Sergio Klor de Alva (1992-2016) was a passionate idealist
who thought of himself as a realist; he had planned to make fighting for social
justice his life’s work.
In honor of his memory, Sergio’s friends and family have
established a fellowship named after one of his pet phrases: “In the Interest
of Justice” (IIJ). The IIJ foundation
will provide funding to people of limited financial means who wish to pursue
unpaid internships in areas of politics and social justice*. Preference will be
given to candidates from historically underserved populations, as well as to
first-generation college graduates. The IIJ Fellowship is geared toward
candidates of any age with a college degree or work experience, rather than to
undergraduates.
Why internships?
In his twenty-four years Sergio interned and volunteered
with numerous diverse social and political campaigns as well as working for
candidates for office and elected representatives in the San Francisco Bay Area
and Washington D.C. He learned to canvas
neighborhoods, speak to strangers on the street, and make cold calls; to
coordinate and inspire volunteers; to send out press releases and conduct
interviews; to speak and write eloquently on the issues. In short, Sergio was
learning how to be an effective agent of social change…in the interest of
justice.
Sergio often spoke about how fortunate he was to pursue his
dreams without having to worry about paying the bills. He was acutely aware of
the privilege that allowed him to pursue unpaid positions and internships,
thereby growing his resume and gaining the experience, confidence, and
networking opportunities that lead to paid positions in in areas of politics
and social justice. Sergio believed that anyone with a dedication to social
justice and hard work should be afforded the same luxury; in particular, he
wanted to provide internship possibilities to historically underserved
populations in the hopes that they would go on to increase the diversity of
those in positions of power in the U.S.
When will this
happen?
IIJ is currently in the process of applying for non-profit
(510c(3)) status. Donations will be retroactively tax-deductible; we will send
out official confirmation to donors as soon as we receive our non-profit status.
If you are interested in applying for an IIJ fellowship,
sign up for our mailing list – and be sure to check back in the future! We will
announce when we are ready to start accepting applications for fellowships.
More important than
ever
The In the Interest of
Justice fellowship will encourage people from diverse backgrounds to pursue
careers in social justice and politics. You can help – please donate, and
spread the word!
*Due to the requirements for tax-exempt status, IIJ will not
be allowed to fund fellows working directly on political campaigns. However, we will accept applications for internships in
political offices without regard for political party.
Donate to IN THE INTEREST OF JUSTICE
If you would like to help us expand Sergio’s lasting influence by
contributing to this fund, please do so below.
Call to action
If you would like us to keep in touch with details about Sergio's fund, please sign up below.
