It has been nearly a decade since the September 11 attacks on the United States, but advocate A. Lori Saroya believes anti-Muslim sentiment is as strong as ever. She says Muslims in America continue to struggle against discrimination and misinformation about their faith and who they are.

“I have come to understand,” says Saroya, “how serious and widespread the problem of anti-Muslim bias is and how the community needs to stand up together against it.” Through her work with the Minnesota Chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations(CAIR-MN), Saroya strives every day to promote a better understanding of Islam and to give voice to Minnesota’s Muslims.

She does so by smartly using the legal system and through education. Saroya and her colleagues conduct informational trainings about Islam and Muslims and religion in the workplace, for businesses, schools and the media. Since co-founding CAIR-MN in 2007, Saroya has dedicated herself to resolving hundreds of legal complaints. In just four years, CAIR, Minnesota’s only Muslim civil rights organization, has seen a 150 percent increase in its case load. Common complaints include job discrimination, lack of religious accommodation and racial profiling. Saroya says the most rewarding aspect of her work is getting positive results for those who have been wronged.

“A lot of the cases we see are not before us because people are bigots or hateful,” says Saroya. “They’re just not informed or educated about who Muslims are.” Saroya has served on numerous task forces and boards. She is currently on the board of the Minnesota Council of Nonprofits and working on her Juris Doctor. Prior to law school, Saroya was the Crime Victim Services Coordinator at the Council on Crime and Justice.