As an Advocacy Intern at ACLU Indiana, I created a comprehensive Brief Book for my boss, the Director of Advocacy and Public Policy, to use as a resource while lobbying in the Indiana statehouse. The Brief Book ended up totaling over 160 pages, and included the contact info, legislative record, and voting history for each representative currently serving in office. As someone who entered this internship experience with little to no legislative research skills, I can say that I know now how to successfully navigate the Indiana government website and conduct research on legislators and their voting record.

I also analyzed bills sweeping the nation on reproductive rights, LGBTQ rights, and criminal justice reform and compiled policy briefs for my boss to analyze how likely it is for those bills to come to Indiana. I learned that so much of advocacy work is staying ahead of the curve, which is exactly what ACLU Indiana is doing. I was able to sit in on various meetings and participate in workshops regarding feedback in the workplace, the importance of the LGBTQ community in advocacy work, and various ways to launch a career in the legal field without the advantage of a law school.

Ultimately, I enjoyed my internship experience and connected with so many great resources in the Indianapolis community. One of my favorite things this summer was tabling for ACLU Indiana at various Indianapolis events, including Indy Pride, Black Expo, and IndyVolved.