ILR High Road New York
OPEN DOORS

ILR High Road New York is a statewide program that aims to teach ILR students practical methods for civic engagement and leadership through economic justice, evidence-based policy, and strategic development that creates opportunity for community members to share in prosperity.  The Summer 2026 New York City (NYC) High Road Fellowship Program will run from June 1st to July 31st, 2026. Students intern in person with various NYC partner organizations and will participate in weekly cohort workshops focused on critical reflection and peer-to-peer collaboration and networking and learning opportunities with guest speakers will be offered at ILR's NYC office on Lexington Avenue. All interns will be paid and need-based subsidized housing will be available. 

OPEN DOORS invests in the creativity and leadership of Black and brown wheelchair users and inspires action for safer, more just communities. We are a fiscally sponsored project of the Center for Transformative Action, an independent 501(c)3 organization affiliated with Cornell University.
We are guided by the voices and experiences of the Reality Poets, an artist collective of poets, filmmakers, visual artists and musicians who live in Coler nursing home on Roosevelt Island, NYC. We spread our message with art projects and community organizing to advocate for disability justice, long term care reform, and gun violence prevention.

Our summer internship is organized around events and major projects. We are currently recording our next album for our upcoming musical. Over the summer, we will be sharing music from the soundtrack to help raise funds for the play, which will be in production through the summer and fall. High Road interns are instrumental in this effort by helping table at open mics and
festivals where we make new connections and grow our audience. Each summer, we host barbecues and open mics in our community, which are events that interns will help organize and manage. Interns will gain valuable fundraising experience, helping write grants and coordinate outreach for our 10 Year Anniversary giving campaign. Assignments may include writing and
researching proposals, designing products, networking, event organizing, and supporting OPEN DOORS members.

Successful interns at OPEN DOORS are open to new experiences and stepping out of their comfort zone. Interns who have thrived at our organization are self starters capable of working 
independently and in collaboration with others. The ability to quickly draft materials and then 
implement feedback, rather than procrastinating and striving for unattainable perfection, is a 
valuable trait that you will strengthen at our organization.
 

OPEN DOORS is based on Roosevelt Island. The ideal candidate will commute to Coler nursing home once a week. Coler Rehabilitation and Nursing Care Center is located on 900 Main St, New York, NY 10044 on Roosevelt Island.