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Native News
MPR News Staff

Minnesota unveils Missing and Murdered Indigenous Relatives license plate

A license plate-1
The new license plate costs $15.50 and requires a minimum donation of $25.
Courtesy photo

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A new license plate honoring missing and murdered Indigenous people was unveiled Wednesday.

The state announced the new plate on the Day of Remembrance for Missing and Murdered Indigenous Relatives. The plate costs $15.50 and requires a minimum $25 annual contribution to the Gaagige-Mikwendaagoziwag Reward Account.

Funds raised through license plate sales will bring awareness to cases, educate the public and prevent future cases.

“Every year, families march while carrying signs with their loved one’s name and picture,” MMIR Office Director Juliet Rudie said in a statement. “Now they can also buy an MMIR plate to spread awareness every day, with each mile they travel.”

The plate features a red handprint, which represents the silencing of Indigenous people and the violence they’ve faced throughout history.

Several tribal nations within Minnesota also have license plates for missing and murdered Indigenous relatives, including Bois Forte Band of Chippewa, Fond du Lac Band of Lake Superior Chippewa and Grand Portage Band of Lake Superior Chippewa. Manitoba and Wisconsin also added the option recently.

“Our missing and murdered Indigenous relatives deserve more than just one day,” Rudie said. “Their cases, as well as their loved ones’ cries for justice, have gone silent for far too long.”

There were six reported Indigenous victims of homicide or non-negligent manslaughter in Minnesota last year, according to data from the Bureau of Criminal Apprehension.

That accounts for 4.41 percent of all reported homicides or non-negligent manslaughters, a much larger percentage than the Indigenous population in Minnesota, which is closer to 1.4 percent according to U.S. Census data.

Visit drive.mn.gov to order an MMIR license plate online or find an office to buy them in person.