NYC Colleges and Communities Advocacy Institute

This event will convene hundreds of college-aged advocates to connect with ACLU lawyers, lobbyists, organizers, and other experts working to defend civil liberties. Through classroom sessions, lectures, and policy discussions, participants will explore the complex nature of issue advocacy, legal strategy, and real-world political decision-making.

Participants will also engage in career development, including a Career Day, to explore professions in law, advocacy, and non-profit management and will return home with advocacy tools to make changes in their communities.

Apply Now!

Get more information about the ACLU’s Advocacy Institute. 

National Advocacy Institute – College and Community (post-high school program), at NYU Law School in New York, NY. 

• Ages: 18-24 (must have graduated high school in 2023 or earlier) 
• Dates: August 2-5, 2024

This ACLU program will bring together a diverse group of students for intensive multi-day events that all include: 

• Lectures and seminars from a wide array of civil liberties and political experts and practitioners  
• Workshops on how to build effective advocacy strategies – for every community and against great odds 
• Lobby days and/or days of collective action for issue-based advocacy on public policy and the biggest threats to our freedoms 
• Program-related and social events in and around the event location 

Financial aid is available for students who qualify – including travel stipends!

This is an incredibly important time to mobilize — across the country, opponents of civil liberties are coming after our most fundamental freedoms — and, while the challenges are big, the activist community is bigger and stronger. The ACLU is going to keep showing up with the next generation of advocates fighting for our civil liberties, whenever and wherever we need to. Students are invited to join us to commit to: developing strong leadership skills, building relationships with fellow activists, and advancing their advocacy abilities to fight on behalf of liberty, justice, and equality. Space for 2024 is expected to sell out soon! Submit applications ASAP.

For more information, please contact institute@aclu.org.