Over the years this multi ethnic coalition has created a space within Minnesota for a nonpartisan engagement around policy issues. This space has been effectively utilized to achieve significant benefits to Minnesota, as can be seen below, both to aggregate ALANA communities’ voices over issues that impact one or more communities (example, Hmong hunters, racial profiling or undocumented workers) as well as collective issues such as business contracts. It also provided a nonpartisan space for policy dialogue and engagement with different political institutions in Minnesota. OneMN.org has evolved over the years to its present identity.
OneMN.org has achieved all of this progress mainly from internal community resources
Key Contributions to Minnesota
- Its most significant contribution has been to continually present the vision of “ethnic capital” to Minnesota leaders and institutions.
- Statewide report on the importance of the “emerging markets” in 2000 brought great visibility to the “asset” approach to ALANA communities. The report also documents status of minority contracting and issues recommendations for reforms. Engages with cabinet members for implementation.
- Testimony to the Minnesota Supreme Court cited as a factor in the Court’s ruling for the decision to keep the two congressional districts in Minnesota in 2000. In 2010 redistricting, OneMN.org presented testimony to the Court Redistricting panel based on a redistricting map developed with community members. This information was received and considered by the panel.
- Worked successfully with Democrat, Republican and Independence party policy leadership on various issues over the years.
- Worked successfully with Federal agencies (Small Business Administration) and various institutions at the city, state and national level.
- Provided a space where the collective voice of the ALANA communities could be aggregated for a greater impact to help individual communities.
- Provided policy analysis on legislative and other policy issues such as the impact and effectiveness of Minnesota legislative proposals and funding.
- Provided needed community responses during critical times such as immediately after the November 2016 elections
- Increased civic engagement and democracy building activities through Color the Vote campaigns and through online exit polls after major elections.
- Hosted policy forums on critical policy topics to bring visibility to these issues.
Developed a vision for “Shared Sustainable Prosperity” for all.
