Alexandra O’Farrell

she/her/hers
Class of 2022
Political Science and Chinese Language & Culture
Minnesota Council on Latino Affairs

This summer I partnered with the Minnesota Council on Latino Affairs (MCLA) and worked with the director on different projects. Before I started working, I decided to plan my project after MCLA met with different communities inquiring about opportunities and necessities for Latinos. This is the main objective MCLA has in the summer, but due to the special session and COVID, those meetings with communities could not happen as quickly as expected. Thus, I did not have one big project and instead took on multiple smaller ones. 

I read through a recently passed housing omnibus bill and wrote an analysis on it with an equity point of view. Also, throughout my entire 10 weeks, I conducted interviews with MCLA board members about their Latinx heritage and personal stories in preparation for Latino Heritage Month. Lastly, I conducted research to create fact sheets on cities that MCLA staff will visit later this summer and I created an outline on how to advance youth outreach. All of these different smaller projects have helped me learn more about the legislative process in Minnesota, and the obstacles groups face today with getting their voice meaningfully heard to the point of support for legislation. 

My experience with MCLA has deepened my understanding and interest in policy, especially through conversations with my boss, other MCLA staff, and board members which included State Senator Patricia Torres-Ray and State Representative Jon Koznick. My boss Rosa Tock also pointed me to different resources to better my understanding of the legislature which I would not have found otherwise. My fellowship (especially with it being my first real job!) was an experience that is helping to drive me in my search for where I would like to work next.