Twin Ports Residents March to Honor Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Relatives

Annual event raises awareness of crisis affecting Native communities in Minnesota

Published on Feb. 15, 2026

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Residents across the Greater Twin Ports region gathered at the American Indian Community Housing Organization (AICHO) for a march and day of remembrance honoring Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Relatives (MMIWR). The event, hosted by the Native Lives Matter Coalition and No More MMIWR Great Lakes Campaign, has been held for over a decade to spread awareness and show solidarity with families who have lost loved ones to violence. Speakers shared personal stories of loss and called for improved law enforcement response and community support to address the disproportionate rates of violence against Native American women and relatives.

Why it matters

Indigenous women and girls make up less than 1% of Minnesota's population but account for 10-15% of all female missing persons cases, highlighting the crisis of missing and murdered Indigenous people in the state. The annual march provides a space for families and the broader community to grieve, raise awareness, and advocate for policy changes to better protect Native lives.

The details

The march was organized by the Native Lives Matter Coalition and No More MMIWR Great Lakes Campaign, two groups that have hosted the event for over a decade. Speakers at the gathering included Jana Williams, who has lost two nieces to violence, and Amelia LaFave, a child protection social worker who works to empower young Native women as 'Ogichi Daa Kwe' or Warrior Women. Participants also heard from Duluth City Council members and the Mayor of Superior, who presented mayoral proclamations addressing the disproportionate violence against Native American communities.

  • The annual march to honor MMIWR has been held for over a decade.
  • In 2025, 732 Indigenous persons were reported missing across Minnesota, with more than half of those reports involving Indigenous women.

The players

Native Lives Matter Coalition

A coalition that has hosted the annual march to honor Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Relatives for over a decade.

No More MMIWR Great Lakes Campaign

A campaign that has co-hosted the annual march to honor Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Relatives for over a decade.

Jana Williams

A woman who has lost two nieces to violence and spoke at the event about the personal impact of the MMIW crisis.

Amelia LaFave

A child protection social worker who works to empower young Native women as 'Ogichi Daa Kwe' or Warrior Women, and spoke at the event.

Jim Paine

The Mayor of Superior, who presented a mayoral proclamation addressing the disproportionate violence against Native American communities.

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What they’re saying

“I have two murdered nieces, Arionna Buckanaga and Allison Lussier. We live with this every single day of our lives. There's 365 days out of the year. It's not just one day. We live this every single day, these families that have murdered loved ones, or they even have missing children. Can you imagine every instant of every day how they feel? We simply cannot show up just for one day out of the year, we must show up every day for every family.”

— Jana Williams

“They think nobody loves or cares about them. A lot of our young people and our women, unfortunately, they believe that. That they are not loved about and that they're not cared about. But clearly we can see today that that's not true.”

— Amelia LaFave, Child Protection Social Worker

“My hope is that, I get to live to see the day when we're here celebrating and remembering those that were before us. Those who led the way for a change in legislation and a change in accountability. Where we see the numbers of our missing and murdered relatives drop to nothing. That's my hope.”

— Amelia LaFave, Child Protection Social Worker

What’s next

Local organizations are urging for improved, culturally responsive law enforcement and community support to address the crisis of missing and murdered Indigenous women and relatives.

The takeaway

The annual march to honor MMIWR provides a powerful platform for the Indigenous community to grieve, raise awareness, and advocate for policy changes to better protect Native lives. The disproportionate rates of violence against Native American women and relatives highlight the urgent need for systemic change to prevent further tragedies.