Minnesota Marks Day Of Remembrance For Missing And Murdered Indigenous Relatives

Minnesota Marks Day Of Remembrance For Missing And Murdered Indigenous Relatives

Minnesota's community grapples with an ongoing crisis, one that has lingered far too long in the shadows of collective inattention. The state's Department of Public Safety has marked February 14 as a day of remembrance and awareness for the missing and murdered Indigenous relatives — an event aimed at honoring those who have vanished or been taken far before their time. Among those remembered will be Peter Martin of Fond du Lac, missing since March 8, 2024, Chantel Moose of Duluth, who was murdered on April 12, 2024, and Michelle Miser of St. Paul, absent since as far back as March 11, 1977.

Joining hands, the Minnesota Missing and Murdered Indigenous Relatives Office, alongside other organizations, will be leading a commemoration at the Minneapolis American Indian Center at 11 a.m. on the designated day. According to the Department of Public Safety's official social media post, these events are vital not only for the act of remembrance but equally for the enlightenment of the public regarding the many other Indigenous people who have similarly suffered fates of disappearance or murder.

As the day approaches, the resonance of loss and the call for action grows within the state's boundaries and beyond. The awareness brought on by such events casts a light on systemic issues faced by Indigenous communities — the inequality and lack of resources that perpetuate cycles of silence and suffering. In the words of the same information released by the Minnesota Department of Public Safety, this Day of Remembrance serves to "honor, remember, and bring awareness" to the individuals and families who continue to seek answers and justice in the wake of such profound sorrow.

This gathering inherently stands as a testament to the fact that the bonds of community and heritage, though strained by violence and negligence, remain unbroken. Those attending are expected to imbue the event with meaning and resolution, carrying stories of the fallen and the vanished into the heart of Minneapolis and beyond, all hoping for a future where such an assembly is no longer necessitated by loss. The full details of the event are documented on the Department of Public Safety's visual announcement shown in their recent social media post.

SOURCE: hoodline