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- Application | Our Time To Act
Application Thank you for your interest in joining our team. We are excited to review your application! If you have questions, please reach out to the point of contact below. Point of Contact Ken Fesler, Associate Executive Director ken.fesler@ottaunited.org Social Media First Name Last Name Email Phone Number Which position are you applying for? Basic Information Education Level Preferred Work Medium Upload Resume/CV Select File Portfolio Link (optional) Application Questions Tell us why you are passionate about our mission. Answer the prompt here (150 words max). Describe how you fit the role you are applying to. Answer the prompt here (150 words max). Discuss goals you have for yourself and the position. Answer the prompt here (150 words max). Submit Application Is there anything you would like to add to your application? (Include any questions you may have) Your Signature Clear By signing, you affirm the accuracy of all information within this application to the best of your knowledge and authorize Our Time to Act United to use your information to contact you. SUBMIT An error occurred. Please try again Your application has been submitted!
- Housing Justice Team Member
< Back to Open Positions Housing Justice Team Member Volunteer Position On-Site (San Diego) APPLY Rolling application. Priority given to applications submitted before December 20th. ABOUT THE ROLE Contextual Note: Under Our Time To Act’s commitment to housing justice there are three teams: Eliminating Exclusionary Zoning, Enacting Social Housing, and Ending Youth Homelessness. Elimination of Exclusionary Zoning and Enacting Social Housing teams must utilize grassroots organizing to achieve their goals, and the staff on these teams will be primarily focused on building skills in organizing. Ending Youth Homelessness team members will primarily utilize skills in research and advocacy to achieve their goals, but may also be expected to learn a more diverse skill set to assist other teams. For more information about the responsibilities of each of the Housing Justice Teams, please see this chart . PLEASE NOTE THE ELIMINATING EXCULSIONARY ZONING TEAM IS NOW FILLED In your application, please rank the different projects in the final response box before your signature and submission. Through your application and interview process, you will be selected for one of these teams. Job Summary: Housing Justice Team Members will build and practice skills related to organizing, mobilizing, and advocating for housing justice at the grassroots level. This will be achieved with peer-to-peer learning and leadership opportunities. Housing Justice Team Members will participate in the general workload and strategizing of executing their housing project area. This work will involve educational and organizing campaigns, participating in and mobilizing for direct actions, and informing our consulting, advocacy, and research efforts. Job Details: Attend weekly working and check-in meetings with the Team Director and other Housing Justice Team Members on your project team. Attend monthly full-team meetings with all Housing Justice Team Members. Attend all additional meetings and events determined mandatory by your project team. Attend all relevant meetings and events for Our Time To Act as determined by your director and/or the Office of the Executive Director. Be prepared to research and become familiar with topics related to housing, transportation, and land-use policy. Be prepared to learn, grow, and practice skills of grassroots organizing. Strategize for and co-create educational materials, campaigns, direct actions, etc. Participate in planning, preparation, and execution of community events, tabling, and other direct actions. Practice successful active communication with colleagues and supervisors and timely completion of assigned tasks and expectations. Provide other assistance as needed. Bring your full self and your passion to your work, and actively contribute to the Housing Justice and Our Time To Act team with authentic leadership. Hours Per Week: Approximately 10 hours per week. These hours are mostly flexible except for required weekly meetings. During specific campaigns or running up to events, hours may increase and become less flexible. You are not expected to work late hours, and some weekends may be required, especially for some events. Pay Rate: No Pay Rate, Volunteer Position Benefits: This position is on a volunteer basis. There is no monetary compensation for this position at this time. Our Time To Act deeply values the potential for personal and career development and strives to uplift its team members to best position them for their bright futures. Non-monetary benefits include: Tailored work experience and growth to fit your desired career path Informal and formal training and mentorship Letters of recommendation Certified Volunteer Hours, if requested A tight-knit team and community of fellow change-makers Desired Start Date: As soon as possible. Priority is given to applicants who can start before January 15th, 2025. REQUIREMENTS Required Qualifications: Youth, 15 - 24 years old Existing knowledge of how to use Google Drive applications (Gmail, Docs, Forms, Calendar, Slides, Sheets, etc.). Google Drive applications are used frequently. Basic knowledge of Slack, the communications platform. Attention to detail and deadlines. Ability to communicate well with others, including fellow team members and the public. Ability to work successfully with a team. Ability to be flexible and adaptable to evolving situations. Ability to maintain confidentiality. Ability to attend in-person events when necessary, weekly meetings may be attended via Zoom if necessary but most work may be required on-site. Preferred Qualifications: Please note that these are not required, but would be helpful for this role. Grassroots organizing experience. Research experience. Lobbying and advocacy experience. Existing policy knowledge related to housing, transportation, and land use. Experience with coalition building and spaces. Experience giving public comments. Experience with different writing styles (i.e. press releases, opinion pieces, policy memos, FAQ’s, etc.) Experience communicating with the press. Experience working with volunteers. Experience with giving detailed feedback on proposals. Lived experience with housing insecurity. ABOUT THE ORGANIZATION WORK MODALITY & LOCATION The work modality of this role is in-person, and occasionally hybrid. Events, actions, and meetings will occur throughout the San Diego area. Our Time To Act is a youth-founded, youth-led 501(c)(3) nonprofit with the mission to organize powerful youth for an inclusive, equitable, and sustainable future. Our Time To Act values authenticity and passion. We play the role of coalition builders and mentors within our communities, sharing knowledge, resources, credit, and impact. And as a justice-oriented, impact-driven, and people-centered organization, our perspective grounds us with who we serve and the work we do while advancing our mission. Applications are a two-way street. We make our values as an organization clear to you to make sure our team is the right fit—and we hope we are! Here are some things to keep in mind: Our team values flexibility and taking initiative over structure and top-down delegation. This philosophy is not a good fit for all, so we want to be clear upfront. If you thrive in dynamic, open environments, this is the place for you. We value meaningful impact and support. We seek to authentically serve both our audience and our team members alike. We are committed to being an inclusive and diverse group of people. These values are reflected in our hiring practices, decision-making, and programs. Our team and organization are growth-minded and development-focused. We always have room to improve, at all levels of our organization! Our organization promotes honesty, communication, and integrity. These values allow us to be an effective team. We praise creativity and ingenuity. Nothing is more exciting than thinking outside of the box or challenging the status quo. We prefer personability over professionalism, at least in internal settings. APPLY
- Open Positions
Our team is crucial to the work we do. Scroll down to see where you can join in. Open Positions Open Positons On-Site (San Diego) Housing Justice Team Member Volunteer Position View Position San Diego, CA, USA Associate Executive Director (AED) Volunteer View Position San Diego and/or Remote Co-Director of Engagement Staff Director (Volunteer) View Position San Diego and/or Remote Financial Analyst Volunteer View Position 1 1 ... 1 ... 1
- Our Team | Our Time To Act
Our Team Our Staff Directors The people leading the everyday operations of Our Time To Act. Nicole Lillie Executive Director Sparky Mitra Senior Director of Special Projects Rachel Choy Associate Executive Director Aarohan Hariharan Housing Justice Director Howard Truei Chief of Staff Pashe Crisp Director of Engagement Masaki Mendoza Housing Justice Director Austin Tran Director of Finance and Budgeting Our Staff The people handling the everyday operations of Our Time To Act. Andrew Park Core Staff Kathleen Hoang Graphic Design Intern Vedant Patel CYAN Advisor Noah Gonzalez Housing Justice Organizer Karis Lin People Specialist Ashley Cha Graphic Design Intern Aathmika Radhachandran Marketing & Event Specialist Arianna Alvarado Housing Justice Organizer Jasmine Truong CYAN Advisor Nicholas Tappin Policy & Coalition Representative Irene Wu Social Media Coordinator Grayson Sciacqua Director of Operations and People & CYAN Advisor Alondra Herrera Housing Justice Organizer Board of Directors The governing body responsible for Our Time To Act's mission, priorities, long-term development, and finances. Aidan Lin-Tostado President Janice Park Board Director Gabrielle Darisme Ethics & Policy Chair Abbey Reuter Vice President Ray Lin Board Director Holly Harwood Board Member Ken Fesler Secretary Marina Tostado Board Director Oliver Lin Board Director Anna Pierce Strategy & Risk Chair Learn More About Us Explore our mission, strategy, and values. Our story is one of purpose, passion, and a collective commitment to making a difference. ABOUT US OUR WORK
- Selena-Marie Espinoza
< Back Selena-Marie Espinoza CYAN Lead Organizer Selena-Marie Espinoza (she/her) is a dedicated San Diegan and Global Health major from the University of California - San Diego, committed to fostering healthier, more inclusive communities. Guided by the principle to “leave things better than how they were found,” she serves as Lead Organizer for Civic Youth Action Engagement, where she spearheads a campaign against price gouging to support low-income families and vulnerable communities. Passionate about building lasting change, Selena-Marie believes that vibrant, resilient communities aren’t just created—they are cultivated through intentional advocacy and care. With aspirations to advance her impact as a public health researcher and advocate, she is focused on achieving health equity as a reality for all. In her free time, she enjoys connecting with family and friends, always drawing inspiration from her San Diego roots. selena.espinoza@ourtimetoact.org
- Alondra Herrera
< Back Alondra Herrera Housing Justice Organizer Alondra Herrera (She/Her) is a MiraCosta Alumni from Oceanside, CA. She is a transfer student at the University of California, San Diego majoring in Urban Studies and Planning with a minor in Political Science- Data Analytics. Alondra's focus is homelessness in San Diego as well as supporting the low income and underrepresented population. alondra.herrera@ourtimetoact.org
- Noah Gonzalez
< Back Noah Gonzalez Housing Justice Organizer Noah (he/him/his) is a recent graduate of the University of California, San Diego with a B.S. degree in Psychology in which he earned prior to joining Our Time To Act. He has been involved in the North Park Planning Committee and regularly attends their meetings. Growing up in a streetcar suburb he realized the importance of walkability and alternatives to driving but it wasn’t until moving to a car dependent area and back to the streetcar suburb where that importance was made obvious. In addition to being an advocate to traveling alternatives, Noah also believes in environmental sustainability as well as densifying housing in order to accommodate the growing population of San Diego and her surrounding areas.Noah has officially joined our time to act in 2024 and is looking forward to helping San Diego’s population have an environmentally sustainable future with further mixed use environments and more housing. noah.gonzalez@ourtimetoact.org
- Aarohan Hariharan
< Back Aarohan Hariharan Housing Justice Director Aarohan (he/him/his) is a Housing Justice Director of Enacting Social Housing at Our Time To Act. He is a sophomore at University of California, San Diego, and is majoring in Political Science. He has been involved in the legal field and community service projects. He is looking forward to helping his community and pushing Our Time To Act towards its goals. He is enthusiastic about soccer and is a cinephile. He is considering minoring in theatre and still has not made a decision. aarohan.hariharan@ourtimetoact.org
- OTTA United & students play a major role in successful push for more housing in San Diego | Our Time To Act
< Back OTTA United & students play a major role in successful push for more housing in San Diego Wednesday, February 15, 2023 Our Time to Act United Yesterday, February 14th, 2023, Our Time to Act (OTTA) United and students successfully pushed San Diego City Council to adopt Sustainable Development Areas (SDAs). This new policy, replacing Transit Priority Areas, would open 5,224 acres of land to the potential for higher-density development programs. This change is essential to ensuring the future of housing, affordability, and sustainability for youth and students in San Diego. OTTA United tabled on UC San Diego’s campus, speaking to nearly 100 students and having meaningful conversations about how the housing crisis has impacted students’ lives. From these valuable conversations, OTTA United collected over a dozen personal testimonials and comments which were submitted to the City. At noon on February 14th, 2023, students met together at the UC San Diego Central Campus Station and embarked on the 30-minute trip via the Blue Line Trolley to deliver their thoughts to our City Council in person. In addition to written and in-person testimony, OTTA United was the only pro-housing group to deliver a planned presentation. Nicole Lillie, Housing Projects Director, and Aidan Lin, Executive Director, detailed specific student-related arguments in favor of SDAs and dismantled opposing arguments. The presentation concluded with slides highlighting some of the comments from students who could not share their concerns in person. OTTA United – Sustainable Development Areas (final) .pdf Download PDF • 17.16MB Before voting on the motion, students received special recognition from Councilmember Kent Lee (District 6): “I do want to take a moment to applaud the diverse young speakers for taking time out of their busy school and work schedules to help us understand why this might matter. These decisions will take many years to meaningfully change the city, and we need to plan and build for San Diego both for today, and for the generations of San Diegans to come. My fight has been and always will be to ensure that all San Diegans, now and into the future, have the opportunity to live, work, and play in San Diego.” Students were also highlighted by Council President Sean Elo-Rivera, “We are planning not for the city that we have today, or the city that we wish we had 20 years ago, but the city that we want—which is a city, as Councilmember Lee put it, where everyone has an opportunity to live here. Not just folks that live here today, but [also] the young people that are growing up here, the students who spoke so passionately today—we have to create housing opportunities for them. Those folks exist today, and they matter today, and we have to do something to ensure they will have an opportunity to live here and thrive here.” For OTTA United’s efforts, students were featured in local news coverage of the adoption of this policy. This case shows how students and youth have the power to make a difference on issues that matter. It is absolutely necessary for students to get involved with the issue of housing—because of the long-term nature of solutions—and OTTA United looks forward to continuing to engage students as decision-makers to forge a brighter future. To take action or learn more, please contact Nicole Lillie, Housing Projects Director, at nicole.lillie@ottaunited.org . Next Previous
- Marina Tostado
< Back Marina Tostado Board Director Marina grew up in south central Los Angeles. She is a graduate of Stanford University (B.A.,B.S.), University of CO (M.D) and USC (residency). She currently works as an Internist at Palo Alto Medical Foundation. Her hobbies include traveling, carpentry, gardening, hiking and reading. marina.tostado@ourtimetoact.org
- Announcing a new chapter of leadership at Our Time To Act! | Our Time To Act
< Back Announcing a new chapter of leadership at Our Time To Act! Wednesday, July 17, 2024 Our Time To Act As a youth-led nonprofit, Our Time To Act grows as its people grow. We’ve accomplished more than we could have imagined since starting in 2018. We have met and organized thousands of youth, shaped policies and solutions, raised over $300,000, and been honored with recognition from our community. Now it’s time for even more powerful, youth-driven change. We are proud to announce that Our Time To Act has hired its first full-time employee and new Executive Director, Nicole Lillie ! In 2022, Nicole played a pivotal role in engaging thousands of youth to vote. She then served as Director of Housing Justice and worked at the forefront of our exponential growth in housing organizing. Nicole has been recognized by our organization with the 2022 Passionate Leader Award and 2023 Staff of the Year. She has the full confidence of our staff and board teams as we forge forward in this exciting chapter of service and impact. As a co-founder, Executive Director, and trailblazer, we are grateful for Aidan Lin-Tostado's thousands of hours of service to this cause. We are proud of Aidan as he embarks on a new journey working full-time with the international nonprofit, Nonviolent Peaceforce. We are also grateful to have his continued support as OTTA’s new President of the Board of Directors. He looks forward to supporting Nicole’s capable leadership. From Nicole Lillie: It is an honor to re-introduce myself to you as Our Time To Act’s new Executive Director and first full-time employee. When I first joined OTTA two years ago, I was hired as the Logistics Coordinator of the Youth Voter Engagement Project. I have long been known to tell anyone who will listen about the importance of civic engagement, especially in our local communities. It was OTTA that saw my passion, uplifted me to the role of Project Director, and invited me to find belonging in San Diego’s change-making community. I learned quickly that the issues that most drove my peers to the polls were their concerns around housing and transportation. These issues are key to our ability to survive and thrive in this place we call home. When I became Director of Housing Justice, I began a journey of engagement and learning that will never be complete. Housing justice intersects with every social justice movement we seek to progress, and, without housing solutions, we cannot forge a better future. As we enter into this new chapter at OTTA, our team will continue to organize powerful youth to achieve an inclusive, equitable, and sustainable future in housing. We will continue to shape our future through collaborative and intergenerational action. The two years I have served Our Time To Act have allowed me to find, claim, and grow my power. I have learned to wield this power collectively to create the future I have always dreamed of. That future is not far away; it is Our Time To Act. I hope you will continue to join us. From Aidan Lin-Tostado: I was 15 when I co-founded OTTA. I’ve grown up alongside this organization for nearly six years, and I am so proud of what we have become. I had a recent conversation with Nicole reminiscing on our high school days. We shared stories about how we craved spaces and peers who cared about change-making in our community. We are so lucky to have such a wide range of ages and life experiences on the team at OTTA. By interacting with our high school-aged staff, I realized that OTTA has grown into exactly what I yearned for in high school. In high school, I wanted a physical space where our team could meet, plan, and make memories. Today, the OTTA office is filled with signs from our protests, pictures from our meetups, and a whiteboard where countless ideas were born. Today, we have youth leaders who are supported by you: an incredible network of community organizations and activists and donors. You are some of the fiercest advocates for our youth-led cause. Thank you for your true allyship. I promise we will work hard to earn your ongoing support. And we have visionary and trailblazing youth, like Nicole, who are eager to step up and organize for a better future. I have every confidence in Nicole’s ability to excel in the difficult role of Executive Director. A co-founder’s step back from day-to-day operations is always a challenging, important, and rewarding step to the organization’s continued success. I am so happy that we have reached this point so soon because I know it is not about me. It is about our mission. As we step into the next chapter, I will continue to support OTTA, its people, and its work. I believe that together we will transform San Diego and the world. My friends know that I carry a special card with me wherever I go. It lives in my computer sleeve. Whenever I pull out my computer to work, my hands brush against its pages. This card was given to me after our first gala and it is filled with heartfelt messages from each of our team members. It holds such personal significance because it is a reminder of the close friendships that OTTA has brought into my life. I truly believe these relationships are the key to our deep impact. As I transition from Executive Director to my first full-time job at Nonviolent Peaceforce, I will continue to carry this card in my computer sleeve and my heart. To the past, present, and future team members of OTTA, thank you for trusting me to build something together. You will always have a special place in my life story, and I hope I’ve made you proud. Next Previous
- Yvania Rubio
< Back Yvania Rubio Director of Organizing Yvania Rubio (she/her/ella) is a Political Science and Sociology student with a minor in Business at The University of California of San Diego. Raised in Tijuana, Ensenada, Los Angeles, and Southeast San Diego, she currently resides in La Jolla for her undergraduate studies. Ms. Rubio participates in youth empowerment and professional development through her positions as a Youth Commissioner for the city of San Diego, San Diego County Youth Sector leader, community volunteer through Youth Will nonprofit, as well as the Assistant Project Director for the Youth Voter Engagement Project with Our Time To Act. Ms. Rubio has also acquired a position as a paid intern position under the tutelage of a District Attorney with the Superior Court of San Diego County. Through which Ms. Rubio had the opportunity to observe judicial, criminal, and juvenile proceeding, her initiatives are driven with the intent of providing opportunities for youth to explore their strengths and tailor them to improve society in their own authentic way. Ms. Rubio also wishes to help youth like herself learn how to converse with people who have differing opinions and reach constructive consensus. yvania.rubio@ourtimetoact.org