ROSA LAND PROJECT SUMMER INTERN PROGRAM

ROSA Project History: The Reclamation of Southern Assets Land Project (ROSA) began in 2004 as a “With Ownership, Wealth” (W.O.W.) initiative with the office of Congressman Bobby Rush. ROSA has over 100 families who have signed up for the program and presented evidence that they are the rightful beneficiaries of properties in the South that have inappropriately been taken from their families. The ROSA Project attempts to correct one of the devastating vestiges of slavery and segregation by maximally utilizing land assets of African Americans forced to migrate. The migration of African Americans from the south to the north has affected wealth (and the lack thereof) in both mega-regions.

ROSA Project Goals:

• Create a viable partnership between the CBCF WOW Initiative & law schools throughout the nation.
• Instill in future lawyers a commitment to serve and to advance communities.
• Re-establish ownership and possession of African American ancestral land.
• Manage assets of ancestral estates.
• Ensure that African Americans participate in the green economy.
• Institute quality estate planning goals.
• Immediate study and investigation of claimed and lost assets.

All positions will be based in Chicago, Illinois. All students from outside of the Chicago metropolitan area will receive transportation to and from Chicago and housing. The law student internships will begin June 5, 2010 and end July 31, 2010. The undergraduate student internships will begin June 12, 2010 and end July 24, 2010. Undergraduate students who are Agriculture; Recreation, Sport, & Tourism; or Kinesiology & Community Health majors will receive prioritized consideration. Selected students are required to work 30 hours per week or more. Undergraduate students will attend training and preparatory classes as well.

Available Positions:

Client Manager (Law Student)

• Manages participant intake.
• Responsible for coordinating participant contact and correspondences.
• Conducts participant interviews in conjunction with the Research Director.
• Maintains accurate and complete participant files.
• Works with Research Director to ensure issues are adequately addressed.
• Supervises Administrative Interns.
• Reviews and revises undergraduate students' written assignments.

Research Director (Law Student)

• Conducts research of client issues.
• Conducts client interviews in conjunction with the Client Manager.
• Drafts standardized memorandum of law addressing the substantive issues of client land claims.
• Keeps Client Manager apprised of progress and additional information and evidence needed from client.
• Supervises Research Interns.
• Reviews and revises undergraduate students' written assignments.

Research Interns

• Some of the ROSA claims need further investigation. Also, a few new claims will come into the ROSA project. Students will interview clients and begin the preliminary investigation of these claims.
• Conduct participant and project updates and research participant issues.
• Compile data for ROSA Annual Report.

Administrative Interns

• Students will update databases. Interns will catalogue all claims (2004-2009) and prepare claims for litigtion and recommended action.
• Appraise political subdivisions of claims in/from their area.
• Prepare materials for meetings and symposia.
• Prepare communications as directed by law student supervisor.