​​The Initiative for a Representative First Amendment (IfRFA) is a home for First Amendment work that centers people and ideas who are not the traditional focus of freedom of expression law in the United States. We imagine a future where First Amendment law centers the experiences of the most marginalized, and everyone speaks more freely.

Our flagship program is our fellowship, a high-touch career and mentoring program for current law students, now entering its fourth year. Through it, we provide direct financial support to law students from backgrounds traditionally underrepresented in First Amendment law so that they can explore opportunities that they would not otherwise be able to.
 
Students spend a summer at a legal clinic working on freedom of expression issues by directly serving clients, and get to tap into a network of like-minded law students and professionals as they make decisions about their careers. We prioritize supporting students of color, queer and trans students, and students with disabilities. As our network grows, we help law students see themselves as part of a broad web of practitioners dedicated to justice and free expression.

Along with our fellowship, IfRFA hosts regular online events that highlight First Amendment work consistent with its mission, and is looking to expand its programming and reach by bringing on additional full-time staff.

IfRFA was founded in September 2019, and has been going strong since then. It is currently run by Kendra Albert (Director) and Jasjot Kaur (Project Coordinator), with help and advice from former fellows, advisory board members, and staff at the Cyberlaw Clinic at Harvard Law School and the Berkman Klein Center for Internet and Society.  We’re proudly funded by the Legal Clinic Fund.