Environmental Justice Community Educator Specialist

Who We Are

COPAL, Communities Organizing Latine Power and Action, is a member-based organization established in 2018 to improve the quality of life of Latine families. Grounded in the Principles of Jemez, COPAL is committed to continue building meaningful relationships that transcend both identity and geographical boundaries. COPAL envisions a Minnesota where everyone lives with dignity and respect.

Why You’ll Love Working Here

Our greatest asset is the dedication and commitment of our board, staff, members, and interns, as well as our valued volunteers, partners, coalition members, and leaders of the Latine community. With a clear mission and vision of a better future for all, we can mobilize people to bring about transformation and lead social, political, and economic change.

Wages

$24.00 - $25.00 per hour depending on qualifications and level of experience

Benefits

• Earned Sick and Safe Time (ESST)
• COPAL sponsors a retirement plan with 6% employer contribution after 90 days of service and immediate vesting

Because COPAL is a member with Metropolitan Alliance of Connected Communities (MACC) who partners with St. Mary’s University, COPAL employees and their spouses are also eligible for the following benefits at St. Mary’s University:

• Discounted tuition for Bachelor’s, Master’s, and Doctorate programs
• Professional development opportunities
• Access to advancement (internships, job placement, field practice)

Schedule

This is a temporary, part-time position that will work 25 hours per week and will include weekday work and some weekends. The position is expected to be 6 months long in duration.

Job Summary

COPAL is hiring an Environmental Justice Community Educator Specialist to design and facilitate community-centered educational programming that integrates environmental justice, climate resilience, and hands-on learning experiences. The position focuses on curriculum development, workshop facilitation, and community engagement efforts that strengthen knowledge, participation, and resilience within Latine communities.

Responsibilities

• Design and develop a structured educational curriculum for COPAL’s Annual Farm Tour.
• Integrate theoretical and practical components related to: sustainable agriculture, climate change and food systems, land stewardship, and environmental justice.
• Facilitate educational sessions during Farm Tour activities, including complementing hands-on experiences such as planting, harvesting, and land care.
• Develop educational materials (guides, modules, reflection tools) to support participant learning.
• Support the creation and implementation of a certificate-based learning component for participants.
• Support outreach efforts to identify and recruit community participants for a home-based air quality monitoring initiative.
• Build relationships with community members to encourage participation.
• Collaborate with the EJ team to prioritize engagement with communities most impacted by environmental health disparities.
• Support communication and basic orientation for participants as needed.
• Participate in internal learning processes related to Resilience Hub models.
• Design and facilitate community workshops on: climate adaptation and resilience, community preparedness, the role and function of Resilience Hubs.
• Ensure workshops are culturally relevant, accessible, and community-centered.
• Translate resilience concepts into practical, community-based strategies.
• Conduct research and policy/data analysis related to pollution, climate change, and community health and use research to support advocacy and amplify efforts with other groups.
• Establish and implement systems to monitor and evaluate the impact of COPAL’s environmental justice initiatives.
• Prepare regular reports and contribute to grant writing on the effectiveness of programs and make recommendations for improvements.
• Participate in fundraising as appropriate to the role, including site visits with funders and phone banking to members/donors.
• Collect and track qualitative and quantitative data (e.g., participant feedback, outcomes, and engagement) to measure program impact.
• Prepare brief written summaries and reports on activities, outcomes, and key learnings.

What You Bring

• English and Spanish speaking skills are required.
• Degree in environmental studies, public policy, sociology, or a related field (or equivalent experience).
• Minimum 2 years of experience in community engagement, organizing, or grassroots advocacy.
• Experience in environmental education, agriculture, ecology, or related field (or equivalent lived/working experience).
• Knowledge of plant systems, farming practices, or land-based education.
• Experience facilitating workshops or educational programs.
• A demonstrated commitment to environmental justice, equity, and community-centered work.
• The ability to work independently, establish priorities, and meet deadlines.
• Strong skills in conflict management.
• Competency in MS Office: Word, Access, Publisher, Outlook, Excel, and PowerPoint.
• The ability to travel to events and other COPAL offices and strategic locations in Minnesota such as Mankato, Rochester, Austin, and Saint Cloud.
• A valid driver’s license, access to reliable transportation, and the ability to meet COPAL’s driving record requirements. Please note that if the license was not issued in the state of Minnesota, you have 60 days after becoming a Minnesota resident in which to apply for your Minnesota driver's license or permit.

Diversity and open expression are fundamental to the work of COPAL. We are passionate about building and sustaining an inclusive and equitable working environment where everyone can belong. Every member of our team enriches our work by exposing us to a broad range of ways to understand and engage with the world, identify challenges, and to discover, design, and deliver solutions. We welcome everyone to apply, especially those individuals who are underrepresented in our sector: individuals who identify as BIPOC, Indigenous or people of culture, LGBTQI and gender fluid or gender nonconforming, individuals with disabilities (both seen and unseen), veterans, people of any age or family status. We encourage you to apply even if you feel like you don't fit 100% of the technical requirements. Equal Opportunity Employer: All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, creed, ancestry, religion, national origin, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, familial status, disability, age, marital status, membership or activity in a local human rights commission, status with regard to public assistance, criminal history (justice-impacted status), housing or homelessness status, height, or weight.

Our organization has a partnership with Metropolitan Alliance of Connected Communities (MACC) to provide administrative services including management of the hiring process. If you apply for this position, you may see references to MACC in some online materials.

Salary : $24 - $25