2024 Jim Diego Fellowship: Call for Fellows

SUMMER 2024

Hester Street (HST) seeks graduate students in urban planning, design, architecture or a related field to join our Jim Diego Fellowship program. Named for the late Hester Street staff member Jim Diego – beloved HST alumnus and tireless social justice advocate – this fellowship fosters the next generation of leaders in urban planning, design, and community development. Now in its second year, the Jim Diego Fellowship will provide students of color, LGBTQIA+, women, and other underrepresented voices in architecture, urban planning, and design with hands-on experience working on HST’s innovative projects, as well as leadership development and mentorship opportunities with HST’s diverse staff and partners. Preference will be given to students enrolled in public colleges and universities and Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs).

Throughout his career, Jim Diego was known for his ability to make connections, build relationships to support his colleagues, and promote the growth and vitality of the community development field. To honor this legacy, HST offers an immersive fellowship program. Jim Diego Fellows join interdisciplinary teams working on projects that range from neighborhood-based development projects to City-wide planning and policy initiatives. In addition to working on project teams, Jim Diego Fellows have access to professional development through one-on-one and small group conversations with HST staff and the chance to share reflections and lessons-learned throughout their fellowship experience.

Jim Diego Fellows meet regularly with designated HST mentors whose professional expertise matches fellows’ career goals and interests. Fellows also participate in site visits and other professional development opportunities, gaining exposure to HST’s diverse range of partners, including government agencies, community-based organizations, and our peer design and planning firms.

ABOUT THE POSITION

The Jim Diego Fellowship program’s main objectives are to expose students to real world experience in urban planning, community development, and public engagement through a racial equity and justice lens; to introduce them to the multi-disciplinary work at Hester Street; and to offer practical, hands-on opportunities to work with a mentor and a team of professionals on community-based projects and initiatives.

Jim Diego Fellows will be expected to:

• Support projects that engage a wide range of community stakeholders in initiatives that advance environmental justice, bring about equitable development, foster arts and culture, and contribute to thriving communities.
• Meet regularly with experienced staff who will serve as advisors and mentors
• Collaborate and network with HST staff in a work environment setting
• Draft a brief reflection at the conclusion of their fellowship experience

HST staff will work with each fellow to craft a set of responsibilities that support HST’s projects. Fellowship responsibilities may include several of the following:

• Precedent and content research at the local, regional and national levels to inform project development for a particular site, neighborhood, city, or region
• Engagement support for the set up, event facilitation, and break down of varied activities and workshops
• Development and design support for project outreach materials and user-friendly, creative engagement tools
• Assistance with the preparation and implementation of virtual and in-person community engagement workshops, focus groups, community partner meetings and events
• Supporting data analysis, mapping and documentation of community visioning and engagement workshops
• Other tasks as necessary

Fellows will work within a hybrid schedule of remote/in-person office hours. They will be expected to attend in-person meetings and public engagements as needed, including events that may take place at nights and weekends. Fellows should be comfortable traveling to varied geographies and neighborhoods, and working with diverse communities and populations throughout all five boroughs of New York City.

Prerequisites

• Current graduate student in architecture, urban planning, design or related field. Preference for those enrolled in public colleges and universities and Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs).
• Ability to commute to HST’s office in New York City, as well as public engagements across all five boroughs
• Identify as a person of color, LGBTQIA+, woman, and/or other underrepresented voice in architecture, urban planning, design or related field
• Strong time management skills and ability to prioritize tasks and meet deadlines
• Creative problem solving
• Experience with planning; engagement and facilitation; stakeholder management and organizing; mapping + GIS skills; data + research, or any combination of these skills
• Working knowledge of Adobe InDesign, other Adobe Creative Suite programs, SketchUp, or ArcGIS/QGIS is helpful but not required
• Strong interest in community-driven planning and equitable development, architecture, environment and/or community development preferred but not required
• Familiarity with and experience working in low-income communities, immigrant and other communities of color and/or with community-based organizations preferred

Fluency in a language other than English is a plus.

Compensation

Fellows will be paid $25 per hour and will be expected to work an average of 30 hours per week for 10 weeks starting June 3rd, 2024 and ending August 9th, 2024.

To Apply

Please upload a résumé, two work samples (one written and one visual), and respond to three brief questions (200-300 word limit per question) using the online application portal.

Applications are due by April 19, 2024. Interviews will take place mid-end of April with candidate notifications by early May.

ABOUT HESTER STREET

Hester Street (HST) is an urban planning, design and development nonprofit that works to ensure that neighborhoods are shaped by the people who live in them. HST designs avenues for inclusive civic engagement, amplifying the voices of those struggling against inequities and supporting neighborhood leaders to design solutions that work for their communities. Through deep collaboration with community-based organizations, HST facilitates processes that remediate environmental harms and build climate resilience; create and maintain equitable places and spaces for communities to gather; and foster thriving communities by building civic infrastructure and capacity for advocacy. HST offers technical and capacity-building assistance to community-based organizations, private firms and government agencies on land use processes, neighborhood planning and design, and public and private community development projects. Leveraging tools of participatory planning, design, and community development, HST centers the expertise of neighborhood leaders to achieve racial and social justice.

Hester Street works with low-income communities and communities of color across New York City and we believe that our staff should reflect this diversity. People of color, immigrants, LGBTQIA+, women, gender non-conforming individuals and people with disabilities are strongly encouraged to apply. Hester Street is an Equal Opportunity Employer. We seek to build an inclusive organization grounded in respect for differences and we do not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, age, national origin, marital status, disability, past experience of incarceration, or veteran status.

Hester Street is a nonprofit organization incorporated as Hester Street Collaborative, Inc.