About Cabrini Green Legal Aid

Cabrini Green Legal Aid (CGLA) was established in 1973 to serve the legal needs arising from the lack of opportunity, criminalization of poverty, and racial inequity experienced within Chicago's Cabrini Green public housing community. Since then, CGLA has grown beyond a single neighborhood to become a citywide, countywide, and statewide leader in proactively filling the void of legal representation, wraparound services, legal information and resources, and advocacy exclusively for low-income individuals negatively impacted by the criminal legal system. Any engagement with the criminal legal system can greatly disrupt an individual, family, and community's quality of life.

CGLA is distinguished among legal aid service providers locally, throughout Illinois, and nationally as having expertise in legal matters related to the direct and collateral consequences of the criminal legal system. Since 2014, we have been the sole legal aid services provider serving Cook County with the distinction of focusing exclusively on individuals and families who have been adversely impacted by the criminal legal system in all legal program areas: criminal records, emerging adults, criminal defense, housing law, and family law. We provide direct legal services, advocate for policy reforms, and provide legal information and resources to other legal aid organizations, pro bono attorneys, and the general public. We also support our clients holistically with wraparound social services from our social workers. Our policy and advocacy work is not performed as a separate entity; rather it is informed by our legal services and the lived experiences of our Leadership Council, an Advisory Group made up of former CGLA clients and community members directly impacted by the criminal legal system.

CGLA’s Mission, Purpose and Vision

Mission: We provide holistic legal services that include social support services and advocacy for individuals and communities negatively impacted by the criminal legal system.
Purpose: CGLA exists to remove barriers to equity in the criminal legal system.
Vision: A more just and equitable criminal legal system.

Cabrini Green Legal Aid

Communications & Storytelling Intern

Internship Overview

CGLA seeks a Communications & Storytelling unpaid intern to support the organization’s

growing marketing and communications work. This internship offers a unique opportunity to

help amplify the voices and stories of people impacted by the criminal legal system while

gaining hands‑on experience in nonprofit communications, advocacy storytelling, and digital

media strategy.

The intern will work closely with the Communications Manager to support day‑to‑day

communications execution across social media, email marketing, storytelling projects, and

digital content management.

Key Responsibilities

Social Media & Digital Engagement

Draft captions and posts for Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn, and other platforms
Assist with scheduling content and maintaining the editorial calendar
Engage with partner organizations by liking, commenting, and sharing relevant content
Monitor and save trending audio for potential social media reels
Upload videos and content to YouTube
Track and organize social media analytics

Content Creation & Storytelling

Draft social media content, short stories, and captions
Assist with monthly newsletter content
Support storytelling projects featuring clients, Leadership Council members, and community

partners

Organize photos, videos, and testimonials for future storytelling campaigns
Assist with website content or blog updates

Email & Newsletter Support

Draft sections of monthly newsletters
Resend unopened emails through Mailchimp
Help track engagement and email analytics
Format and organize email communications

Digital Asset Management

Upload photos and videos to SharePoint
Organize digital media libraries
Create and update Canva templates aligned with CGLA branding
Upload content into PowerPoint presentations
Periodically check website links for functionality

Communications Planning Support

Research relevant observances and awareness months
Brainstorm content ideas for campaigns
Assist in maintaining the communications editorial calendar
Compile analytics reports to support communications strategy

Preferred Skills

Interest in social justice, storytelling, advocacy, or nonprofit communications
Strong writing and communication skills
Familiarity with social media platforms
Experience with Canva, graphic design, or video editing (preferred)
Organized, detail‑oriented, and proactive
Comfortable asking questions and working independently
Interest in learning about communications strategy

Learning Opportunities

The Communications & Storytelling Intern Will Gain Experience In

Nonprofit communications strategy
Advocacy storytelling and narrative development
Ethical storytelling practices when working with individuals impacted by the criminal legal

system

Social media management and analytics
Email marketing and supporter engagement
Public speaking and message development
Media relations and media pitch writing
Digital asset management and brand consistency
Content planning through an editorial calendar

Summer Capstone Project: CGLA Arts & Archives

Preserving Stories. Advancing Justice.

Project Overview

As their culminating summer project, the Communications & Storytelling Intern will support the

continued development of Cabrini Green Legal Aid’s Arts & Archives Exhibition — a living

archive that captures the organization’s 50+ year legacy of advancing justice through legal

advocacy, storytelling, and community power.

This project uses art, storytelling, and the humanities to highlight CGLA’s work within the

broader context of the U.S. criminal legal system, while amplifying the voices and lived

experiences of individuals and communities impacted by criminalization, poverty, and systemic

inequities.

The intern will play a key role in helping document, organize, and expand CGLA’s

storytelling archive, ensuring that the organization’s history, impact, and community narratives

are preserved and accessible for advocacy, education, and fundraising.

Final Deliverables

By the end of the internship, the intern will contribute to:

A structured and organized digital storytelling archive
A curated collection of community stories and testimonials
Short-form video and social media storytelling content
A highlight video showcasing the Arts & Archives initiative
An archive index or guide to support future use across teams

Internship Dates

Monday, June 1 – Friday, August 7 (10 Weeks)

To Apply

Send your resume to Jada Lawrence: communications@cgla.net

Cabrini Green Legal Aid

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Communications Intern