Program Coordinator of the Indigenous Reciprocity Initiative of the Americas (IRI) (2024)

WHO WE ARE:

The Chacruna Institute for Psychedelic Plant Medicines, is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization co-founded by Brazilian anthropologist Dr. Bia Labate and American psychologist Dr. Clancy Cavnar, based in Northern California and with strong ties to Brazil and Mexico. We promote reciprocity in the psychedelic community, and support the protection of sacred plants and cultural traditions. We advance psychedelic justice through curating critical conversations and uplifting the voices of women, queer people, Indigenous peoples, people of color, and the Global South in the field of psychedelic science.

POSITION OVERVIEW:

The Chacruna Institute is recruiting a Program Coordinator with Latin American experience to advance its network of grassroots biocultural conservation advocacy and reciprocity campaign, the Indigenous Reciprocity Initiative of the Americas (IRI). The ideal candidate is either directly involved with Indigenous activism and/or brings a strong foundation of anthropological and ethnographic training to the cultural sensitivity and awareness required for coordinating the IRI Program. The IRI Program is decolonizing philanthropy by creating a pool of funds that supports grassroots Indigenous initiatives from the foundation upward, addressing everything from food security and environmental health to economic and educational support, cultural conservation, and more.

IRI’s Theory of Change:

IRI recognizes that a 100% ground-up structure emphasizing local agency that challenges conventional philanthropic models is the most meaningful way to support Indigenous and local community autonomy and the most impactful way to support biodiversity. IRI serves as a platform for reciprocity, education and collaboration:

1. Raising unconditional funding: Accepting donations with strict adherence to the terms set by IRI partners, distributing unrestricted funds evenly. This flexible funding is used to address the immediate and constantly changing needs of community projects.
2. Providing a platform for education: Presenting at conferences & universities, co-producing publications exploring reciprocity, biocultural conservation, plant medicine, and Indigenous rights.
3. Providing support through research and audio-visual services:Engaging with Indigenous and local stakeholders on their terms to support existing initiatives by providing relevant ethnographic and audiovisual materials as needed and when possible.

We work in partnership and collaboration with Indigenous and local peoples to help them defend their lives, protect their natural and cultural resources. Our work is rooted directly in our deep and enduring relationships and partnerships with Indigenous and local communities at the grassroots. As part of a small organization, you will have the opportunity to be involved in a broad array of campaigns, and to coordinate with Chacruna staff to integrate IRI into all Chacruna events and offerings.

COMPETENCIES

• 3+ years experience designing and implementing grassroots public advocacy campaigns aimed at public education and mobilization, coalition building, and/or pressuring corporations or governments for policy change preferred
• Knowledge and experience with Indigenous rights (including land rights) and/or related issues (anthropology, ethnography, extractive industries, agribusiness, conservation, etc.)
• Knowledge and experience of Latin American politics or campaigns
• Ability to take on and organize a variety of tasks with efficiency and motivation
• Ability and flexibility to work collaboratively and individually
• Strong writing skills and verbal communication skills
• An enthusiastic and personable manner – energetic and committed
• Demonstrated commitment to Chacruna’s vision, mission, and values
• Strong Spanish and/or Portuguese language skills

DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:

Coordination

• Communicating with organizations participating in the IRI Program.
• Arranging progress updates from participating organizations.
• Fostering relationships with Indigenous organizations.
• Investigating how Chacruna can support their projects, while maintaining strict ethical standards.
• Supporting coordination of the IRI Program, fundraising, and disbursem*nt to IRI Partners, collecting and writing yearly reports
• Organizing meetings with donors and business leaders around the topic of Indigenous reciprocity.
• Maintaining IRI website, updating online materials, and managing IRI social media
• Supporting IRI’s participating organizations by potentially:
  • Creating audiovisual materials or publications for IRI participants
  • Creating a private IRI forum for participating groups
  • Creating community forums with organizers
  • Creating an advisory board of Indigenous scholars and leaders to further advise the development of IRI

Communications

• Representing Chacruna and IRI in public events
• Researching topics relevant to IRI
• Writing and publishing articles
• Monitoring the IRI email account
• Creating newsletters or creating IRI blurbs to be included in the Chacruna newsletter
• Developing IRI fundraising campaigns
• Sending receipts, thank yous, and acknowledgements/invoices to selected IRI donors via email
• Supporting the creation of audiovisual materials and publications for the continued development of IRI’s online presence, including social media content for the Indigenous Reciprocity Thursday’s series

TO APPLY:

***THIS POSITION HAS BEEN FILLED***

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