attorneys and political organizers such as Ann Fagan Ginger, Walter Riley, Steven DeCaprio, and Anita “Needa Bee” Miralle de Asis.

HUMAN RIGHTS LAW – INTERNSHIPS

MCLI interns will assist with the Human Rights Reporting Project, gaining valuable knowledge on how to use international treaties in U.S. courts, he work of the U.N. and O.A.S. human rights monitoring bodies, and the role of local and state governments in the human rights reporting and monitoring process.

MCLI interns will assist with the national effort to accurately document U.S. human rights abuses, and to monitor the U.S. Government’s compliance with its international human rights treaty obligations, including crucial follow-up work on the U.N human rights monitoring committees.

BUILDING THE MOVEMENT – INTERNSHIPS

MCLI interns will connect with current grassroots movements to bring social justice issues within a human rights framework.

MCLI interns will work directly with grassroots leaders, coordinate campaigns, develop policy, and mobilize to directly address human rights violations on the local, state, or national level.

MCLI interns will always center the voices of the members of communities directly experiencing human rights violations and assist with building alliances among diverse groups of people and organizations.

Testimonials from Former Interns

Amanda Pacheco, 2007 Summer Law Intern states:

“As a Native Hawaiian, what I’m most proud of this summer has been the work I’ve done on Indigenous populations to be included in the CERD report. I was appalled at the lack of information on American Indian/Alaska Natives (AIAN), and Native Hawaiian/Pacic Islanders (NHPI) that the U.S. provided to the CERD committee…[is summer] I’ve created tables which include statistics on topics such as law enforcement, housing, employment and education, I’ve attended a Conference on the U.N. Charter and Human Rights from the Indigenous perspective.”

Liz Troutman, 2008 Summer Law Intern states:

“During my summer at MCLI, I’ve had a broad exposure to how international law relates to domestic public policy. I plan to practice immigration law, and I can more clearly see how my exposure to human rights law at MCLI will inform the way I practice law in the future.”

MCLI does not have funding to provide stipends for interns. However, MCLI will assist interns seeking financial support from schools, institutions, or foundations.