A Colorado Democrat state senator is looking for an intern for the upcoming legislative session, but the job comes with a catch — and it’s raising questions about whether the qualifications are legal.
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qualifications → look → questions
Iman Jodeh, who in 2020 became the first Muslim elected to the state legislature, posted a flyer Monday for an internship program for the MENASA (Middle Eastern, North African, and South Asian) & Muslim Caucus.
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who → become → Caucus
Founded in 2024 by Jodeh and Democrat state Rep. Yara Zokaie — whose family is from Iran — the caucus’s mission, in its own words, is to protect civil rights and to fight against xenophobia and Islamophobia.
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mission → found → xenophobia
According to the flyer, the duo is only seeking an intern who identifies as “Muslim and/or as Middle Eastern, North African, or South Asian.”
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who → accord → intern
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After Libs of TikTok posted a screenshot of the flyer on X, critics wondered how the reaction would differ if a lawmaker sought only Christian or caucasian interns.
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lawmaker → view → interns
“Imagine a Republican posting an internship for Christians or Northern Europeans only.
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Republican → imagine → Christians
It would be wall to wall coverage by lunch,” one person wrote.
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person → write → lunch
“So a state senator can hire interns by religion now?
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senator → hire → religion
Colorado Republicans would be in court by lunch if they tried that,” another said.
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another → try → that
One commenter claimed this was not the first time the Democrat had done this.
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Democrat → claim → this
I tried to apply [in] 2023.
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I → try → 2023
So I’m Jewish.
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I → ’m → ?
I never even received the courtesy of a turn down for my application.”
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I → receive → application
In an X post from November 2023, Jodeh posted a flyer for an intern for her office at the Capitol, but with the qualification that they identify as “Muslim or Arab.”
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they → post → qualification
The second annual Arab or Muslim Legislative Internship for the 2024 legislative session is now accepting applications!
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Internship → accept → applications
— Rep. Iman Jodeh (@ImanforColorado) November 22, 2023
The Daily Wire reached out to Jodeh for comment.
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Wire → reach → comment
When the Joint MENASA and Muslim Caucus was created after the 2024 elections, Jodeh said in a statement that the caucus was needed to “ensure” representation, including for those who are Sikh, Baháʼí, Hindu, Buddhist, or Christian from MENASA heritage.
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who → create → heritage
“This past year and an impending Trump administration has underscored the need to create a united caucus that ensures our community’s representation and presence is elevated and has an uncompromising agency at the Capitol,” Jodeh said.
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Jodeh → impend → Capitol
“These communities also face anti-Arab and anti-Brown hate crimes, xenophobia, and discrimination,” she added.
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she → face → crimes
“Our region and population are unique because we are forced to identify primarily through religious narratives rather than our unified identities.
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we → force → narratives
It is time to challenge this monolithic framing.”
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It → challenge → framing
Jodeh, whose parents were born in Palestinian villages just outside of Jerusalem, is also the founder of Meet the Middle East (MTME) a group “dedicated to fostering relationships” between America and the Middle East.
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parents → bear → America
“For over a decade, I led Coloradans through one of the world’s most misunderstood regions, using education and immersive travel to replace fear with connection and to humanize stories too often ignored,” her site reads.
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site → lead → stories
“MTME taught me that education, especially when grounded in lived experience, has the power to shift narratives, open hearts, and ignite lasting change.”
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education → teach → change
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