Excerpt:
Two Minnesotans, Arlene El-Amin and Lori Saroya, have been named to the national board of the Council on American-Islamic Relations, the Muslim civil rights and advocacy group.
The group says its mission is to "enhance understanding of Islam, encourage dialogue, protect civil liberties, empower American Muslims, and build coalitions that promote justice and mutual understanding."
There are many active local chapters around the country, including one in Minnesota, which Saroya co-founded in 2007. She was recently succeeded as head of CAIR-MN by Jaylani Hussein.