Inclusive Democracy Advocate

Words to know (glossary of terms) below. Words in bold are defined in the words to know section.

Disability Communities Defending Democracy (DCDD) is a new organization, founded in 2025. DCDD works to defend and grow inclusive democracy. We work to help disability communities get the skills they need to promote inclusive democracy. This also means we help disability communities work against anti-democracy movements. Anti-democracy movements want to make democracy less inclusive or get rid of democracy. Anti-democracy movements want to make disability community spaces less inclusive. We do our work through education, information and resource referral, community partnerships, and other kinds of support to disability communities.

Disability Communities Defending Democracy is fiscally sponsored by the Western States Center (WSC). This means we are a separate organization from WSC, but DCDD pays a fee to WSC for support with managing and growing our organization.

Compensation: $40,000/year ($38.46 per hour). Inclusive Democracy Advocate is a non-exempt (hourly) position. DCDD wants to offer more hours if funding increases.

Hours: 20 hours per week.

Benefits: $500 per month benefits stipend

Time off: 40 hours (two weeks) of paid time off, 40 hours of sick time, and five floating holidays. DCDD is also closed for New Years Day, MLK Jr. Day, Juneteenth, Independence Day, Labor Day, Thanksgiving, Day After Thanksgiving, and December 24th-31st.

Location: fully remote (with travel). Candidate must live in or move to the Pacific Northwest (Oregon, Washington, Idaho, or Montana) within three months of hiring.

Technology requirement: the Inclusive Democracy Advocate must own and use a computer to do their work. This computer should be able to go with them while traveling for work. For example, a laptop or “mini” personal computer. DCDD is not offering work computers at this point.

Reports to: DCDD Executive Director

Job Duties

Handles intake for information and resource referral. This means reading add responding to emails, taking or responding to phone calls, and meeting with people over Zoom

Meets with community partners

Presents information to community groups in in-person and virtual settings (e.g., Zoom meeting, webinar)

Facilitates discussions with community partners

Facilitates community events

Assists in making (designing and drafting) DCDD toolkits

Assists with grant applications. This can include grant writing and grant research

Assists in planning events

Assists in outreach to community groups. This includes researching community groups to reach out and reaching out to them

Other job duties as mutually agreed upon by employee and employer. This means the employer can’t assign work that is not listed here without you agreeing to it

Minimum qualifications

Experience working with people with disabilities doing advocacy work

Knowledge of disability community politics

Familiarity with issues and groups threatening inclusive democracy

Experience challenging ableism in non-disability spaces

Experience challenging racism in disability spaces

Fluent in English

Ability and willingness to learn the plain language and easy read formats

Basic understanding of Zoom and Google Suite of Products (e.g. google documents)

Ability to travel with or without accommodation anywhere in the United States of America

Travel is a small but required part of the job. Expect to travel 2-5 times per year

Lives in or is willing to move to the Pacific Northwest (i.e. Oregon, Washington, Idaho, or Montana) within three months hiring

Demonstrated ability and willingness to interact respectfully with people with many kinds of experiences. In this job, you are asked to work with people from all socioeconomic, cultural, disability, racial, religious, and ethnic backgrounds

Preferred qualifications

Two or more years in disability advocacy. Unpaid or volunteer advocacy counts

Professional experience with grant writing

One or more years of professional experience with information and resource referral

Graphic design experience

Experience with Canva

Experience with writing in the plain language and easy read formats

Experience with writing toolkits

Strong in-person and virtual facilitation skills

Fluent in any language other than English, such as American Sign Language

Disability Communities Defending Democracy is an equal opportunity employer and does not discriminate based on race, color, sex, religion, national origin, veteran, age, disability, marital status, gender identity or sexual orientation.

We strongly encourage people of color, AAC users, LGBTQ people, and people with personal experience with disability services to apply.

Words to Know: 

Plain language

A simpler way of writing. Plain language can be easier for some people with disabilities to understand than other ways of writing.

Easy read

Simple writing on one side with helpful icons/pictures on the other side. Easy Read can be easier for some people with disabilities to understand than other ways of writing. More on easy read and plain language: autisticadvocacy.org/resources/accessibility/easyread/

 Canva

An online tool used for graphic design.

Facilitate

Lead discussion and make sure everyone in the discussion feels heard and respected

Information and resource referral

People may ask DCDD for help with a problem in their local community. We give them information that helps them. We might also help them connect with another organization that helps them (resource referral).

Grant

A contract between a funder (organization that gives money) and a nonprofit. Usually, the contract says how much money the funder gives and how the nonprofit can use the money.

Grant writing

Asking a funder for a grant.

Grant research

Looking for grant opportunities. Usually this is done online.

Community partners

Another organization. For example, a community center, religious building, self advocacy organization, or another nonprofit.

Toolkit

Published writing that helps people understand something.

Inclusive democracy

A government where everyone gets a say in policy and everyone is free to be who they are.

Professional experience

Experience you have from a job, paid or unpaid/volunteer.

To apply: Please fill out the application form found through the following link by June 3rd.