Mission: There’s a dearth of African-American women in science, technology, engineering and math professions, an absence that cannot be explained by a lack of interest in these fields. Lack of access and lack of exposure to STEM topics are the likelier culprits. Black Girls Code provides young and pre-teen girls of color opportunities to learn in-demand skills in technology and computer programming at a time when they are naturally thinking about what they want to be when they grow up. Our vision: To increase the number of women of color in the digital space by empowering girls of color ages 7 to 17 to become innovators in STEM fields, leaders in their communities, and builders of their own futures through exposure to computer science and technology. To provide African-American youth with the skills to occupy some of the 1.4 million computing job openings expected to be available in the U.S. by 2020, and to train 1 million girls by 2040.
Website: http://www.blackgirlscode.com/volunteer-signup.html
Email: n/a
Phone: (510) 398-0880
What volunteers do:
- Assist as tech instructors, tech assistants, classroom assistants.
- Contribute on social media.
- Provide general office/admin help and general IT/tech support.
FYI:
- Time commitments include weekend workshops (4 or 8 hours shifts), weekday workshops, or one week summer camp, as well as on-going weekday commitments.
- Fill out the volunteer submission form online and check out the ivolunteer page (http://blackgirlscode.ivolunteer.com/) for upcoming events to get involved in.
Mission: Black Lives Matter DMV is a collective of organizers, activists, and artists in the DC, MD and VA tri-state area who work to combat anti-blackness and racialized oppression in all of its manifestations as experienced by Black people through healing, building community power within Black neighborhoods, and connecting Black folks who share the same desire for liberation. Melanin Uprising is the youth (16 and 21) lead branch of Black Lives Matter DMV on a mission to create a safe, positive healing space for Black youth to inspire a generation of strong, resilient, self-actualized leaders who advocate on behalf of themselves and their peers.
Website: http://www.blacklivesmatterdmv.org/take-action/
Email: blacklivesmatterdmv@gmail.com
Phone: n/a
What volunteers do:
- Assist with BLM events. See calendar here: http://www.blacklivesmatterdmv.org/take-action/.
Mission: CAIR's mission is to enhance understanding of Islam, encourage dialogue, protect civil liberties, empower American Muslims, and build coalitions that promote justice and mutual understanding. CAIR is America's largest Muslim civil liberties organization, with regional offices nationwide. CAIR's national headquarters are on Capitol Hill in Washington D.C.
Website/Volunteer form: https://www.cair.com/about-us/volunteer-with-us.html
Email: n/a
Phone: (202) 488-8787, ext. 4
What volunteers do:
- Assist with community outreach, event support, social media & photography.
- Pitch in on Islamophobia Watch and Action Network (Activism/Advocacy) programs.
FYI: There is a large range of opportunities available, and when you submit your application form, you can let CAIR know your level of commitment (daily, weekly, monthly, remotely, etc), as well as your interests in volunteering. To become a volunteer, you must submit an application and then attend an Info session, where you will be matched up to opportunities that best fit your skills and interest. Depending on the opportunity, you may receive additional training.
Mission: The ACLU of the District of Columbia (ACLU-DC), with more than 8,500 local members, fights to protect and expand civil liberties and civil rights for people who live, work, and visit D.C., and in matters involving federal employees and agencies. Those who join us also become members of the National ACLU. ACLU-DC pursues its mission through legal action, legislative advocacy, and public education. In addition to representing clients in court, sometimes we work with government agencies to defend liberty without litigation. We also testify and lobby before the D.C. Council, and we educate the public through Know Your Rights trainings and materials, appearances on radio and television, social media activity, and meetings with community groups.
Website: https://www.acludc.org/en/volunteer
Volunteer signup form: https://action.aclu.org/secure/dc-volunteer
Email: n/a
Phone: (202) 457-0800
What volunteers do:
- Help with community organizing, grassroots lobbying, research, writing, and online activism.
- Provide fundraising assistance, multimedia support, translation, and graphic design.
- Monitor protests, and take photos/videos.
Mission: The mission of Empower DC is to enhance, improve and promote the self-advocacy of low and moderate income DC residents in order to bring about sustained improvements in their quality of life. We accomplish our mission through grassroots organizing and trainings, leadership development, and community education. Empower DC is a citywide, multi-issue, membership-based community organizing project. Empower DC builds campaigns to address key issues that directly-impact our membership.
Website: http://empowerdc.org/leadership/become-a-member/
mail: frances@empowerdc.org
Phone: (202) 234-9119
What volunteers do:
Instead of a volunteer program, Empower offers a membership program (membership costs $10/annually, though this amount can be reduced if an obstacle). As a member, you can:
- Host a Hose Party
- Volunteer during office hours to help with fundraising, research, graphic design, social media, etc
- Help with community outreach
- Take video or pictures
- Distribute fliers on my block
- Bring updates to my ANC
- Help with phone banking
- Provide transportation
Mission: MPower Change is a grassroots movement rooted in diverse Muslim communities throughout the U.S., who are working together to build social, spiritual, racial, and economic justice for all people. Combining cutting edge digital tools with years of field experience, organizing know-how, and an extensive network of supporters, MPower Change is redefining the ways that our communities build, maintain, and exercise power.
Website: https://mpowerchange.org/
Volunteer form: http://www.mpowerchangemakers.org/apply
Email: volunteer@mpowerchange.org
Phone: n/a
What volunteers do:
- Stay informed of issues impacting Muslim communities to find relevant social-media content for MPower Change members.
- Suggest and curate content for Facebook and Twitter.
- Generate creative headlines for social media post.
- Respond to members’ comments and questions and inquiries.
- Staff member services phone hotline.
- Create and organize template responses for common questions.
- Update and develop MPower Change website, action pages, and microsites.
- Design and code microsites or Javascript graphics.
- Collaborate with graphic designers to create designs for MPower Change initiatives.
- Generate graphics for digital projects including websites, emails, and social media.
- Edit video footage to produce content across platforms.
- Design print literature including flyers, postcards, stickers, and t-shirts.
- Develop consistent branding and update style guide.
- Monitor current and proposed legislation and policies that could impact Muslim communities.
- Provide concise and digestible analyses and advice to MPower staff and members.
- Consult on responses to policies that have adverse impacts on Muslim communities.
FYI:
- There are specific requirements for each type of task listed on site.
Mission: At ONE DC, our mission is to exercise political strength to create and preserve racial and economic equity in Shaw and the District. We seek to create a community in DC that is equitable for all.
ONE DC envisions the nation's capital as a place where low income, poor, and immigrant communities are organized, educated, and trained to take action to create and preserve social and economic equity. The membership and leadership of ONE DC will build on and organize with the participatory democracy goals and principles taught by Ella Jo Baker. The people's vision is to build power and advantage for communities of color, the working poor, and other groups of oppressed people through grassroots organizing and leadership development. We will develop membership and staff committed to building lifelong relationships with ONE DC and its mission. Ultimately, ONE DC seeks to develop grassroots leadership that will build a movement for positive systematic change.
Website: http://www.onedconline.org/
Volunteer form: http://www.onedconline.org/volunteer
Email: organizer@onedconline.org
Phone: (202) 232-2915
What volunteers do:
- Phone bank to invite members to meetings & events.
- Host a house party fundraiser.
- Work on social media & media/communications strategy.
- Join the outreach team to recruit new ONE DC members through flyering, canvassing, & door-knocking.
- Provide transportation for members to meetings & events.
- Provide childcare at meetings & events.
- Assist the Admin & Organizational Management Committee.
- Join the Resource Development Committee (grantwriting, fundraising).