Diane “dee” Clarke Justice in Policy Fellowship

The Permanent Commission on the Status of Racial, Indigenous, and Tribal Populations is excited to announce a Request for Proposals (RFP) for qualified applicants to design and manage the Diane “dee” Clarke Justice in Policy Fellowship Program.

We are seeking applicants who will be responsible for developing and implementing a fellowship program, which will include developing partnerships to identify fellow candidates, creating and implementing a candidate selection process, and managing paid fellows to participate in research and policy change. Our goal is to create a more equitable society by supporting the development of leaders who are committed to addressing systemic injustices.

We are looking for individuals or organizations with a proven track record of working with historically disadvantaged populations. Applicants should have a deep understanding of the challenges faced by marginalized communities and be committed to addressing these challenges through data-informed policy reform.

Successful applicants will be responsible for developing and managing the program, including recruiting and selecting fellows, supporting fellows during their fellowship and in their transition to new professional opportunities, and collaborating with Permanent Commission staff to measure and report on program outcomes. The program will provide financial support to fellows and will include opportunities for professional development and networking.

If you share our commitment to ending systemic racism in Maine and have the skills and experience to help us lift up a new generation of leaders in Maine, we encourage you to submit a proposal. We are committed to working across race and place so all of us can thrive and nothing stands in the way of a great life, the way it should be, for all Maine people and families.

Click here to view the RFP (RFP number 202305116). The closing date for submissions is July 12, 2023.

This fellowship is named in honor of former Commissioner Dianne ‘dee’ Clarke. On October 31, 2021, dee passed away at the age of 64. Taken far too soon, she left an indelible mark on the Permanent Commission, Maine advocacy and policy making, and countless people whose lives were made better because of her fearless love and compassion.

Serving in the seat on behalf of an organization that focuses on housing or houselessness, dee let her own experiences guide her work with Homeless Voices for Justice and founder of Survivor Speak USA (SSUSA), an organization devoted to ending sex trafficking and exploitation by empowering survivors to create social and political change.

“To call dee a fierce advocate for the homeless, for the trafficked and for the traumatized would be a gross understatement,” said Commissioner Bruce King, who co-chairs the Permanent Commission’s Community Engagement Committee. “dee challenged every one of us to fulfill the purpose of the Permanent Commission by not just speaking for the most estranged and most vulnerable, but to include them in conversation. No excuse would suffice as to why decisions about anyone's humanity would be made without their input. She challenged every single person to make room, make time, and make efforts to expand access to governmental involvement. It will take all involved in this work to carry on this mandate that she made so clear to us: Nothing about us without us.”

“dee did everything she could to help somebody, even if she didn’t know them; whether it was to get a meal or find a place for them to stay for the night, dee would try to work with everyone she could. No matter what, you never felt unwanted by dee, and you always felt joy and happiness because of her. She loved everybody in her own way,” said Commissioner Amanda Comeau, who now serves in this seat and follows in dee’s footsteps as co-director of SSUSA.

“She went through horrors and trauma that no one should go through. She found purpose in her life. Now, there’s a legacy with her name on it. She left the world better. We are better people because dee Clarke lived and fought and survived and gave and shared and loved,” said Co-Chair Talbot Ross. “She was extraordinary because she went through such horrors, and she still had love in her heart to make someone else’s life better. She leaves us that legacy.”