Minnesota Establishes Office to Address Missing and Murdered Black Women and Girls

By Stacy M. Brown NNPA Newswire Senior National Correspondent

In a significant step toward addressing the distressing issue of missing Black women, Minnesota has taken a groundbreaking initiative by establishing the nation’s first-ever Office of Missing and Murdered Black Women and Girls.

The state’s decision to confront this profoundly troubling trend comes as a response to the countless untold and unsolved stories that have plagued the community for far too long.

State officials established a task force in 2021 under the direction of Lakisha Lee, whose sister Brittany Clardy vanished and died ten years prior.

President: Ellen Coley CEO: Jon Coley

Publisher/ Editor: James Luckey Jr. Operations Manager: James Luckey

Credo-The Black Press believes that America can best lead the world away from racial and national antagonisms when it accounts to every person, regardless of race, color, or creed full human and legal rights. Hating no person, fearing no person, the Black Press strives to help every person in the firm belief that all are hurt as long as any one is held back.

The Observer Group Newspapers reserves the right to publish views an opinions that may not necessarily reflect those of the staff and management and are solely the product of the responsible individuals who submit commentaries published in these newspapers. Letters, articles and comments appearing in the Observer Newspapers reflect the opinions of the contributor and do not constitute the opinion or endorsement by The Observer Newspapers or its staff. The Observer Group Newspapers assumes no responsibility for photographs, articles, letters, press releases and unsolicited materials. Decisions as to the editing and publishing of materials are at the discretion of the Publisher and Editors. All rights are reserved on materials accepted for publication unless otherwise specified.

Bakersfield News Observer Los Angeles News Observer The Valley’s News Observer

1219 20th St. Bakersfield, Ca 93301 Mailing

Address P.O. Box 2341 Bakersfield, CA 93303

Phone (661) 324-9466 Fax (661) 324-9472

Emails and general info: observernews@gmail. com, Advertising: observeradvertising@gmail. com Available online: www.ognsc.com

Clardy, only 18 at the time, had gone missing, and authorities found her lifeless body in the trunk of her car.

Lee recalled the anguish her family experienced and the frustration with law enforcement’s initial response.

“We knew something was wrong right away,” she expressed in an interview with NPR.

“But after they asked us her age and demographics, they assumed she had simply run away with her boyfriend. We knew our sister better than anyone. We were the experts on our own family.”

Motivated by the desire to ensure that other cases of missing Black women do not suffer the same fate as Clardy’s, Lee and her task force embarked on a journey that culminated in the creation of this pioneering office.

Supported by Democratic State Representative Ruth Richardson and a team of dedicated volunteers, the task force presented a report in 2022 that shed light on the alarming reality Black women face in Minnesota.

Despite constituting only 7% of the state’s population, Black women accounted for 40% of its domestic violence victims.

The task force’s findings reverberated beyond Minnesota’s borders, inspiring neighboring states such as Illinois and Wisconsin to adopt similar initiatives.

However, Minnesota has taken the lead by establishing the first Office of Missing and Murdered Black Women and Girls in the entire country.

To tackle this pressing issue head-on, the Minnesota Legislature has committed a substantial budget of nearly $2.5 million over the next two years.

A significant portion of these funds, approximately $300,000 annually, will be dedicated to community-based organization grants.Furthermore, the state allocated $948,000 to establish and operate the Office of Missing and Murdered Black Women and Girls, ensuring its effectiveness and reach.

An additional $50,000 annually will assist with public awareness campaigns to educate the public about the office and its mission.

Lee fervently hopes that these collective efforts will bring about lasting change.

“We can work towards a community intervention model that truly serves all families for generations, making the office unnecessary in the long run,” she emphasized. “Together, we can put an end to this epidemic.”