​Minnesota’s largest Somali nonprofits are teaming up to present a unified lobbying front to the state this winter.

In recent months, the leaders of eight Somali community groups joined forces on several projects, hired a lobbyist and scored face time with the state’s lieutenant governor. Now, the new coalition is gearing up to ask state legislators for about $11 million for Somali community initiatives, building on $2 million Gov. Mark Dayton earmarked for such projects in this year’s budget.

​In August, CSCM was honored to host Nobel Prize Winner Malala Yousafzai for an informal lunch with 20 teenage refugee women who take part in CSCM’s youth development and education programming.

The young women had a chance to talk to Malala privately and share their thoughts on how women can work to create change and play a stronger role in society.