Current Tufts student Luca Rogoff shared the following about being a Summer Intern at Massachusetts Jobs with Justice …
What did you do as an intern at this organization?
Following the mission of creating a more just economy for all laborers and families, most of my work was concerned with passing legislation to protect the rights of people at work regardless of legal status; namely the Fair Workweek Bill, the One Fair Wage Bill, and the Work and Family Mobility Act. I organized testimonies from advocates, workers, and constituents to be delivered at State House meetings, testified myself, and attended strategy meetings with our greater coalition of community groups, workers centers, religious organizations, and local activists from across the state. I also worked closely with the Coalition to Protect Workers’ Rights, organizing and co-leading a virtual teach-in on gig economy employers’ weaponization of worker misclassification issues, and aided in MassJWJ’s annual fundraiser among other projects.
How did you find this internship?
A friend and fellow Tufts student had done the same internship two summers before me and pointed me towards it when I was searching this past summer.
What did you enjoy most about your internship?
I most enjoyed being part of a team that put trust in their interns to step up to the plate on hard tasks. I was never given busy work or steered away from sitting in on big moments. I really got to push myself and learn through doing tasks that genuinely contributed to MassJWJ’s work under the supervision of my internship advisor.
What did you find challenging?
Labor activism as a student who is not a member of the local communities or working groups we partner with is a particular position that could be challenging at times to navigate. There is an important distinction between a central role as ‘advocate’ and aiding in achieving the goals of worker organizers, and learning how to find a helpful role at MassJWJ took some concentration and thought.
What advice would you offer to someone who wants to make the most of an internship like yours?
Go to a meeting! Especially with partners outside of your team. There is so much to learn from watching not only what people at your internship do, but also how they relate to their greater field and what others around them are doing.
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