Banner image of LPL logo with the text “apply for our advisory board today”
Final date for applications: September 5th, 2023 by 11:59PM CT
Note: This is not a paid position
Lucy Parsons Labs is seeking candidates to revitalize its advisory board. Board members will be appointed for an initial one-year term with the option to continue and its term-length decided collectively during initial meetings.
Lucy Parsons Labs is committed to diversity, inclusion, and building towards collective liberation with folks impacted by systemic violence. The diversity of the resulting board’s composition will be considered when selecting new board members.
Lucy Parsons Labs (LPL) is an expert on technology’s role in creating harm in our society and counters it through education, investigation, and litigation. Initially a collaborative of technologists and transparency activists named after the 19th-century Chicago labor organizer, agitator, and anarchist, LPL is currently structured as a 501(c)3. We believe that liberation comes from sustained community relationship-building and are continuously working alongside our co-travelers to deepen each other’s work.
Chicago is widely considered as a site for law enforcement experimentation and development. Because its violent carceral innovations are often exported out, Chicago is a canary in the coalmine to organizers actively shaping community defense against ever-evolving state violence and tyranny. We leverage our extensive technical experience as researchers and technologists, have a demonstrated commitment to building tools, supporting campaigns, and sharing knowledge with those most impacted by police violence to support Chicago’s racial justice movement ecosystem and carve pathways towards material change.
We work to reduce the size, scope, and power of police and the carceral state using three core program areas: Investigation, Education, Litigation. Read more about our program areas by following this link.
The advisory board will have the exciting opportunity to deepen and shape LPL’s strategy moving forward. While the advisory board’s input will influence the progression and development of LPL, day-to-day operational responsibilities remain in the hands of LPL members and staff. The advisory board’s initial responsibilities fall under:
Nonprofit Compliance & Operations: The advisory board will support LPL in meeting 501(c)3 compliance requirements and reviewing operational direction. This may include assisting in tax compliance, reviewing the IRS Form 990, ensuring LPL complies with relevant policies, laws, and regulations, reviewing the annual budget, and providing advice on internal policies.
Political Analysis & Expert Advice: The advisory boards members will draw from their various perspectives and provide thought-partnership to LPL as it continues to sharpen a political analysis rooted in liberatory politics and radical traditions. Although the advisory board will not be managing the day-to-day activities of LPL membership, it will be positioned to give strategic clarity on project areas LPL should like to pursue. Ultimately, the advisory board and its expertise will play an important role in sharpening the form and function of LPL work.
Advisory Support & Mutual Aid: The advisory board will support LPL through being available to advise LPL membership, expanding the network, acting as stewards of communication, and promoting sustainability. This may involve lending credibility to the ideas that LPL raises as important and serving as critical allies to the work. This may also involve leveraging existing networks of contacts to create opportunities and supporting fundraising efforts.
Roles and responsibilities will be collectively finalized by advisory board members and LPL leadership during initial meetings.
The following skills and qualities are desired among board member candidates, though possessing all is not required for application. Further, so-called professional experience is not required for this role. Broadly, here are the skills or experiences we are interested in seeing among applicants:
To apply for the LPL advisory board, please submit a current resume to advisoryboard at lucyparsonslabs dot com. The deadline for applications is September 5th, 2023 by 11:59PM CT.
If you would like to recommend a candidate, please send the person’s name, email address, and a brief description of their qualifications to advisoryboard at lucyparsonslabs dot com.
Questions can also be directed to advisoryboard at lucyparsonslabs dot com.