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CIVIC ENGAGEMENT <br />252 Moving from Exclusion to Belonging <br />One positive improvement in political participation in the last year has been an increase in <br />immigrant advocacy, especially at the state level. One activist noted, “The 2013 Minnesota <br />legislative session was the most successful in terms of advocacy from the Latino group.… So for the <br />organized grassroots Latino community, it was a great year and I think it’s the beginning.”1240 He <br />attributed the shift to an increased openness on the part of the political system: “The national tenor <br />around immigration has changed. Really, up to this year, what we were fighting at the state capitol <br />was one group in power being anti-immigrant. This was the first year people felt no danger.”1241 <br />New organizations such as Mesa Latina and Minneapolis’ Latino Taskforce took advantage of the <br />opportunity. Another activist credited support from the city of Minneapolis in helping boost the <br />success of the advocacy efforts: “We had the Intergovernmental Relations department to help with <br />the lobbying effort. Minneapolis is the only city in Minnesota that intentionally hires people to <br />engage with the community and lobby with the community so the community can achieve their <br />goals.”1242 The combination of leadership by immigrant activists and strong support from a coalition <br />of allies created an effective advocacy movement that led to the passage of the long-awaited <br />Minnesota Prosperity Act, which helps undocumented youth attend Minnesota colleges and <br />universities.1243 <br />RECOMMENDATIONS <br />Finding: Muslim immigrants face discrimination limiting their religious practice, especially <br />in land use decisions. <br />Recommendation <br /> City councils should abide by the requirements of the Religious Land Use and <br />Institutionalized Persons Act and avoid land use decisions that limit the religious <br />practices of Muslim immigrants and other religious groups. <br /> Educate the broader community on religious tolerance, combating the myths and <br />misinformation about Islam and other minority religions that fuel discrimination. <br /> <br />1240 Interview 121. <br />1241 Interview 121. <br />1242 Interview 128. <br />1243 Interview 184.