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
