2026-2027 Open Horizon DC Justice Fellow

DC Justice Lab is a team of law and policy experts researching, organizing, and advocating for large-scale changes to the District of Columbia’s criminal legal system. We develop smarter safety solutions that are evidence-driven, community-rooted, and racially just. We aim to fully transform the District’s approach to public safety and make it a national leader in justice reform.

ABOUT THE OPEN HORIZON DC JUSTICE FELLOWSHIP

For a term of two years, Open Horizon DC Justice Fellows have access to benefits beyond those offered by the hosting organization, DC Justice Lab. The Open Horizon Foundation offers optional support opportunities that Fellows may choose to engage in and take advantage of for personal and professional growth. Programming includes, and is not limited to, optional webinars presented by Open Horizon and/or its other partner organizations; options for use of supplemental funding for professional subscriptions (if not offered by the hosting organization); encouraging recognition of punctuated milestones along the fellowship; and an opportunity to connect with Open Horizon leadership to share about the fellowship and their career goals. In past years, Open Horizon has been pleased to coordinate information interviews for fellows and make introductions where applicable for those who are job seeking. 

More information is available at the onset of each calendar year and upon acceptance of the Open Horizon Fellowship with the host organization. Current partners hosting Open Horizon fellows and interns include National Health Equity Law Program, Council for Court Excellence, American Indian College Fund, and DC Justice Lab.

Open Horizon realizes the many benefits of investing in BIPOC fellows and interns, and emerging leaders who are underrepresented with experiences of intersectional interlocking oppression. Not only is the placement organization benefiting from an additional staff member, but the Fellow is also learning about the sector, the role/position, how to engage appropriately and effectively in an office and gaining tangible skills as they realize their passion’s ability to contribute to change.

TIMELINE 

• The deadline to apply for this role is Tuesday, January 6, 2026 @ 11:59pm
• Round 1 of interviews will be held the week of January 20, 2026
• Final round of interviews will be held the week of January 26, 2026
• Final selection and offer will be made on February 4, 2026

The 2026-2027 Open Horizon DC Justice Fellowship begins on August 17, 2026, and ends on August 20, 2027.

JOB SUMMARY

The Open Horizon DC Justice Fellowship was created to elevate and empower advocates fighting for racial justice policy reform in the D.C. criminal legal system. Fellows will contribute to transforming the District’s approach to punishment and public safety by crafting new and transformative public policy solutions to entrenched problems through instruction from experts.

The Fellowship will expand DC Justice Lab’s impact and provide support for people who share DC Justice Lab's commitment to developing strategies and solutions that are evidence-driven, community-rooted, and racially just.

Open Horizon DC Justice Fellows will develop creative policy solutions that promote decarceration and compassion and give people the tools and resources they need to thrive. They will share DC Justice Lab’s commitment to working with and transferring power to DC residents most impacted by criminal laws and policies.

Other responsibilities and configurations can evolve over time with input and insights from the Director of Policy and Executive Director.

RESPONSIBILITIES

• Oversees their own individual advocacy campaign;
• Possesses knowledge in all aspects of their campaign, including, but not limited to, budget, national policy, previous DC policy, local climate, research and data, stakeholders and potential partners;
• Organizes interviews, events, and surveys to gather information on the needs of directly impacted DC residents;
• Performs outreach to national and local advocates to partner in pushing a local bill forward;
• Attends rallies, conferences, table talks, and social media events relating to professional development, local policy, networking, decarceration, and other relevant topics;
• Researches and prepares reports for public hearings, communications, and campaign plans;
• Tracks relevant national and local laws relating to their individual campaign and other DCJL campaigns;
• Design documents, including correspondence, reports, presentations, advocacy campaign materials, and newsletters;
• Establishes goals, strategies, and metrics; tracks, analyzes, and reports on the performance of campaigns; and
• Maintains the structure and organization of shared files and assets on a cloud-based system.                         

REQUIREMENTS

• Must be eligible to work in the United States without employer sponsorship;
• Graduated law school within the last two (2) years or will graduate during the current academic year;
• Commitment to completing 24 months of service with DC Justice Lab;
• Ties to Washington, DC, and local issue advocacy;
• Demonstrated commitment to advancing criminal justice or racial justice through civic engagement;
• Desire to learn more about criminal law, policy, and procedure;
• Exceptional oral and written communication and listening skills;
• Knowledgeable about the issues facing people with lower income and people involved in the criminal legal system; and
• Educational, personal, and professional experience demonstrating the passion and skills to perform the fellowship.

• Medical: 100% employer coverage of premium (for employee only);
• Dental/Vision: 100% employer coverage of premium (for employee only). Insurance is provided through either Aetna or Metlife;
• Short-term disability: 100% employer-paid coverage through MetLife;
• AD&D/Life Insurance: 100% employer-paid coverage through MetLife;
• 401(k): automatic 3% employer contribution toward your retirement fund, regardless of your contribution rate, administered through Empower; and
• A host of perks, including self-managed, unlimited PTO; more than a dozen paid holidays off; Black August (office is closed every Monday during the month of August); staff lunches and happy hours; and more.

REMOTE-FIRST ORGANIZATION
This is a remote-first position, but the Open Horizon DC Justice Fellow must live in the DC area and be able to work from our office semi-regularly.

COMMITMENT TO DIVERSITY

DC Justice Lab is proud to be an Equal Opportunity Employer. We are committed to providing equal employment opportunities to you without regard to race, creed, color, religion, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, pregnancy, marital status, age, veteran status, medical condition or disability, genetic information, gender identity, or any other protected status under federal, state, or local law. DC Justice Lab is proud to be an Equal Opportunity Employer. We are committed to providing equal employment opportunities to you without regard to race, creed, color, religion, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, pregnancy, marital status, age, veteran status, medical condition or disability, genetic information, gender identity, or any other protected status under federal, state, or local law.