ST. PAUL — A Leech Lake Band member is leading the state’s new Missing and Murdered Indigenous Relatives Office.
Guadalupe Lopez started as director at the end of July.
In a news release, the Department of Public Safety said she brings over 25 years of leadership experience addressing domestic violence, sexual assault, trafficking and the missing and murdered indigenous relatives epidemic.
The release described Lopez as a "nationally recognized advocate and coalition-builder." She previously led a coalition to end relationship abuse called Violence Free Minnesota. She also helped launch the first MMIR march in the Twin Cities.
“Ending violence and all forms of oppression is more than a job to me,” Lopez said. “It’s about the survival of my people, my children and our collective future generations. It is a lifelong journey and it’s a journey that aligns with the work that the MMIR Office is doing.”
The creation of the first-of-its-kind office was signed into law in 2021 to address and prevent the disproportionate rates of violence, disappearance and murder impacting indigenous peoples in the state.
Lopez's mix of grassroots experience and national-level leadership will keep the office rooted in the voice of the community, the release said.
“Director Lopez has walked with impacted families and built strong relationships with law enforcement,” DPS Commissioner Bob Jacobson said. “I have no doubt she will lead with the same clarity, compassion and strength that have defined her career.”
"Director Lopez leads from the heart. She doesn't just understand MMIR, she feels it's impact deeply,” said Juliet Rudie, DPS tribal relations director. “This office was established to challenge the big picture, and she is exactly the kind of leader we need right now to change outcomes for our relatives.”
