North Carolina Justice Center

North Carolina Justice Center

The North Carolina Justice Center is a nonprofit organization that works to create equitable change and advance economic, social, and political equity across North Carolina. Its Workers’ Rights Project advocates for policies and workplace protections that improve conditions for workers across the state, including agricultural and immigrant workers.

Through Student Action with Farmworkers’ Into the Fields Internship, I was placed with the Workers’ Rights Project for the summer. My work combined farmworker outreach, policy and legislative research, and communications focused on issues affecting workers across North Carolina. I regularly traveled to farmworker camps to provide workers with information and resources, monitored state policy developments, conducted research on the H-2A temporary agricultural worker program, and created bilingual educational and social media materials.

Advocacy

As the Workers’ Rights Project intern, my work focused on legislation related to worker protections, including proposals concerning E-Verify requirements and North Carolina’s “Right-to-Work” laws. I also had opportunities to participate in legislative advocacy at the General Assembly, where I spoke with legislators and their staff about policies affecting workers and communities across North Carolina.

Outside of the office, I participated in community outreach across eastern North Carolina. Alongside the Farmworker Unit at Legal Aid of North Carolina, I visited H-2A labor camps to share information about workplace rights, legal services, and available resources with farmworkers. I also participated in community events with organizations including Casa Azul de Wilson and NC FIELD, where I connected with community members and shared information and resources on workers’ rights.

Communications

Alongside my advocacy work, I supported the Workers’ Rights Project’s digital communications by developing educational content on workers’ rights and ongoing policy issues. I researched and created social media graphics and bilingual materials that translated complex legislative and workplace issues into accessible information for workers and the broader public.