Minnesota communities observe annual Day of Remembrance for Missing and Murdered Indigenous Relatives
Feb 13, 2026 12:57PM ● By Content Editor
By Laura Durenberger-Grunow - Boreal Community Media - February 13, 2026
Across the nation, February 14 is recognized as a Day of Remembrance for Missing and Murdered Indigenous Relatives (MMIR). The day of remembrance began in 1992 in Vancouver, British Columbia, following the murder of Cheryl Ann Joe, a 26-year-old woman from the shíshálh (Sechelt) Nation. In the decades since, it has grown into a widespread movement to honor the lives of Indigenous women, girls, men, boys, Two-Spirit, and LGBTQI+ individuals who have been lost to violence or remain missing. Multiple marches and programs are scheduled throughout the state on the 14th.
Chief Executive Officer of the Minnesota Indian Women’s Sexual Assault Coalition, Nicole Matthews, shared in a press release that these marches are a display of collective action and resistance during a time when community safety remains a critical concern.
For many of the organized events, attendees are encouraged to wear red, which, according to the Bemidji-based organization MMIW 218, "is a symbol and call to action for MMIR."
Additionally, a red handprint symbolizes the silence "Indigenous peoples face from systems such as law enforcement, media, and [the] judicial system."
According to the group, red "is the color our loved ones' spirit sees in hope of bringing them home."
Native Lives Matter Coalition and No More MMIWR Great Lakes in the Duluth/Twin Ports, MN, area are hosting their 11th Annual Memorial March on Saturday, February 14. The day’s events began with an opening ceremony at 11:00 a.m. at 202 West 2nd Street in Duluth. Following the program, a memorial march is scheduled to depart from the downtown area at 2:30 p.m. The event will feature drum and hand drum singers and will conclude with an honor fire and a light meal for attendees. According to the event organizers, Duluth's Enger Tower will be lit in red for MMIWR, and proclamations are expected for both Duluth and Superior, WI.
In Bemidji, MMIW 218 is hosting an event from 12:00 p.m. to 2:00 p.m. at the Paul Bunyan and Babe the Blue Ox statues. Community members are gathering at this landmark to honor and remember their relatives. Coffee and tea will be available, and attendees are encouraged to wear red.
In Minneapolis, a program will take place on February 14, beginning at 11:00 a.m. at the Minneapolis American Indian Center in South Minneapolis. This event is organized by a broad coalition that includes the Minnesota Indian Women’s Sexual Assault Coalition, the Minnesota Missing and Murdered Indigenous Relatives Office, and the American Indian Movement, among others. Following the speakers, a one-mile march will take place through the Phillips neighborhood, ending back at the Center for a community meal.
Ana Negrete, community planner for the Minnesota MMIR Office, said, "In this moment, we are showing the world the strength of community solidarity. We stand together, united in the knowledge that every member of our community matters, including those who are missing or those who have been taken from their families," before adding, “On this day, we honor the names of those whose absence is felt every day, whose names we carry in our hearts. They are not statistics, they are our relatives and their stories will not be forgotten."
