Watching the fighter jets scream across the sky during practice runs for the Chicago Air and Water show reminded me of September 11th. I was standing on the beach watching smoke billow from the Twin Towers and could see fighter jets—the only planes in the sky—cruising along as they patrolled the air. I also remember having a sense of anger, and wanting to have someone to blame for the atrocities. I think that most people shared that feeling, at least initially, but some were far less rational about how they dealt with it. September 11th was obviously a terrible day for every American, but it was also the day when life got much harder for people in American of Arab, Muslim, South Asian and other backgrounds. That’s why Seattle, WA based OneAmerica (formerly Hate Free Zone) was founded immediately after September 11th. Their mission is “to advance the fundamental principles of democracy and justice through building power in immigrant communities, in collaboration with key allies.”

OneAmerica OneYou

Beyond facing discrimination, Arabs, Muslims, South Asians in America have also been adversely affected by new government policies. OneAmerica helps give these people a voice in the political process. By working directly in the affected communities, OneAmerica is able to build trust and get people mobilized in a way that can make a difference. OneAmerica does this by focusing on four areas: Civic Engagement, Community Organizing, Policy Advocacy and Research, and Communications and Media. If you’d like to be a part of the work that OneAmerica is doing, then you should take a look at their jobs on Idealist. Right now they’re looking for an Individual Giving and Development Coordinator and a Field Organizer, so check out the full descriptions and see if they get you excited.

Links to Help You Begin Your Research

• WeAreOneAmerica.org
• Jobs at OneAmerica (Idealist)
• About OneAmerica
• OneAmerica’s History
• Staff at OneAmerica
• What OneAmerica Does

What do you think about OneAmerica?

We've identified OneAmerica as having career opportunities in the following categories:

• advocacy
• all employers
• community development
• development
• non-profit
• outreach
• public policy
• Washington

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