MHP would like to thank our 2021 Capitol Pathways intern, Hibo Ali! Hibo was a great addition to our policy team during this legislative session. She attended committee hearings, connected with legislators, and contributed to MHP’s newsletter, all while providing research and analysis on source of income discrimination in Minnesota. 

This is the second year that MHP has hosted a Capitol Pathways intern, a program of the Citizen’s League. Thank you, Hibo, for all of your hard work. We can’t wait to see what’s next for you! Read more about Hibo’s experience at MHP.

Reflections by Hibo Ali, MHP’s Capitol Pathways intern for 2021:

While interning with MHP this legislative session, I had the wonderful opportunity to get hands-on learning in the policy space. While housing has been a policy interest of mine for a while, I’m incredibly glad I was placed with MHP through the Capitol Pathways Program in order to better familiarize myself with housing in Minnesota. Prior to my internship, I wasn’t that familiar with the legislative process in Minnesota. Being able to attend meetings with lawmakers and community leaders has allowed me to gain knowledge about the policy world that I wouldn’t be able to get from my political science coursework.

A few highlights of my internship experience include writing reports on MHP’s biweekly legislative calls for MHP Connect, attending and speaking at lobbying meetings, and conducting informational interviews. My most notable experience was researching and reporting my findings on source of income discrimination in Minnesota. This report in the form of a policy memorandum was the culmination of 3 months of research. Presenting my findings to the policy team during my last week here was a great way to end my internship experience.

The opportunities I was given to develop my writing and speaking abilities through these various methods will undoubtedly help me in the future. This internship was an invaluable learning experience for me because it gave me a huge amount of independence as well as responsibility. I’m confident that my overall internship experience will help prepare me for the working world once I graduate. Thank you, MHP!