An attendee holds a sign at the eighth annual Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women's ceremony. The event was held at the Bemidji Waterfront on Wednesday, Feb. 14, 2024.
Founded in 2016, the grassroots MMIW, or Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women, 218, has rallied the community with various demonstrations to raise awareness and hold space for healing.
BEMIDJI — Community and culture are at the forefront of the grassroots effort organizing to raise awareness about the epidemic of violence Indigenous peoples face.
Lorie Shaull
Drummers play a song during the eighth annual Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women's ceremony. The event was held at the Bemidji Waterfront on Wednesday, Feb. 14, 2024.
Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women, or MMIW 218, began about eight years ago as gruesome murders of Indigenous women in Bemidji captured local headlines but left behind grieving families.
Krista Fisherman, mother of six, was stabbed by her boyfriend near the Paul Bunyan Mall in February 2015. She was found lying in the street sometime later, eventually succumbing to her injuries. The man had numerous domestic violence-related charges since 2008, all of which were dismissed by the court. Krista’s killer was sentenced to eight years in prison.
Rose Downwind, mother of five, was reported missing in October 2015. After the family spent over a month searching, her murderer turned himself in and admitted that he and two accomplices attempted to dispose of her remains by burning her body with accelerants in a shallow grave. The perpetrator is serving a 35-year sentence.
These tragedies, and countless others, led organizers to form MMIW 218, according to one of the founders, Audrianna Goodwin.
Lorie Shaull
Audrianna Goodwin, one of the founders of MMIW 218, speaks at the beginning of the eighth annual Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women's ceremony and walk. The event was held at the Bemidji Waterfront on Wednesday, Feb. 14, 2024.
“Just the interconnectedness of the violence that Indigenous communities experience is why we gather and create these spaces,” Goodwin said. “It's not just a space for us to grieve, it's also a space for us to feel that love, that connection to one another, and it is through that connection, through our culture, that we're going to be able to heal our people.”
Hosted annually on Valentine’s Day, the gathering included ceremony, song and stories shared by families with lost or missing loved ones.
The MMIW movement has expanded also to include Indigenous men and those who identify as nonbinary, now commonly referred to as Missing and Murdered Indigenous Relatives or Peoples.
Arnold Dahl is a presenter on Two Spirit issues, as a member of the LGBTQI+ community, and said these issues of violence against Indigenous women spill over into the Two Spirit community.
Lorie Shaull
A cardboard red dress sign posted along Great River Road for the Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women's ceremony and walk. The event was held at the Bemidji Waterfront on Wednesday, Feb. 14, 2024.
“Two entities that are silenced by violence,” Dahl said. “We have to make sure that we incorporate all the Native entities. ... What can we do to help make sure there’s no more violence and make sure that people are protected?”
Dwa Brown, who is frequently featured in Dahl’s presentations on Indigenous issues, was close to Rose Downwind. Even though she recently recovered from a major medical incident, Brown chose to attend to show her support for other families who share her grief.
“To bring awareness to a group of people that have been forgotten, basically,” Brown said. “We don't get the same news coverage and we don't get the same attention or care. So I'm just out here supporting those people as much as I can.”
As the Bemidji rallies continue, the list of names of lost or missing loved ones grows, like Jeremy Jourdain, a 17-year-old boy reported missing in 2016, and Nevaeh Kingbird, a 15-year-old girl reported missing in 2021.
Lorie Shaull
Theresa Jourdain speaks about her ongoing anxiety and difficulties sleeping because of the unknown facts surrounding her missing son, Jeremy Jourdain, at the eighth annual Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women's ceremony. The event was held at the Bemidji Waterfront on Wednesday, Feb. 14, 2024.
The in-depth report explores the root causes of the issues, including jurisdictional issues between county, state and tribal law enforcement, leading to MMIR cases “falling through the cracks.”
Deeper than that, rape culture dating back to colonial times has objectified Indigenous women and girls all over the globe, and Minnesota was no exception.
“Colonial and patriarchal policies that have displaced women from their traditional roles in Indigenous communities and governance and diminished their status in society, leaving them vulnerable to violence,” stated the report.
The Bureau of Criminal Apprehension’s Minnesota Crime Data Explorer showed six reported Indigenous victims of homicide or non-negligent manslaughter in 2023. That accounts for 4.41% of all reported homicides, that includes non-negligent manslaughter, in Minnesota.
“The shift is happening in the Bemidji area and in other Indigenous communities. People are hearing our calls for help and calls for action,” Goodwin said. “This is what the community wants. And so at the most grassroots level, this is what we're doing, right? We're here.
“We volunteer our time to be here to create this space and it was the collective work, not just here in Bemidji, but in Duluth, Minneapolis, across Turtle Island — all of us are lifting up and unifying. In that unification, our messages have strengthened. It’s in community, and when things happen in community, it’s really hard to fizzle out.”
1 of 19 — Attendees walk along the waterfront at the eighth annual Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women's ceremony and walk.jpg
Participants in the eighth annual Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women's ceremony walk along the waterfront on Paul Bunyan State Trail. The event was held at the Bemidji Waterfront on Wednesday, Feb. 14, 2024.
Lorie Shaull
2 of 19 — A drum song is played during the eighth annual Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women's ceremony.jpg
Drummers play a song during the eighth annual Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women's ceremony. The event was held at the Bemidji Waterfront on Wednesday, Feb. 14, 2024.
Lorie Shaull
3 of 19 — Attendees shook hands to acknowledge family members who had lost a relative.jpg
Attendees acknowledge family members who have lost a relative by standing in a line to shake their hands during the eighth annual Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women's ceremony. The event was held at the Bemidji Waterfront on Wednesday, Feb. 14, 2024.
Lorie Shaull
4 of 19 — Angie Goggleye holds a sign to honor of her niece, Alexis Rodriquez.jpg
Angie Goggleye holds a sign to honor her niece, Alexis Rodriquez, at the eighth annual Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women's ceremony. The event was held at the Bemidji Waterfront on Wednesday, Feb. 14, 2024.
Lorie Shaull
5 of 19 — 01 Participants in the eighth annual Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women's ceremony.jpg
Participants in the eighth annual Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women's ceremony hold red MMIW flags. The event was held at the Bemidji Waterfront on Wednesday, Feb. 14, 2024.
Lorie Shaull
6 of 19 — Lori Ah-shein.jpg
Lori Ah-shein holds a MMIW flag at the eighth annual Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women's ceremony and walk. The event was held at the Bemidji Waterfront on Wednesday, Feb. 14, 2024.
Lorie Shaull
7 of 19 — Angie Goggleye speaks at the eighth annual Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women's ceremony.jpg
Angie Goggleye speaks about her niece, Alexis Rodriquez, at the eighth annual Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women's ceremony. The event was held at the Bemidji Waterfront on Wednesday, Feb. 14, 2024.
Lorie Shaull
8 of 19 — Audrianna Goodwin, one of the founders of MMIW218, speaks.jpg
Audrianna Goodwin, one of the founders of MMIW218, speaks at the beginning of the eighth annual Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women's ceremony and walk. The event was held at the Bemidji Waterfront on Wednesday, Feb. 14, 2024.
Lorie Shaull
9 of 19 — 02 A cardboard red dress sign posted along Great River Road for the Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women's ceremony and walk.jpg
A cardboard red dress sign posted along Great River Road for the Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women's ceremony and walk. The event was held at the Bemidji Waterfront on Wednesday, Feb. 14, 2024.
Lorie Shaull
10 of 19 — Izailya Eason holds a sign to honor of her father, Jared Eason.jpg
Izailya Eason holds a sign to honor her father, Jared Eason, at the eighth annual Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women's ceremony and walk. The event was held at the Bemidji Waterfront on Wednesday, Feb. 14, 2024.
Lorie Shaull
11 of 19 — 03 Attendees walk along the waterfront at the eighth annual Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women's ceremony and walk.jpg
Participants in the eighth annual Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women's ceremony walk on Paul Bunyan State Trail. The event was held at the Bemidji Waterfront on Wednesday, Feb. 14, 2024.
Lorie Shaull
12 of 19 — 03 A cardboard red dress sign posted along Great River Road for the Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women's ceremony and walk.jpg
A cardboard red dress sign posted along Great River Road for the Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women's ceremony and walk. The event was held at the Bemidji Waterfront on Wednesday, Feb. 14, 2024.
Lorie Shaull
13 of 19 — Theresa Jourdain speaks at the eighth annual Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women's ceremony.jpg
Theresa Jourdain speaks about her ongoing anxiety and difficulties sleeping because of the unknown facts surrounding her missing son, Jeremy Jourdain, at the eighth annual Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women's ceremony. The event was held at the Bemidji Waterfront on Wednesday, Feb. 14, 2024.
Lorie Shaull
14 of 19 — the Council of Indian Student at Bemidji State University.jpg
Student members of the Council of Indian Students at Bemidji State University participate in the eighth annual Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women's ceremony. The event was held at the Bemidji Waterfront on Wednesday, Feb. 14, 2024.
Lorie Shaull
15 of 19 — Cardboard red dress signs posted along the waterfront for the Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women's ceremony and walk.jpg
Cardboard red dress signs posted along Great River Road for the Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women's ceremony and walk. The event was held at the Bemidji Waterfront on Wednesday, Feb. 14, 2024.
Lorie Shaull
16 of 19 — 02 Attendees walk along the waterfront at the eighth annual Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women's ceremony and walk.jpg
Participants in the eighth annual Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women's ceremony walk along the waterfront on Paul Bunyan State Trail. The event was held at the Bemidji Waterfront on Wednesday, Feb. 14, 2024.
Lorie Shaull
17 of 19 — Attendees hold signs to honor relatives at the eighth annual Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women's ceremony and walk.jpg
Participants at the eighth annual Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women's ceremony and walk hold signs to honor relatives. The event was held at the Bemidji Waterfront on Wednesday, Feb. 14, 2024.
Lorie Shaull
18 of 19 — Eliana Eason holds a sign to honor of her father, Jared Eason.jpg
Eliana Eason holds a sign to honor her father, Jared Eason, at the eighth annual Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women's ceremony and walk. The event was held at the Bemidji Waterfront on Wednesday, Feb. 14, 2024.
Lorie Shaull
19 of 19 — A cardboard red dress sign posted along Great River Road for the Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women's ceremony and walk.jpg
A cardboard red dress sign posted along Great River Road for the Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women's ceremony and walk. The event was held at the Bemidji Waterfront on Wednesday, Feb. 14, 2024.
Larissa Donovan has been in the Bemidji area's local news scene since 2016, joining the KAXE newsroom in 2023 after several years as the News Director for the stations of Paul Bunyan Broadcasting.
