New MMIR logo brings renewed awareness and hope for the future
May 4, 2023
The staff in our
Missing and Murdered Indigenous Relatives (MMIR) Office have seen first-hand how the epidemic of violence against Indigenous people has devastated families in Minnesota. That's why we are pleased to unveil a new logo incorporating colors and imagery important to the Indigenous peoples of our state.
MMIR Office Director Juliet Rudie and our passionate staff worked with an Indigenous marketing and creative design agency to create a thoughtful, striking logo that represents the people we serve.
“Our goal was to have our logo recognize the growing epidemic of missing and murdered Indigenous people," Rudie said. “We hope this image brings a renewed awareness to the crisis affecting Indigenous people across Minnesota while evoking a sense of hope for a better and brighter future without violence, poverty, racism and injustice."
The main element of this logo features an Indigenous person accompanied by a powerful image that many people associate with the movement to end violence against Indigenous people. The recognizable red handprint is placed over the mouth of the person in our logo to symbolize the awareness of voices that were not heard for generations and to provide families a way to call for justice today.
The MMIR Office also wanted to incorporate various shades of teal because of its importance in the culture of many Indigenous peoples, as well as the color for sexual assault awareness, a violence that Indigenous people experience at high proportions.
Finally, the Indigenous person sits in front of a red circle representing the sun, which signifies a new day and new beginnings for Indigenous people everywhere
The logo was unveiled in conjunction with the May 5 National Day of Awareness for Missing and Murdered Indigenous Relatives. This Friday, Indigenous people and supporters in St. Paul will gather to bring awareness and attention to the disproportionate number of missing and murdered Indigenous people in Minnesota. Lt. Gov. Peggy Flanagan, Sen. Mary Kunesh and Rudie will be at the State Capitol grounds to recognize families who have lost their loved ones to this epidemic of violence.
Indigenous women, girls and Two-Spirit people are far more likely to experience violence, be murdered, or go missing compared to other demographic groups in our state. While Indigenous people make up just 1 percent of the state's population, 9 percent of all murdered girls and women in Minnesota from 2010-2019 were American Indian.
“These may be shocking statistics, but I urge you to think about them in a different way," Rudie said. “These victims are not just numbers, but human beings with families, jobs, dreams and futures."
When a loved one goes missing or is murdered, the fear and grief can be overwhelming. For Minnesota's Indigenous population, the pain is compounded by the epidemic of violence their communities continually face. Understanding the root causes of violence, such as racism, colonization, and historical trauma, is key to identifying solutions of prevention and reduction.
To learn more about how the MMIR Office, visit its
webpage or join us at noon Friday at the State Capitol.
