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As President Joe Biden took the oath of office in Washington, another transition of power was underway 1,000 miles away in St. Paul. The changes in the Minnesota Capitol are more subtle: Democrats kept control of the House, while Republicans retained the Senate. But the new Minnesota Legislature includes the most diverse group of lawmakers in the state’s history — and a new Hmong American majority whip in the House.
Since 2014, the number of legislators of color in the Minnesota Capitol has more than tripled, from eight to 25. That means people of color represent 12 percent of the Legislature, while people of color make up some 20 percent of the Minnesota population.