Organization Mission: Banana Kelly Community Improvement Association, Inc. is a 40 year old community development corporation and mutual housing association located in the Longwood, Hunts Point, Morrisania and Mott Haven neighborhoods of the Bronx. Our mission is to contribute to a revitalized, safe and economically vibrant South Bronx through the development and management of affordable housing and provision of targeted human services. Our organizing department focuses on building the power of our Resident Council, as well as a larger base of community residents around issues of housing, health, land-use and community reinvestment.

Job Objective:  The Community Organizer will play a key role in the organizing department, leading Banana Kelly’s tenant organizing work in buildings threatened by predatory equity, while also supporting the broader organizing work around resident engagement, healthy neighborhoods, and the potential rezoning of Southern Boulevard.

Job Responsibilities: The Community Organizer will help lead our participation in the Stabilizing NYC campaign, coordinating strategy and actions with partner organizations across the Bronx and New York City, while developing tenant associations in buildings targeted by predatory equity in our neighborhoods. The organizer will also support the overall organizing department goals which include but are not limited to:

• Support residents of rent stabilized buildings in forming tenant associations that lead and participate in campaigns and actions, achieve demands and become self-sustaining
• Participate in base building activities including, but not limited to:
  • Door knocking
  • Conducting one-on-ones
  • Phone banking
  • Surveying / Distributing fliers
• Work with leaders to increase our overall participation in city-wide coalitions around housing affordability and quality
• Research housing data to identify buildings to organize in and create campaign strategies
• Collect, manage and report data on organizing activities
• Ensure turnout of tenants for local, borough-wide and city-wide actions
• Conduct trainings and support overall leadership development activities
• Build and maintain relationships with other neighborhood partners and stakeholders, including elected officials
• Expand representation and participation of Banana Kelly residents in the Resident Council
• Expand representation and participation of neighborhood residents around the Southern Blvd Neighborhood Study
• Support our work to organize local residents to promote and expand access to healthy foods, activities and overall health justice
• Support the larger Banana Kelly mission through coordination with other departments

Qualifications:

• A strong commitment to building leadership in Bronx residents; someone who holds community members in high regard
• Ability to work in diverse communities with people from various backgrounds
• Ability to be in challenging situations and receive teaching and coaching from both staff and leaders
• Demonstrated commitment to an anti-racist community organizing model of change
• Spanish/English bilingual strongly preferred
• Highly motivated individual with a passion for engaging communities, ideally a self-starter with creative vision
• Ability to work most evenings and occasional weekends
• 1-3 years applicable work experience
• Basic computer skills required including willingness to enter data of your work; knowledge of database programs such as PowerBase preferred
• Strong relational skills and ability to connect, engage, and inspire community members
• Strong and effective communicator; attentive listener who is able to ask open-ended questions as well as make clear and specific requests; competent writing skills
• Able to make connections between individual experiences and collective, systemic and structural forces and to simplify and polarize a situation as necessary
• Experience living through and overcoming challenging circumstances

Desired Attributes: Commitment to racial and economic equity and justice, generous spirit, curious mind, friendly yet fierce, engaging, humble and having a heart for the people.

Banana Kelly Community Improvement Association is an equal opportunity employer and values a diverse workforce. Women, people of color, veterans, LGBTQ identifying and people with disabilities are encouraged to apply.