Careers & Internships

Disclaimer 

Due to COVID-19, Colibrí Center for Human Rights is offering a 13-week remote internship starting the week of May 17, 2021 and ending the week of August 9, 2021. Orientation, on-boarding, and all team meetings will take place virtually throughout the entirety of the internship. 

About Us

The Colibrí Center for Human Rights is a nonprofit, non-governmental organization based in Tucson, Arizona with the mission to end disappearance and uphold human dignity along the U.S.-Mexico border. Colibrí works in solidarity with families of the disappeared to find truth and justice through forensic science, investigation, and community organizing. Colibrí bears witness to this unjust loss of life, accompanying families in their search and holding space for families to build community, share stories, and raise consciousness about this human rights crisis. 

Through our Missing Migrant Project and DNA Program, we work with medical examiners to compare information families provide about the missing as well as DNA samples with unidentified remains recovered along the border in the hopes of giving families the answers they so deserve. Beyond our forensic work, we create supportive spaces and advocate for change through the Family Network, a network of mutual support and solidarity among families and friends of missing migrants across the Americas, and Bring them Back and Historias y Recuerdos, oral history-testimony projects that center and amplify family voices.

Positions

Colibrí has hosted an internship program since it was founded in 2013. We are excited to welcome a new cohort of interns for summer 2021. We seek to match interns with program areas based on particular skill sets and programmatic needs, ranging from graphic design to fundraising, and from forensic science to social media and communications. While the exact position description and scope of work will be articulated jointly by the intern and their supervisor at Colibrí, copied below are general descriptions for the available positions. All positions listed have opportunities for public speaking, presentations, and participation in community events. 

Colibrí is an equal opportunity employer and encourages applications from people of color, persons with disabilities, women, and LGBTQIA+ applicants. Individuals with personal immigration stories are strongly encouraged to apply, as are those with advanced proficiency in Spanish and/or indigenous languages from Mexico and Central America.

To apply, please fill out this application form to be considered for interviews. 

Timeline*

*All dates are tentative and subject to change.

Social Media & Communications intern

The Social Media & Communications intern will work alongside Colibrí ’s Social Media and Communications team to maintain and grow our outreach efforts. The intern will help maintain Colibrí ’s social media pages and engage our followers on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. They will also help design new communications materials, from social media graphics to informational handouts, and other materials as needed.

Expectations

• Must be able to commit to at least 10-15 hours a week
• Be comfortable with working in a fast paced team environment 
• Have strong communications skills (both interpersonally with team members and with the greater public)
• Be interested and engaged with emerging topics and conversations on social media
• Stay up-to-date of the latest news involving immigrant rights and policy changes
• Report to and meet weekly with supervisor, Program and Data Associate, Gia Del Pino

Responsibilities are contingent on applicant’s experience and may include any of the following:

• Communications
  • Create and design original content for Colibri’s Facebook, Instagram and Twitter 
  • Schedule bilingual posts on Facebook Business Manager and Tweet Deck
  • Review weekly analytics and find ways to improve and optimize content
  • Grow followers on each platform

• Help carry out social media fall campaign
  • Find creative ways to sell new fall merchandise to fundraise for our DNA program
  • Find creative ways to do giveaways
  • Educate and spread awareness of Colibri’s work and mission

Qualifications:

• Proficiency in both written and spoken English and Spanish preferred
• Skilled communicator with experience managing social media accounts 
• Graphic design experience preferred (Canva, Photoshop, etc.)
• Commitment to social justice and (im)migrant rights. Experience working with immigrant or refugee communities a plus
• Organized and attentive to details
• Strong writing skills
• Humility, empathy, flexibility and a collaborative spirit
• Proficiency in Google Suite and video conferencing (Zoom or Skype) 

To apply, please fill out this application form to be considered for interviews. 

Special Project #1: Historias y Recuerdos audio editing internship

Historias y Recuerdos is a story-sharing project and a platform for families to become part of a larger effort to raise awareness about the loss of life on the border by giving Colibri permission to share their recorded stories with the public during awareness and fundraising campaigns. 

Colibri invites interested families to sit down one-on-one with our team and have their stories recorded in a time and space dedicated solely to sharing and preserving memories about their loved ones. 

Expectations

• Must be able to commit to at least 10-15 hours a week
• Must treat delicate raw footage with care and confidentiality
• Report to and meet weekly with supervisor, Family Network Director, Perla Torres

Responsibilities are contingent on applicant’s experience and may include any of the following:

• Audio editing 
  • Edit audio using Audacity or any other preferred audio editing software (actively used within the last year)
  • Work with Family Network Director, Perla Torres, on crafting script
  • Record narrations 
  • Mix multiple tracks to create engaging audio material for podcasts

Qualifications:

• Audio editing skills and experience
• Proficiency in both written and spoken English and Spanish preferred
• Graphic design experience preferred (Canva, Photoshop, etc.)
• Commitment to social justice and (im)migrant rights. Experience working with immigrant or refugee communities a plus
• Organized and attentive to details
• Humility, empathy, flexibility and a collaborative spirit 

To apply, please fill out this application form to be considered for interviews. 

The Family Network is a community of mutual support and solidarity between families and friends of disappeared migrants in the Americas. The Family Network is a national network made up of local groups (comités) in cities across the United States. To continue our ongoing support, we published a magazine written by and for families of missing migrants. This spring we are looking for an intern with design skills to help with the publication of our spring issue of “La Hermandad”.

Expectations

• Must be able to commit to at least 10-15 hours a week
• Report to and meet weekly with supervisor, Family Network Director, Perla Torres

Responsibilities are contingent on applicant’s experience and may include any of the following:

• Design and publication of the spring edition of our magazine,”La Hermandad”
• Work with a network of allied artists to compile and design each topic and theme.
• Coordination of the printing and shipping of each issue.

Qualifications: 

• Experience with Adobe InDesign, Photoshop, Illustrator
• Proficiency in both written and spoken English and Spanish preferred.
• Commitment to social justice and (im)migrant rights. Experience working with immigrant or refugee communities a plus
• Experience working with immigrant and refugee communities, topics such as ambiguous loss, and emotional trauma preferred. 
• Strong interpersonal skills and a capacity for connection with diverse groups of people.
• Humility, empathy, flexibility and a collaborative spirit
• Organized and detail oriented.

Additional requirements: 

To apply, please provide a digital portfolio or link to your website so we may view your previews design work.

To apply, please fill out this application form to be considered for interviews. 

Colibri Center for Human Rights administrative internship 

Colibri Center for Human Rights provides an excellent learning environment for socially engaged students interested in working with immigrant rights and justice non-profit organizations. Administrative interns gain experience to the complex operations of a non-profit organization, meanwhile getting exposure to a broad range of learning opportunities depending on the projects at hand, as well as the student’s professional interests. 

Expectations

• Must be able to commit to at least 10-15 hours a week
• Confidentiality
• Report to and meet weekly with supervisor(s) Program and Data Associate, Gia Del Pino, or Executive Director, Tony Banegas 

Responsibilities are contingent on applicant’s experience and may include any of the following:

• Evaluating prospective products or vendors for promotional material and/or upcoming events and campaigns
• Reviewing and completing financial analyses and statements
• Assessing and summarizing new grant and funding opportunities

Qualifications:

• Proficiency in both written and spoken English and Spanish preferred
• Commitment to social justice and (im)migrant rights. Experience working with immigrant or refugee communities a plus
• Organized and attentive to details
• Strong writing skills
• Humility, empathy, flexibility and a collaborative spirit
• Proficiency in Google Suite and video conferencing (Zoom or Skype) 

To apply, please fill out this application form to be considered for interviews. 

Intern, Campus Ambassador and Volunteer Coordinator internship

Colibri Center for Human Rights provides an excellent learning environment for socially engaged students interested in working with immigrant rights and justice non-profit organizations. Administrative interns gain experience to the complex operations of a non-profit organization, meanwhile getting exposure to a broad range of learning opportunities depending on the projects at hand, as well as the student’s professional interests. The internship coordinator is usually responsible for overseeing the development and implementation of an internship program, overseeing and coordinating the program.  

Expectations

• Must be able to commit to at least 10-15 hours a week
• Must feel comfortable leading teams
• Must be able to coordinate team wide events
• Confidentiality
• Report to and meet weekly with supervisor, Program and Data Associate, Gia Del Pino

Responsibilities are contingent on applicant’s experience and may include any of the following:

• Overseeing the internship and volunteer program
• Build community among staff and volunteers in a virtual environment
• Coordinating, facilitating, and moderating Colibri Colloquiums and other educational lectures
• Organize and promote internship program for the following semester
• Review internship applications and schedule interviews
• Reviewing evaluations and feedback forms and make recommendations to improve internship program
• Support the Campus Ambassador program by offering mentorship and resources
• Create and design captivating newsletters for Colibri’s audience 

Qualifications:

• Proficiency in both written and spoken English and Spanish preferred
• Commitment to social justice and (im)migrant rights. Experience working with immigrant or refugee communities a plus
• Organized and attentive to details
• Strong writing skills
• Humility, empathy, flexibility and a collaborative spirit
• Proficiency in Google Suite and video conferencing (Zoom or Skype) 

To apply, please fill out this application form to be considered for interviews.